THE Jayco Herald Sun Tour took a step back in time yesterday with the second stage beginning at Ballarat's famous Sovereign Hill.
But there was nothing colonial about a frenetic day's racing through the Brisbane Ranges en route to Geelong.
Little-known South African Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg won the stage after eclipsing two of Australia's best sprinters - 2002 Tour champion Baden Cooke and emerging star Steele Von Hoff - in a gripping uphill finish into Herne Hill.
The win pushed Janse van Rensburg into fourth overall, but the leader's yellow jersey stayed on the back of stage one winner Rhys Pollock, who is 15 seconds clear of Nathan Haas in second position.
Neither rider was confident they would fight out today's third stage, a testing 173km route from Geelong through the Otway Ranges to Lorne and then back to the Bellarine Peninsula via the Great Ocean Road.
But after the fighting spirit their teams showed yesterday, the pressure on the big-name European teams continues to grow.
Tomorrow's climb up Arthurs Seat looks set to determine the winner of Australia's oldest stage race, while the Tour ends in Lygon St with a circuit race on Sunday.
Both weekend stages will be telecast live on SBS.
Read more on the Herald Sun.
