Jay McCarthy may not be known as a sprinter but yesterday the Australian got the chance to mix it up with the fast guys in the bunch sprint on the second stage of the Tour of Austria. He did well to come away with 5th place.

After last Sunday's initial mountain battle in the Austrian stage race, Tour of Austria, the peloton was challenged with a relatively flat stage of 181 kilometers between Waldhofen and Bad Ischl where the sprinters were expected to dominate the events of things.

Entering the final 20 kilometers, Frederik Bakchaert (Wanty) was the last standing escapee from a bigger break formed in the early kilometers of the stage. But the sprinters had the situation under control and with 10 kilometers to go, the pack was complete and ready for the sprinter showdown.

Without any heavy sprinters in the line-up, Tinkoff-Saxo Aussie, Jay McCarthy made his way up alongside the sprinters and finished 5th in the hectic finale where Oscar Gatto (Cannondale) was the fastest.

“Five riders broke clear from the gun and Team Sky controlled the pace of the pack until the finale where Cannondale took over the reigns. Our boys put Jay in a good spot for the sprint and he finished 5th on the line. It was a rather easy stage and the boys had a chance to recover and prepare for tomorrow’s big mountain battle with a steep uphill finish. Oliver (Zaugg) is ready and we hope, he gets to stay in the top of the classifications,” said DS, Tristan Hoffman.

Oliver Zaugg is still second overall.