Cadel Evans of the BMC Racing Team finished fifth after teammates Campbell Flakemore and Danilo Wyss were part of separate breakaways during Wednesday's stage of the Santos Tour Down Under.

Evans climbed into 10th overall as Juan Jose Lobato (Movistar Team) took the stage win ahead of Daryl Impey (ORICA-GreenEDGE) and Stage 1 winner Jack Bobridge (UniSA) kept the overall lead. Flakemore – the Under 23 world time trial champion – and two others enjoyed more than 120 kilometers of freedom in the 150 km race before being caught with 24 km to go. Wyss and Calvin Watson (Trek Factory Racing) were next to go on the attack and spent 10 kilometers off the front before being reeled in with 10 km to go.

”It was not so bad," Evans said. "Of course last year’s third place was slightly better. I saw a slightly different race today with a little bit of headwind which really changed the finish. I was pretty well positioned but everyone was really on their limit. It was hard to compete with Movistar and their good lead-out.

“I think was the first day was the first chance to get an idea about how everyone is going. Looking at the GC now, [Gorka] Izagirre is in the best position of the major GC contenders. Who knows how Jack [Bobridge] is going in the hills? I think we are in an okay position in the GC looking at the overall on Sunday. Of course it would have been nice to get some seconds because we all know that this race can come down just to seconds. But it’s a promising sign and I think the stage to Paracombe and of course Willunga will be the real deciders from her on in.

“I need a few more days racing to come into my best but it is okay for now.

“On paper it [tomorrow's stage] is the stage that suits me the best so it will be a good chance to maybe turn things around on GC so we’ll have to see when we get there."

After the race, Flakemore crashed while riding back to the team hotel, breaking his collarbone and knocking him out of the race.