The New Zealand-based Englishman, who finished third on Wednesday’s Remarkables stage, backed that up with an outstanding ascent of Bluff Hill at the end of the fifth stage yesterday.
Gardner (PRV-Pista Corsa) leads overall by 35sec from Arthur Meyer (Oxford Edge). Joe Cooper (Central Benchmakers-Willbike) is third at 43sec and the leading over-35 rider.
"It’s a complete bonus," Gardner said.
"I love the Tour of Southland. It’s what I’ve been looking forward to all year. It’s very special to be in New Zealand and wearing the leader’s jersey and just being welcomed by everyone."
As he crossed the finish line at the end of the 154km stage from Invercargill through eastern and southern Southland to a misty Motupōhue stage finish, Gardner pointed to the heavens to acknowledge his late father, the man who got him excited about cycling and cheered him on during many climbs earlier in his career.
"It means a lot to me because I’m a long way from home. I come from London in the UK and I moved over here two years ago.
"Everyone knows Bluff and it feels like a welcoming — you come up that climb and everyone is shouting you on. It feels quite emotional, it feels like I’m really starting to belong in New Zealand and that means a lot."
Earlier in the day, the powerful trio of Ollie Jones (PowerNet), Ben Oliver (Creation Signs-MitoQ) and Frenchman Leo-Paul Jamin were able to break away and put a fright into the peloton.
With intermittent rain falling for the first time this week, the riders got a small taste of what Southland tours can provide, but there was not enough wind to really challenge the riders and they had to create their own challenges by charging their way through the stage.
"There were three pretty threatening riders up the road, but there was enough firepower and enough cohesion amongst the other teams to bring it within reach," Gardner said.
"My bunch of 18 and 19-year-olds just got on the front and rode their hearts out into the bottom of Bluff. We came in close to the break and then it was just up to me to ride as hard as I could around that steep corner on Bluff. I couldn’t be happier."
Gardner’s team delivered him to the bottom of the climb just 25sec behind the leaders and from there he went to work.
Gardner has plenty of faith in his young team of Cambridge and Auckland-based riders to help him defend the orange jersey over the final two days of the tour, including today’s tough 151km stage from Invercargill to Gore.
There was a shakeup of the jerseys yesteray, Camden Feint (Oxford Edge) taking over the under-23 lead after Nate Pringle was involved in a crash early in the stage.
Ollie Jones was rewarded for his efforts in the break with the most combative jersey, while Max Campbell (C Brown Builders-Olphert Contracting) won back the king of the mountains jersey he lost on Wednesday and Nick Kergozou (Transport Engineering Southland-Deep South) retained the sprint ace jersey.
Day five
Leading results
Results of fifth stage, from Invercargill to Edendale and Wyndham, before finishing at Bluff.—
Dan Gardner, (PRV-Pista Corsa) 3hr 27min 59sec, 1; Craig Oliver (Transport Engineering Southland-Deep South) 14sec behind, 2; Hayden Strong (Japanese Team-Daiken Ray White) same time, 3; Arthur Meyer (Oxford Edge) st, 4; Joseph Cooper, (Central Benchmakers-Willbike) 18sec, 5.
General classification: Gardner 14hr 22min 43sec, 1; Meyer (Oxford Edge) 35sec, 2; Cooper 43sec, 3; Oliver 51sec, 4; Boris Clark (Quality Food Services Southland) 55sec, 5.
