Fetch wins again at South Coast

Luke Fetch (Seight Test Team p/b The Biomechanics) has won his second stage in as many days at the Tour of the Great South Coast. In his first NRS tour this year Fetch is proving to be the breakthrough rider of the tour as he again upstaged many more fancied rivals.

Fetch mastered the technical finish in Peterborough to come in one second clear of fellow former mountain biker Brenton Jones (Huon-Genesys) with Alex Edmondson (Euride Racing) rounding out the podium. The win came as a pleasant surprise for Fetch who will now be a marked man for tomorrow's final stage.

"I wasn’t even thinking about a stage win today," said Fetch. "I was just focusing on staying fresh for tomorrow."

As the peloton left Koroit tension within the bunch was palpable as the region's famous winds were doing everything possible to live up to their reputation. The moment the flag dropped the race was on with everyone scrambling to get to the front before the crucial first turn. As the race began to split it was Drapac Cycling forcing the pace as the bunch was soon broken into four echelons.

Various bunches split and re-joined during the opening hour of the race with the Budget Forklifts team ever present at the front in their attempts to control the race for their leader, Sam Horgan.

After 43 kilometres of racing there was a lull in proceedings as teams gathered and assessed their prospects heading into the second half of the stage. Various riders attempted to escape the clutches of the peloton including Gordon McCauley (Drapac Cycling), Kane Walker (Huon-Genesys), Oliver Kent-Spark (search2retain p/b health.com.au), Nathan Elliot (Target Trek) and stage two victor, Alex Morgan (Jayco-VIS).

None were successful but the surges did serve to keep the pace high with many riders succumbing to fatigue and dropping off what remained of the peloton. As the lead group of 40 riders roared into Peterborough attacks were coming thick and fast but no-one had the legs to gain a significant advantage.

With four turns and a number of speed humps in the technical final kilometre and a half it was Luke Fetch who did the best job of holding position at the front of affairs and in doing so added another stage to his South Coast tally.

Jesse Kerrison (Budget Forklifts) extended his lead in the Independent Cranes Sprint Championship out to 18 points and cannot be beaten providing he finishes the final stage on Sunday.

Patrick Shaw (Huon-Genesys) retains a four point lead over Matthew Nicholson (Polygon Australia) in the Scody King of the Mountains Championship heading into the final stage. With KOM points on offer on each of the six laps of the 15.6 kilometre circuit around Camperdown tomorrow the competition remains wide open. Riders will tackle two tough climbs each lap with points up for grabs on the second climb only.

Sam Horgan (Budget Forklifts) retained his overall lead of nearly a minute heading to the difficult final stage tomorrow around Camperdown. Although, the repeated climbs are not ideal for the Kiwi strongman, the course does reward strong teamwork. And with Budget Forklifts successfully defending the lead of Jack Anderson at the Tour of Gippsland two weeks ago, it will take an all-out assault to take the yellow jersey from them.

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