Drapac Professional Cycling’s William Clarke delivered an instrumental attack in Stage 3 of Santos Tour Down Under, establishing a day long break to earn Most Competitive Rider. Rohan Dennis (BMC) took the stage victory with Cadel Evans (BMC) second and Tom Dumoulin (TGA) third.

Clarke launched at 3km and was joined by fellow Australian Calvin Watson (Trek Racing), Lasse Norman Hansen (Cannondale-Garmin) and Axel Domont (AG2R La Mondiale) at 9km.

“I wanted to go pretty early today. I felt good and we got rolling nicely as a group. I am pleased with today and I gave what I had. It was good to open the legs up a bit and go up the road and I am happy about getting the sprints,” Clarke said.

“This morning it was either me or (team mate) Travis Meyer who'd go away. He got pulled back after I tried first so it was my turn. 

“Being out there I thought I had to go for the sprints. The first one wasn't difficult but the second one was. Lasse Hansen jumped a bit... He's an Olympic gold medallist for omnium so it was a surprise that I got him in the sprints!

“Towards the end the other guys were a bit tired so I tried to go away again But I had no illusions.
 

The quartet then built out a lead on the peloton that hovered around 3 minutes for the next 100km.

“All in all it was a good day today. I am pleased we were in the break and Will rode strong all day,” Tom Southam, Sports Director, said. “Will gave today exactly what we asked him to do and rode aggressively.”

Clarke, in his 5th appearance at Santos Tour Down Under, won the first and second iiNET Sprint (67km and 93km) ahead of Hansen and Domont. Domont then dropped off just before the final sprint of the day. Clarke took the third sprint with Hansen and Watson behind him. Not long after the sprint line, Hansen fell back and Watson followed soon after. Clarke rode solo for the next 10km before being swallowed up by a charging peloton.

Clarke is no stranger to the breakaway attack having won the 2012 Stage 2 of Tour Down Under in Stirling on an all-day breakaway.

Drapac’s highest place GC rider, Travis Meyer started the day in 31st and was positioned with the peloton as they tackled the final climb of the day.

“I felt good leading into the bottom of the final climb. I was perfectly positioned behind Sky and Greenedge but unfortunately didnt have the legs to follow the big guns,” Meyer said. Meyer finished the day at +2’32”.

Drapac’s Tim Rowe suffered a puncture with 5km to go and unfortunately lost valuable time, dropping his hopes for a high placing finish for the day.

“It was unlucky for Tim to puncture when he did. You can’t stop it from happening but it’s disappointing when it does. He was riding well today and it is just unfortunate,” Southam added.

Jordan Kerby was today’s top finisher for the team at +1’59”.

Tomorrow’s 144km stage takes the peloton up Sellicks Hill before sprints are contested at Ashbourne and Macclesfield.