BMC Racing Team's Rohan Dennis and Cadel Evans avoided injury in a crash in the finishing straight Friday to keep their places in the top two spots on the overall classification at the Santos Tour Down Under.

Neither rider went down in the pile-up that happened fewer than 300 meters from the finish of the 144.5-kilometer stage that was won by Australian national criterium champion Steele Von Hoff (UniSA-Australia). BMC Racing Team's Michael Schär, who was escorting Evans, said the downhill sprint made for a more dangerous situation.

"The speed was very, very fast in the peloton – I think we were going over 60 or 70 kilometers an hour," the past Swiss national road champion said. "Some guys just took too many risks and they went down. I was right behind Cadel and we were sprinting full gas and just hoping we wouldn't go down. Luckily, we stayed upright and everything was fine."

With two days of the race to go, Dennis leads Evans by seven seconds. Tom Dumoulin (Team Giant-Alpecin) is third at nine seconds, while Daryl Impey (ORICA-GreenEDGE) finished runner-up to Von Hoff and earned a total of nine bonus seconds on the day to move from 10th to fourth, 13 seconds back.

Dennis said his first day in the ochre leader's jersey was a smooth one, thanks to the help of his five teammates.

"It was a hectic day, a bit stressful," he said. "But the team was great. They really rode well together and kept me out of trouble whenever it was stressful. They protected me perfectly.

"It's been a good day. If anything was going to happen, I felt safe. The only time I was a little bit worried was with 35km to go when some attacked started going on. There were people getting a little bit on the edge. Sky and Movistar did a lot of work near the finish.

"Impey took some time bonus. He's now at 13 seconds but it is not a big concern if we race like yesterday and I have the same good legs as yesterday. Our team was excellent today so we're still aiming for a one-two, [with] Cadel and I."

Saturday's penultimate stage finishes atop Old Willunga Hill. The stage was pivotal in last year's race in which Evans lost the overall lead by a single second to eventual winner Simon Gerrans (ORICA-GreenEDGE) while Richie Porte (Team Sky) took the stage win. Porte sits in fifth overall, 15 seconds back of Dennis.

"Obviously there will be a selection like there always is over the top," Dennis said. "Generally it's a crosswind in that five-kilometre stretch [after cresting the climb] and down Penny's Hill and back round again for that final time. I dare say there will be fireworks going off.

"We are not naming any names. Our goal is to aim high and get us both one-two on the podium. Whether that's Cadel or me, it doesn't matter as we are both BMC riders. I think our goal is to get us on the podium as one and two. There is no definite leader. What we want to do is strive to be one and two at the finish and try to pull off the team classification.

"Obviously I don’t want to take away from a great send-off that we could give him but in saying that if I just sit up and say 'you take it' and someone else takes the win it would look pretty bad. We both have to go to the race and no doubt in the finish, one of us will be on the podium.

"The one thing in cycling is that you have to risk everything to win. It is sort of risky but it is definitely possible. With Cadel's form and my form and the team we have, Cadel was saying before it's a Tour de France winning team. We are strong and united and work together really well." 

The BMC Racing Team remains the leader in the Virgin Australia team standings while Dennis also holds the lead in the Cycle Instead "young rider" competition.