Giacoppo wins third-straight stage

Anthony Giacoppo (Huon Salmon-Genesys Wealth Advisers) has made it three wins from as many starts, reigning supreme in the fifth stage of the Tour of the Great South Coast.

Last season's winner of the National Road Series, Luke Davison (Drapac) marked his return event of 2013 in style, finishing runner-up while Gus Tobin (search2retain p/b health.com.au) snagged third.

Overnight leader Sam Horgan (Budget Forklifts) got some extra breathing room ahead of the afternoon road stage, picking up valuable bonus seconds to push his general classification buffer out to 28 seconds.

Strong coastal winds again greeted the peloton on Friday for the first of two stages before the weekend.

With just six points separating first (Budget Forklifts' Jesse Kerrison) from second (African Wildlife Safaris' Darcy Woolley) it was no surprise to see a hot contest when it came to the seven intermediates on offer. Woolley was first out of the blocks, taking maximum points on the first two sprints of the day, with plenty of attacks animating the 2.5km laps on the waterfront circuit.

Woolley's efforts had him on equal terms with the 19-year-old Queenslander and Kerrison got back on track with five points over four laps.

With five laps remaining, Cam Bayly (search2retain p/b health.com.au) made a move off the front with Ben Grenda (Polygon) for company. Drapac journeyman Gordon McCauley and Nathan Elliott (Campolina/Fulton Hogan) also went clear with the small group gaining no more than around 15 seconds advantage on the peloton being driven by Euride Racing.

As the bell lap sounded, right on cue, the peloton was riding as one ready to fight it out for the bunch sprint.

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