A strong climb up Bluff Hill from Jeremy Yates has given him the yellow jersey in the Tour of Southland, but his challengers are ready and waiting.
Yates, of the Share the Road team, won the steep climb in the second stage of yesterday's first day of the tour, with his team-mate Jack Bauer close behind.
Hayden Roulston, who had the yellow jersey after his Calder Stewart team won the opening team trial, was in third place.
Going into this morning's tough 165km stage from Invercargill to Gore, Yates has a 4sec lead over Bauer, of Nelson, with Roulston 22sec back.
Yates, of Hastings, said the hill was as tough as ever and he got a small break before the hill really started getting steep.
"I waited and waited as long as I could and really hit it with everything I had.
"I think the team really gave it our best shot," Yates said.
"But I'll just see how it goes. There is still a long way to go.
"It was a really nervous stage, a real drag race coming into the bottom of the climb."
Yates had some good form coming into the race, having won the K2 race around the Coromandel Peninsula last weekend.
Roulston, of Ashburton, was far from downcast about losing the yellow jersey late yesterday, and said the team was in good shape.
"Our team was very strong today.
A great ride this morning and this afternoon was just about setting our tempo and limiting our losses.
I would not be disappointed in losing the jersey.
As you have seen, there is no help coming from other teams and it would not be the best to have the jersey," Roulston said.
"I just wanted to get up the hill the best I could and just manage to limit my losses.
It is always the same guys up here; you need the punch to get through."
Roulston won the tour from 2006-08 before a crash knocked him out last year, and he was keen to get back into the winner's circle come Saturday.
Dunedin rider Mark Spessot was a late call-up to the race, and finished yesterday in 87th position, 6min 23sec down on Yates.
Spessot, at 45 the oldest rider in the race, was called in at the last minute to replace Deon Locke in the Placemakers team, after last racing in the tour more than 15 years ago.
