In the final kilometres of today's Tour Down Under stage to Stirling, Cannondale-Garmin strung things out to set up Nathan Haas for a win. The Australian was determined to win the stage and had a plan to copy a compatriot.

In the past, Michael Matthews has completely dominated the uphill sprint to Stirling but today it was another Australian who went for the win in stage 2 of the Tour Down Under. Cannondale-Garmin hit the front in the finale to set up Nathan Haas for a stage win and important bonus seconds as he tries to improve on last year's fifth place.

Haas launched a long sprint but faded near the end, settling for 9th place.

“At about 300 metres to go there’s a small dip in the road and three years ago that’s where Michael Matthews hit everybody and got the jump,” Haas told CyclingTips after the stage. “I tried to do that today but everyone was a bit clued on and maybe my legs weren’t as good in the end as I would have liked.

“But at the end of the day I did my best.”