As well Tom Peterson clinched the final king of the mountains jersey for the race, while the team as a whole won the team classification.

Director’s report from Matt White:

Well! After a successful week we finished off by just controlling the stage and not letting the GC change. Wiggo was the strongest rider in the tour and Cj showed respect for the work the team and Wiggo did for him earlier in the week by not challenging Wiggo for bonuses seconds today.

With the win Wiggo passes another teammate, Chris Sutton, in taking the overall lead with only one stage remaining. Sutton holds onto second place overall with a strong time trial performance as well, with Tuft now sitting in fourth. The potential for an Argyle sweep of the final podium is alive and well down under!

Team Garmin-Slipstream, stage 5
1. Bradley Wiggins 13.08
2. Svein Tuft +0.14
6. Chris Sutton +0.48
25. Tom Peterson +1.27
49. Ricardo Van der Velde +1.54
70. Trent Lowe +2.28
74. Alex Howes +2.52

Team Garmin-Slipstream, GC
1. Bradley Wiggins 14h24.32
2. Chris Sutton +0.05
4. Svein Tuft +0.39
14. Tom Peterson +5.32
24. Ricardo Van der Velde +7.36
34. Trent Lowe +27.03
28. Alex Howes +18.27
34. Trent Lowe +27.03

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From the Argyle store:

Cj got his hat trick!

Three in a row, and that after another great team ride and a super lead-out by Wiggo! Cj extended his lead to five seconds now.

Tomorrow is a tight 10km time trial in down town Geelong . Neither Cj or second placed Jono Cantwell are time trialists. But with Wiggo at only 43 seconds I think we will have a very tight general classification tomorrow evening!

Another successful day at the office!

The team went on the attack from the start and Tom Peterson found himself in the break. He was also being the best placed rider on the GC which put pressure on Fly V to keep the break from going too far out.

Our boys just sat tight and waited for the last climb of the day, where we put a lot of heat on the leader!

In the front Tom found himself alone with world omnium champ and the fastest U23 in the world, Leigh Howard. Fly V were now closing in hard but Tom was just sitting-on knowing Chris Sutton was coming up quick from behind. The two break riders were swarmed in the last 100 meters with Cj wrapping up the bunch sprint and taking the leaders jersey by one second!

We now have one day to control on the flats before the crucial time trial.

After two very close calls we finally got the win we were looking for! The team again controlled the race from start to finish, splitting the bunch on numerous occasions in gale-force conditions.

In the final Svein went on the attack solo from the 13 riders left standing , he was then joined by three other riders. In a very impressive move Wiggo and CJ left the group and made there way across to the lead four with Svein. With three in the break of six the boys drove the last 10km to solidify the GC.

Cj grabbed a well deserved victory and now moves into second place on GC, just 3 seconds behind sprinter Jono Cantwell.

The young Alex Howes also extended his lead in the KOM jersey with wins on both climbs today and we have a very comfortable lead in team GC!

Tomorrow is the hardest day of the tour with a hard climb inside the last 15km it and again strong winds predicted it will be an exiting final run in.

Team Garmin-Slipstream, stage 2
1. Chris Sutton 3h33.44
5. Bradley Wiggins +0.03
6. Svein Tuft +0.09
15. Ricardo Van der Velde +4.09
33. Tom Peterson
42. Trent Lowe +4.20
55. Alex Howes +11.21

Team Garmin-Slipstream, GC
1. Jonathan Cantwell 7h15.17
2. Chris Sutton +0.03
5. Bradley Wiggins +0.28
6. Svein Tuft +0.46
22. Ricardo Van der Velde +4.34
26. Tom Peterson
30. Alex Howes +11.46
44. Trent Lowe +23.02

Sutton finished second in the pre-race criterium on Sunday — and his consistent showing today has him sitting in third overall, just four seconds off the lead.

Six of the seven Garmin-Slipstream riders are still within one minute of the lead after Monday’s field sprint stage, the first of six, including the young stagiaire Alex Howes.

Team Garmin-Slipstream, stage 1
1. Jaan Kirsipuu 3h41.51
2. Chris Sutton
4. Bradley Wiggins +0.04
32. Tom Peterson
34. Ricardo Van der Velde
37. Alex Howes
38. Svein Tuft +0.16
44. Trent Lowe

Team Garmin-Slipstream, GC
1. Jaan Kirsipuu 3h41.51
3. Chris Sutton +0.04
7. Bradley Wiggins +0.14
32. Tom Peterson
34. Ricardo Van der Velde
37. Alex Howes
39. Svein Tuft +0.26
45. Trent Lowe +18.31

Race report from Johnny Weltz:

Things started right away today with attacks after only 1km! We wanted a group to take off but not too big — yet after 25km a group of 10 riders was off the front. Several teams chased hard to bring it back as the group was a bit too big. However, at that moment no one was willing to offer (and waste) their whole team to bring it back so they let it go.

After gaining two minutes we had Will Frieschkorn start the chase so they didn’t gain ten min right away. It turned out to be a long and hard chase, basically just for us and Boonen’s team — our guys didn’t get off the front the whole day and had the race in control (despite several crash and cross wind sections.)

When it came down to the critical moment with 8km to go and the favorites moved up we had Tyler Farrar and Martijn Maaskant up there with the action. But a big crash in front of the field took down a big part of the top riders and our guys as well. We lost all options on the ground. It was so frustrating as Tyler didn’t get much benefit out of the top condition he has going right now.

Today’s ‘Preface’ was a separate criterium that had no bearings on the actual race. It was a great hit out and it gave the boys another day to settle into their new time zone!

I was very happy with how the lads rode, having three in the break of 18 and then controlling the final laps very well. Chris (Cj) Sutton ended up loosing in a photo finish but today the race starts in earnest so stay tuned.

Team Garmin-Slipstream, preface criterium
1. Jonathan Cantwell 1h05.29
2. Chris Sutton
8. Ricardo Van der Velde +0.06
12. Svein Tuft +0.11
22. Alex Howes +1.34
32. Tom Peterson
37. Trent Lowe
40. Bradley Wiggins

Photos courtesy Chris De Vos

Wow, only one word: RESPECT!

A strong cross wind was present all day, and after another fast start 13 guys made it into a break with Boonen and Martijn. The peloton chased hard for 40km keeping it at 20 seconds.

At kilometer 60, four guys made a new break and an impressive Garmin-Slipstream team sat on the front setting tempo, holding the gap at about 2:40. It was all together at 30km to go.

The last attack came at 20km to go with seven guys — Tyler followed it and attacked them at 2km to go. He took third place on the day but again in the leader’s jersey with 10 seconds between him and Boonen.

The team can be proud!