Matt Goss proves he is the one to watch in this years Tour Down Under

Veteran rider Robbie McEwan and former HTC-Columbia rider Andre Greipel were once again out smarted by 24 year old Goss as he took the win on the first official stage of the Tour.

The 138km stage started in Mawson Lakes in Adelaide's northern suburbs and from the outset attacks came from the peloton. The climb at Black top road was the launching pad for a three man attack featuring Gorka Izagirre (Euskaltel), Luke Roberts (UniSA) and Julien Loubet (Ag2R-la Mondiale).

Following this initial attack, a group of five riders featuring Simon Clarke (Astana), Mathieu Perget (Ag2r), Mitch Docker (Uni-SA) and Euskatel-Euskadi duo Jon Izaguirre and Miguel Minguez attacked, building a break of thirty seconds. As their lead extended, it was clear the break of the day had formed.

The group gained a maximum advantage of three minutes and thirty seconds before HTC, Sky and Omega Pharma-Lotto began to reel them in. The gap then hovered around the two minute mark for half the race as a bunch sprint in Angaston was imminent. HTC and Sky were prominent with Bert Grabsch and Michael Rogers respectively taking massive turns at the front to ensure a high pace for their respective leaders.

The final kilometre was a frantic bustle for the line that is all now familiar to the fans who line the finish, hoping to see the chaos and energy that it produces, but it was Goss storming to the line to take the win over pre-race favourite and two-time winner Andre Greipel. Goss's win ensures he has the leader's ochre Jersey as well as the young rider classification and sprint jersey.