Swift seals stage for Sky as Cam Meyer takes the overal win ahead of Goss

Ben Swift took a second stage victory with a win on the final day of the 2011 Tour Down Under, ahead of team mate Greg Henderson who finished in 2nd place, as Sky scuppered the attempts of HTC-Highroad to set their man Goss up for the sprint and victory that would have seen him take the overall title. Instead the acolade of first season win went to Aussie rider Cameron Meyer of Garmin-Cervelo.

The 90 kilometre 20 lap circuit stage in Adelaide began with two riders harbouring realistic hopes of the overall title; race leader Cameron Meyer of Garmin-Cervélo and HTC-Highroad’s Matt Goss, eight seconds back in second. Rabobank pairing of Laurens ten Dam and Michael Matthews also had a slim outside chance of taking the title.

From the outset, Garmin-Cervélo signalled their intention to take the race as Matt Wilson launched a solo attack, the Australian soon joined by former Tour Down Under winner and Adelaide resident Stuart O’Grady of Leopard Trek, Iaki Isasi of Euskaltel-Euskadi and Dimitro Champion of AG2R.

Meanwhile HTC-Highroad’s big guns including Bernie Eisel, Mark Renshaw and Mark Cavendish took control of the front of the peloton, knowing the vital bonus seconds on offer on lap 8 might help Goss bridge the gap on Meyer.

HTC-Highroad's bad boy Mark Renshaw shrugged off some barging from Saxo Bank’s Juan Jose Haedo as he tried to lead out team mate Goss, but the 24-year-old Australian was unable to fully profit and finished third behind the Team Sky pairing of Swift and Henderson to miss out on the overall title by just two seconds from Meyer – although he does win the Jayco Sprint Jersey – while Swift’s win saw him take the third podium position, and rueing a race that he had led earlier in the week eluding him at the very end.

Santos Tour Down Under IG Markets Stage 6 results

1 Ben Swift Sky Procycling 01:53:47
2 Greg Henderson Sky Procycling st
3 Matthew Goss HTC-Highroad st
4 Robbie McEwen Radio Shack st
5 Juan Jose Haedo Saxo Bank Sungard st
6 Allan Davis Astana st
7 Andre Greipel Omega Pharma-Lotto st
8 Romain Feillu Vacansoleil-DCM st
9 Davide Vigano Leopard Trek st
10 Jonathan Cantwell UNI SA - Australia st

Santos Ochre Leaders' Jersey

1 Cameron Meyer Garmin-Cervelo 17:54:27
2 Matthew Goss HTC-Highroad 00:02
3 Ben Swift Sky Procycling 00:08
4 Michael Matthews Rabobank 00:09
5 Laurens ten Dam Rabobank 00:10
6 Francisco Ventoso Movistar 00:17
7 Andre Greipel Omega Pharma-Lotto 00:26
8 Blel Kadri AG2R La Mondiale st
9 Allan Davis Astana 00:27
10 Luke Roberts UNI SA - Australia 00:28

Jayco Sprint Jersey

1 Matthew Goss HTC-Highroad 28
2 Michael Matthews Rabobank 20
3 Thomas De Gendt Vacansoleil-DCM 20

Skoda King of the Mountain Jersey

1 Luke Roberts UNI SA - Australia 60
2 Ben Hermans Radio Shack 36
3 Mitchell Docker UNI SA - Australia 32

Cycle Instead Young Rider Jersey

1 Cameron Meyer Garmin-Cervelo 17:54:27
2 Matthew Goss HTC-Highroad 00:02
3 Ben Swift Sky Procycling 00:08

SA Brilliant Blend Winning Team Jersey

1 Movistar 53:44:56
2 Vacansoleil-DCM at 00:08
3 AG2R La Mondiale at 00:25