The anticipation was building (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Image 2 of 28
Go Aussie!! (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Image 3 of 28
Luke Durbridge on the KOM (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Image 4 of 28
The race makes its way through a small South Australian town (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Image 5 of 28
Crowds lines the street in all the town the stage passed through (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Image 6 of 28
Will Clarke, the solo man (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Image 7 of 28
Will Clarke cheered on with one more pass of Sterling to go (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Image 8 of 28
110,000 was the official crowd figures for stage 2 (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Image 9 of 28
This police officer got plenty of cheers. (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Image 10 of 28
A small victory salute (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Image 11 of 28
These fans could feel the rush of the Tour Down Under (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Image 12 of 28
These fans were than happy to help out Michael Matthews after the stage (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Image 13 of 28
Luke Roberts had a tangle with the TV banner (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Image 14 of 28
Crikey Cadel was out on the prowl (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Image 15 of 28
Plenty of crowds out on stage 2 (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Image 16 of 28
Commentators ready for another day of calling the race (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Image 17 of 28
Matthew Lloyd is popular with the locals (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Image 18 of 28
Michael Matthews catches up with some mates prior to the stage start (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Image 19 of 28
Michael Matthews wires up (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Image 20 of 28
Jens Voigt and Mark Renshaw chat with some fans (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Image 21 of 28
Always popular Voigt posses for a quick happy snap (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Image 22 of 28
The Aussie champ looking focused (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Image 23 of 28
Another crowd favourite Robbie McEwen is happy to signa few autographs (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Image 24 of 28
Andre Greipel make shis way through the team cars to the start line (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Image 25 of 28
The break after 5km (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Image 26 of 28
A man and his best friend (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Image 27 of 28
Beaming the great images to the world (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Image 28 of 28
Will Clarke directly after his stage win (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Early estimates from the race organisers suggest that up to 110,000 spectators turned out to watch stage 2 of the 2012 Santos Tour Down Under, which brought the peloton from Lobethal to Stirling. The home fans were given plenty to cheer about as Australia's Will Clarke staged a daring early breakaway and clung on to secure the stage win, UniSA's first in the race since 2008.
As ever at the Tour Down Under, the relationship between riders and fans if flourishing in South Australia, as seen in this Cyclingnews gallery.
Cyclingnews Newsletter
Sign up to the Cyclingnews Newsletter. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how to do this, and how we hold your data, please see our privacy policy
