Avanti Racing Team were the best represented team in a break which escaped on the first categorised climb of the day up Mount Macedon. In all the break numbered 21 riders and with most of the big teams represented in quickly gained time. Pat Shaw, Paddy Bevin, Mark O’Brien and Joe Cooper all made the move and along with the 3 Orica GreenEdge riders pushed the pace early to ensure that the move would stick.

The gap ballooned to more than 13 minutes at one point with Drapac and MTN Qhubeka the big teams to completely miss out. At 30 km to go with the peleton having a leisurely bunch ride the cooperation in the break ceased with small groups taking their chance hoping to sneak away and take the win.

At 5km to go Joe Cooper followed an attack by Cam Meyer (Orica) and the pair quickly opened up a 20 second advantage while the break tried to figure out who should chase. In the end Meyer used his speed to take the stage win from Cooper with Paddy Bevin 3rd 10 seconds down with defending champ Simon Clarke in 4th on the same time. Cooper and Bevin now sit 2nd and 3rd on General Classification.

“My role was to mark Cam and when he went, I was able to respond and it was probably one of the hardest 10kms I’ve done,” explained New Zealand road champion, Cooper. “The plan was to try and keep it together for a bunch kick for Paddy [Bevin]."

With the race now in the balance, Avanti is likely to be on the attack before Sunday to try and bridge the gap to Meyer.

“I’m sure we’ll come up with some sort of plan to give me the edge [on Arthurs Seat] but he’s [Meyer] a world class rider and hats off to him today he did a good ride,” Cooper explained.

“It’s not ideal to give away four seconds but we’re very crafty and we’ll conjure something up.”