Herald Sun Tour: Pedersen wins stage 2

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The Danish Herald Sun Tour party continued Friday in Buninyong as Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) won the group sprint ahead of Steele von Hoff (Bennelong-Swisswellness) and Alex Edmondson (Mitchelton-Scott). Race leader and fellow Dane Lasse Norman Hansen (Aqua Blue Sport) finished in the bunch and retains the yellow jersey a day after his stage 1 victory.

A four-kilometre lead out from Koen de Kort set up Pedersen in the sprint to the line, the same finish used in the Australian national championships, with the Danish national champion then finishing off the job to land Trek-Segafredo's sixth win of the 2018 season.

A slipped saddle hindered Hansen's ability to contest the finale, and the Dane launched his sprint with 800 metres to go before fading to 38th, but it was enough to retain his lead. On Saturday, the 25-year-old will turn domestique for teammate Larry Warbasse on the road to Lake Mountain.

"I kept my promise. It was a bit harder than I expected today in the final so I am glad to have kept the jersey," he said of keeping yellow.

"Today I had my good teammate Larry up there again. He is ready for the big mountain tomorrow. Larry looks really good and I am going to do my best to defend the jersey for myself. If I can't, then I'll try to put on Larry's shoulders."

How it unfolded

The start of stage 2 of the Herald Sun Tour shared the same location of Flagstaff Hill in Warrnambool as the stage 1 finish, with the twist of following the roads in reserve to the previous afternoon. After 15 kilometres of aggressive racing, a crash brought down a number of riders, including race leader Hansen who was quick to get back on his bike and re-join the bunch.

The remaining riders only re-joined the rear of the peloton at the 30-kilometre mark as the day's breakaway rode off the front. The group consisted of Etienne van Empel (Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij), Ken-Levi Eikeland (Interpro Stradalli Cycling), Alistair Donohoe (Mobius BridgeLane), Liam Magennis (Drapac–EF p/b Cannondale), Joel Strachan (Team McDonalds Downunder), and the White brothers from Ballarat, Liam (Drapac–EF p/b Cannondale) and Nicholas (Oliver's Real Food Racing).

Rolling along with a healthy advantage close to five minutes at the halfway mark, the peloton was content to control the breakaway ride. A change to the course introduced a dirt road sector of seven kilometres mid-stage, and on approach, there was a split in the peloton. A decision by the commissaires, though, neutralised the race through the sector. At the end of the stretch of the road, the peloton took a three-minute break and impromptu feed to let the leaders re-establish their advantage.

The racing then settled again as the breakaway's three and half minute lead remained steady on the long straight roads leading into Ballarat. However, with the distance starting to bite, the breakaway began to splinter while pressure from Aqua Blue Sport, Trek-Segafredo and Mitchelton-Scott brought them back under two minutes.

Not wanting to make the catch too soon, the gap then went back out to three minutes. In the final 25 kilometres, the race turned onto the road used in the national time trial championships before heading into Buninyong and making its way onto the road race course. At the roundabout where the riders turned up towards the Midland Highway climb, the catch of the final four breakaway riders was complete.

James Whelan and then Nathan Earle made a move on the Buninyong climb with the latter securing the KOM jersey before a regrouping at the head of the race. Koen de Kort then gave his all to set up Pedersen for the win from the 47 rider front group.

The 218-kilometre stage 3 starts in Mitchelton Winery and takes the riders to the category 1 summit finish at Lake Mountain.

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