The anticipation was building (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
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Go Aussie!! (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
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Luke Durbridge on the KOM (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
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The race makes its way through a small South Australian town (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
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Crowds lines the street in all the town the stage passed through (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
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Will Clarke, the solo man (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
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Will Clarke cheered on with one more pass of Sterling to go (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
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110,000 was the official crowd figures for stage 2 (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
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This police officer got plenty of cheers. (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
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A small victory salute (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
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These fans could feel the rush of the Tour Down Under (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
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These fans were than happy to help out Michael Matthews after the stage (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
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Luke Roberts had a tangle with the TV banner (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
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Crikey Cadel was out on the prowl (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
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Plenty of crowds out on stage 2 (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
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Commentators ready for another day of calling the race (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
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Matthew Lloyd is popular with the locals (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
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Michael Matthews catches up with some mates prior to the stage start (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
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Michael Matthews wires up (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
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Jens Voigt and Mark Renshaw chat with some fans (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
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Always popular Voigt posses for a quick happy snap (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
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The Aussie champ looking focused (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
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Another crowd favourite Robbie McEwen is happy to signa few autographs (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
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Andre Greipel make shis way through the team cars to the start line (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
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The break after 5km (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
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A man and his best friend (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
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Beaming the great images to the world (Image credit: Mark Gunter)
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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.
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