<p>HTC-Highroad's Matt Goss is back in the Tour Down Under lead after losing it yesterday to a crash. His team, with a suffering Mark Cavendish, put him in place today in Stirling, Australia. He finished third, enough for the leader's orange jersey.</p><p>
</p><p>
"The other guys are supper strong," Goss said, when asked about Cavendish suffering due to a crash yesterday.</p><p>
</p><p>
"Hayden Roulston did a good job for me today. Bernie Eisel did a huge amount of work to get me back to the bunch in the last few kilometres, everyone did a great part..."</p><p>
</p><p>
Goss punctured in the last kilometres of today's stage to Stirling. The finish featured a climb and it was critical Goss re-joined prior to the start of it. Goss kept is cool under fire.</p><p>
</p><p>
"I wasn't too panicked, there was plenty of time to get back in even with the pace fast," he said. "I was a little bit stressed because I could not get the back wheel in my bike. I had to change bikes in the end. I was stressed when the ambulance went by because then there are no more cars! I had a long chase to get back, the guys were riding for me."</p><p>
</p><p>
Under 23 World Champion, Michael Matthews (Rabobank) won the stage ahead of German André Greipel (OmegaPharma-Lotto) and Goss. The bonus seconds for second place gave back Goss the leader's jersey he took with his win on day one.</p><p>
</p><p>
He had lost it yesterday to Robbie McEwen due to a crash that involved him, Cavendish and others with less than four kilometres to race.</p><p>
</p><p>
"It was disappointing to lose it yesterday and I was unfortunate to get caught behind the crashes, but there were a lot of people worse off," added Goss. "I am happy to get the jersey back today and I look forward to the next few days."</p><p>
</p><p>
The stage tomorrow to Strathalbyn is straight forward, but Saturday's stage is the race's toughest day. The riders face the Willunga Hill, which nearly forced André Greipel to lose his overall lead last year.</p><p>
</p><p>
Goss said that the Tour Down Under compares to some of Europe's hardest races with Willunga Hill and the stage to Stirling today.</p><p>
</p><p>
"It is certainly tough. It was 36, 37°C [98°F] here today, it takes its toll on everyone no matter how fit you are. This circuit is a tough, little one. We only do three laps, but you can already see how tired the legs are. I don't know how many were at the finish, but it could not be much more than 40 or 50 guys. It was quite a tough little circuit."</p><p>
</p><p>
The Tour Down Under ends on Sunday with a street circuit in Adelaide.</p>
More...
</p><p>
"The other guys are supper strong," Goss said, when asked about Cavendish suffering due to a crash yesterday.</p><p>
</p><p>
"Hayden Roulston did a good job for me today. Bernie Eisel did a huge amount of work to get me back to the bunch in the last few kilometres, everyone did a great part..."</p><p>
</p><p>
Goss punctured in the last kilometres of today's stage to Stirling. The finish featured a climb and it was critical Goss re-joined prior to the start of it. Goss kept is cool under fire.</p><p>
</p><p>
"I wasn't too panicked, there was plenty of time to get back in even with the pace fast," he said. "I was a little bit stressed because I could not get the back wheel in my bike. I had to change bikes in the end. I was stressed when the ambulance went by because then there are no more cars! I had a long chase to get back, the guys were riding for me."</p><p>
</p><p>
Under 23 World Champion, Michael Matthews (Rabobank) won the stage ahead of German André Greipel (OmegaPharma-Lotto) and Goss. The bonus seconds for second place gave back Goss the leader's jersey he took with his win on day one.</p><p>
</p><p>
He had lost it yesterday to Robbie McEwen due to a crash that involved him, Cavendish and others with less than four kilometres to race.</p><p>
</p><p>
"It was disappointing to lose it yesterday and I was unfortunate to get caught behind the crashes, but there were a lot of people worse off," added Goss. "I am happy to get the jersey back today and I look forward to the next few days."</p><p>
</p><p>
The stage tomorrow to Strathalbyn is straight forward, but Saturday's stage is the race's toughest day. The riders face the Willunga Hill, which nearly forced André Greipel to lose his overall lead last year.</p><p>
</p><p>
Goss said that the Tour Down Under compares to some of Europe's hardest races with Willunga Hill and the stage to Stirling today.</p><p>
</p><p>
"It is certainly tough. It was 36, 37°C [98°F] here today, it takes its toll on everyone no matter how fit you are. This circuit is a tough, little one. We only do three laps, but you can already see how tired the legs are. I don't know how many were at the finish, but it could not be much more than 40 or 50 guys. It was quite a tough little circuit."</p><p>
</p><p>
The Tour Down Under ends on Sunday with a street circuit in Adelaide.</p>
More...