Fetch best of the breakaway

Luke Fetch (Seight Test Team p/b The Biomechanics) has won the sixth stage of the Tour of the Great South Coast, in just his first appearance in the NRS this season having shifted his focus to mountain bike.

Fetch was part of the 16-man breakaway which took advantage of the blustery conditions which peppered the afternoon stage with Ben Grenda (Polygon) earning his seventh podium of the season in second place, while George Tansley (Euride Racing) was third.

"I've don't think I've ever won a road race, maybe just a club one," Fetch said. "This is indescribable."

The 23-year-old said his team's aim was to keep him fresh.

"After the first cross-wind, I was in the third group and I wasn't feeling too good," Fetch said.

"I knew I needed to get a better position. I came to the front group at the 60km mark and there were maybe 30 guys. There were a few little attacks from then on but nothing was sticking. With 500m to go, I went for it."

Yellow jersey Sam Horgan (Budget Forklifts) somehow sneaked into the breakaway and was able to increase his lead by an additional 35 seconds from Alex Morgan (Jayco/Apollo VIS). Darren Lapthorne's position in the break saw him move up to third overall, 1:25 behind Horgan, while Fetch moves into fourth a further 14 seconds back.

Brutal winds greeted the peloton from the outset of the 67km stage with carnage readily predicted by a few of the teams on social media.

Heading north out of Port Fairy, the peloton was riding straight into a headwind over the first third of the race, and soon three distinct bunches had formed on the road.

Just outside of Kirkstall, a handful of riders escaped off the front bunch gaining around 100 metres on the chase. That gap blew out to nearly a minute but with Budget Forklifts' race leader Sam Horgan in the escape group, the chasers brought it back to 40 seconds by the time the race reached Hawkesdale with 40km raced.

The conditions and the fact that four groups were split on the road, meant that the break was destined to stick.

Action continues Saturday in the Moyne Shire with The Commercial Hotel Koroit Criterium from 11am and the 104.3km Koroit to Peterborough road race from 1.30pm.

The tour culminates on Sunday with the Lakes and Craters road race in Camperdown, starting at 12noon.

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