For the 2011 Jayco Herald Sun Tour champion, the stage win was his first as a professional in Garmin-Sharp colours, and a victory he said he owed to confidence gained from his strong Tour Down Under performance two weeks ago.

“I know that my form’s good now and confidence comes with that,” 24-year-old Haas said.

“So [the Tour Down Under] was a nice litmus test for this race, which really is to me probably my most favourite race in the world.”

While buoyed by the victory, Haas revealed his role across the closing stages of the race had been to deliver teammate and national criterion champion Steele Von Hoff to the line.

“He was going to take my wheel through that final section, and one of the fantastic things about Steel is that he really thinks about the bigger picture in the sprint.”

“Obviously he saw the door open for me and he didn’t get on it so he left the gap and then I went.”

Crossing in front of Orica-GreenEDGE’s powerhouse sprinter Matthew Goss and Drapac Professional Cycling’s fast-man Jonathan Cantwell in the bunch sprint, Haas earned a ten second time bonus and subsequently now holds a seven second advantage at the top of the general classification standings.

Haas heads teammate Bauer, with prologue podium finisher William Clarke of Drapac Porsche a further two seconds adrift.

Orica-GreenEDGE’s Simon Gerrans moved into the race top-ten, now placed ninth overall and 13 seconds behind race leader Haas, after finishing eighth on the opening road stage into Ballarat.

It was an emotional Haas that spoke after the stage victory, confident his team had the arsenal to defend the jersey right through until the final stage on Arthur’s Seat.

“I’ve got a lot of confidence at the moment that I can do it, and I’ve got even more confidence that the team’s going to give me the opportunity to keep doing it,” Haas said.

“We’re here to win this race and it really suits us to the ground.”

Earlier in the stage, it was a three man breakaway that made the early escape from the peloton on the outskirts of Geelong, with Thomas Hamilton (Jayco Australian U23 National Team), Alberto Bettiol (Cannondale Pro Cycling) and Nathan Elliott (African Wildlife Safaris Cycling) gaining as much as three minutes 26 second advantage over the main field.

After looking shaky at stages, the break held together to the top of the first Budget Forklifts King of the Mountain climb, a category one ascent up Glenmore Hill.

Hamilton claimed maximum points on the climb, leading Bettiol and Elliott across the summit with 47 kilometres remaining in the stage and a diminishing two minutes 33 second advantage over the peloton.

Hitting maximum grades of 27 percent, the brutal climb wreaked havoc in the peloton, forcing the field to fracture.

A group of 15 riders emerged at the front, giving chase to the three-man group up the road.

Orica-GreenEDGE flexed their muscle, with five of their six riders - including race favourite Gerrans - amongst the aggressors in the chase.

Damien Howson was the sole rider from the Australian WorldTour outfit unable to join the chase.

Eventual stage winner Haas and Garmin-Sharp teammates Von Hoff and Bauer were also in the chase group.

Reeling in the breakaway on the descent of Glenmore Hill, the now lead group of 18 established a 32 second buffer over the peloton, before the bulk of riders came back together again over the top of the second Budget Forklifts King of the Mountain climb, the category four Mount Egerton, and would power on across the remaining 28 kilometres to the finish line in Ballarat.

For their efforts in the breakaway, Hamilton earned the Budget Forklifts King of the Mountain Jersey, while Bettiol claimed the Subaru Orange Most Aggressive Jersey.

Haas added the Chain Reaction Cycles Green Sprinters Jersey to his haul from the stage, while 20-year-old Harry Carpenter of the Jayco Australian U23 National Team moved into the State Government of Victoria White Under 23 Jersey after finishing 28th on the stage, and moving to 14th overall.

Race Results

Jayco Herald Sun Tour (2014) - Stage 1

Geelong to Ballarat (116km)
6 Feb 2014
Stage 1  |  Prologue (ITT)


Stage result

Rider Team Time
1 HAAS Nathan Garmin Sharp 3:04:12
2 GOSS Matthew Orica GreenEDGE ,,
3 CANTWELL Jonathan Drapac Professional Cycling ,,
4 CLARKE Simon Orica GreenEDGE ,,
5 VAN DER PLOEG Neil Avanti Cycling Team ,,
6 SHAW Patrick KordaMentha Team Australia ,,
7 BOIVIN Guillaume Cannondale ,,
8 GERRANS Simon Orica GreenEDGE ,,
9 BEVIN Patrick New Zealand ,,
10 GIACOPPO Anthony Avanti Cycling Team ,,
11 DOCKER Mitchell Orica GreenEDGE ,,
12 VON HOFF Steele Garmin Sharp ,,
13 KERBY Jordan Drapac Professional Cycling ,,
14 O’ SHEA Glenn KordaMentha Team Australia ,,
15 MEYER Cameron Orica GreenEDGE ,,
16 O’CALLAGHAN Shaun African Wildlife Safaris Cycling Team ,,
17 HAIG Jack Avanti Cycling Team ,,
18 WATSON Calvin KordaMentha Team Australia ,,
19 LAPTHORNE Darren Drapac Professional Cycling ,,
20 CLEMENTS Alex Jayco U23 National Team ,,
21 CLARKE William Drapac Professional Cycling ,,
22 ANDERSON Jack Drapac Professional Cycling ,,
23 NORRIS Lachlan Drapac Professional Cycling ,,
24 BENNETT George Cannondale ,,
25 VINK Michael Team Budget Forklifts ,,
26 WURF Cameron Cannondale ,,
27 LANE Patrick Synergy Baku Cycling Project ,,
28 CARPENTER Harry Jayco U23 National Team ,,
29 POWER Robert Jayco U23 National Team ,,
30 GILLETT Rhys African Wildlife Safaris Cycling Team ,,
31 ROE Thimothy Team Budget Forklifts ,,
32 SHEPPARD Eric OCBC Singapore Continental Cycling Team ,,
33 DEKKER Thomas Garmin Sharp ,,
34 ORAM James New Zealand ,,
35 O’ BRIEN Mark Avanti Cycling Team ,,
36 MORTON Lachlan Garmin Sharp ,,
37 CLARK Matthew KordaMentha Team Australia ,,
38 BAUER Jack Garmin Sharp ,,
39 HAMILTON Thomas Jayco U23 National Team 0:15
40 HOWSON Damien Orica GreenEDGE 0:18
41 BETTIOL Alberto Cannondale 0:20
42 DENNIS Rohan Garmin Sharp 1:25
43 HANDLEY Richard Rapha Condor JLT 2:26
44 ISGANDAROV Tural Synergy Baku Cycling Project ,,
45 JUEL Kristian Team Budget Forklifts ,,
46 CARTHY Hugh Rapha Condor JLT ,,
47 FRATTINI Davide UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 6:46
48 CAMERON Jeremy African Wildlife Safaris Cycling Team ,,
49 DAVIES Scott Great Britain ,,
50 MCCORMICK Hayden New Zealand ,,
51 DAY Benjamin UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team ,,
52 LOUDER Jeff UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team ,,
53 KRIZEK Matthias Cannondale ,,
54 SMITH Dion New Zealand ,,
55 MENZIES Karl UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team ,,
56 HORGAN Samuel Team Budget Forklifts ,,
57 COOPER Joseph Avanti Cycling Team ,,
58 JORY Chris KordaMentha Team Australia ,,
59 RENDALL James African Wildlife Safaris Cycling Team ,,
60 CUMING Michael Rapha Condor JLT ,,
61 SPOKES Samuel Jayco U23 National Team ,,
62 ELLIOTT Nathan African Wildlife Safaris Cycling Team ,,
63 PRETE Joshua Team Budget Forklifts ,,
64 FLAKEMORE Campbell Avanti Cycling Team ,,
65 MOHORIC Matej Cannondale 9:47
66 LLOYD Matthew KordaMentha Team Australia ,,
67 WITMITZ Sam Team Budget Forklifts ,,
68 SPENCER Jason African Wildlife Safaris Cycling Team ,,
69 WHITE Bradley UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team ,,
70 LOW Ji Wen OCBC Singapore Continental Cycling Team ,,
71 MCCARTHY Robert-jon Jayco U23 National Team ,,
72 LAWLESS Christopher Great Britain ,,
73 MOSES Thomas Rapha Condor JLT ,,
74 ENGLISH Felix Rapha Condor JLT ,,
75 BURTON Germain Great Britain ,,
76 SCULLY Thomas New Zealand ,,
77 HEGYVARI Adrian UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team ,,
78 ASADOV Elchin Synergy Baku Cycling Project ,,
79 BAYLY Cameron OCBC Singapore Continental Cycling Team ,,
80 RABOU Thomas OCBC Singapore Continental Cycling Team ,,
81 ROGERS Rico OCBC Singapore Continental Cycling Team 14:29
82 SALLEH Hariff Terengganu Cycling Team ,,
83 OTHMAN Muhamad Adiq Husaine Terengganu Cycling Team ,,
84 WOOD Olivier Great Britain ,,
85 KLEMME Daniel Synergy Baku Cycling Project ,,
86 LATHAM Christopher Great Britain ,,
87 SALEH Mohd Zamri Terengganu Cycling Team ,,
88 SCHWEIZER Christoph Synergy Baku Cycling Project ,,
89 DAVISON Luke Synergy Baku Cycling Project ,,
90 MAT AMIN Mohd Shahrul Terengganu Cycling Team ,,
91 YEUNG Ying Hon Ronald OCBC Singapore Continental Cycling Team ,,
92 OPIE Christopher Rapha Condor JLT ,,
93 SCHREURS Hamish New Zealand ,,
94 MARZUKI Nur Amirul Fakhruddin Terengganu Cycling Team ,,
95 RAGAN Jacob Great Britain 17:54
DNF MANAN Anuar Terengganu Cycling Team -

General classification

Pos. Rider Team Time
1 HAAS Nathan Garmin Sharp 3:07:05
2 BAUER Jack Garmin Sharp 0:07
3 CLARKE William Drapac Professional Cycling 0:09
4 GOSS Matthew Orica GreenEDGE ,,
5 VON HOFF Steele Garmin Sharp 0:11
6 CLARKE Simon Orica GreenEDGE 0:12
7 VAN DER PLOEG Neil Avanti Cycling Team ,,
8 CANTWELL Jonathan Drapac Professional Cycling ,,
9 GERRANS Simon Orica GreenEDGE 0:13
10 GIACOPPO Anthony Avanti Cycling Team ,,
11 O’ SHEA Glenn KordaMentha Team Australia 0:14
12 MEYER Cameron Orica GreenEDGE ,,
13 NORRIS Lachlan Drapac Professional Cycling ,,
14 CARPENTER Harry Jayco U23 National Team ,,
15 DOCKER Mitchell Orica GreenEDGE 0:15
16 KERBY Jordan Drapac Professional Cycling ,,
17 O’CALLAGHAN Shaun African Wildlife Safaris Cycling Team ,,
18 WURF Cameron Cannondale ,,
19 BEVIN Patrick New Zealand 0:16
20 HAIG Jack Avanti Cycling Team ,,
21 ROE Thimothy Team Budget Forklifts ,,
22 DEKKER Thomas Garmin Sharp ,,
23 LAPTHORNE Darren Drapac Professional Cycling 0:17
24 GILLETT Rhys African Wildlife Safaris Cycling Team ,,
25 BENNETT George Cannondale 0:18
26 ORAM James New Zealand ,,
27 CLEMENTS Alex Jayco U23 National Team 0:19
28 BOIVIN Guillaume Cannondale 0:20
29 SHAW Patrick KordaMentha Team Australia ,,
30 ANDERSON Jack Drapac Professional Cycling ,,
31 MORTON Lachlan Garmin Sharp ,,
32 CLARK Matthew KordaMentha Team Australia ,,
33 VINK Michael Team Budget Forklifts 0:21
34 POWER Robert Jayco U23 National Team 0:22
35 SHEPPARD Eric OCBC Singapore Continental Cycling Team ,,
36 WATSON Calvin KordaMentha Team Australia 0:23
37 LANE Patrick Synergy Baku Cycling Project ,,
38 HAMILTON Thomas Jayco U23 National Team 0:33
39 O’ BRIEN Mark Avanti Cycling Team 0:34
40 HOWSON Damien Orica GreenEDGE 0:37
41 BETTIOL Alberto Cannondale 0:40
42 DENNIS Rohan Garmin Sharp 1:37
43 HANDLEY Richard Rapha Condor JLT 2:45
44 JUEL Kristian Team Budget Forklifts 2:47
45 CARTHY Hugh Rapha Condor JLT 2:48
46 ISGANDAROV Tural Synergy Baku Cycling Project 3:00
47 COOPER Joseph Avanti Cycling Team 7:00
48 FLAKEMORE Campbell Avanti Cycling Team ,,
49 SPOKES Samuel Jayco U23 National Team ,,
50 MENZIES Karl UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 7:01
51 FRATTINI Davide UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 7:03
52 MCCORMICK Hayden New Zealand ,,
53 LOUDER Jeff UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team ,,
54 HORGAN Samuel Team Budget Forklifts ,,
55 KRIZEK Matthias Cannondale 7:04
56 RENDALL James African Wildlife Safaris Cycling Team 7:06
57 ELLIOTT Nathan African Wildlife Safaris Cycling Team ,,
58 DAY Benjamin UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 7:07
59 SMITH Dion New Zealand ,,
60 PRETE Joshua Team Budget Forklifts ,,
61 CUMING Michael Rapha Condor JLT ,,
62 DAVIES Scott Great Britain 7:09
63 JORY Chris KordaMentha Team Australia ,,
64 CAMERON Jeremy African Wildlife Safaris Cycling Team 7:13
65 SCULLY Thomas New Zealand 9:55
66 ENGLISH Felix Rapha Condor JLT 9:56
67 BURTON Germain Great Britain 10:00
68 LAWLESS Christopher Great Britain 10:01
69 WHITE Bradley UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 10:03
70 SPENCER Jason African Wildlife Safaris Cycling Team ,,
71 WITMITZ Sam Team Budget Forklifts 10:05
72 MCCARTHY Robert-jon Jayco U23 National Team 10:06
73 RABOU Thomas OCBC Singapore Continental Cycling Team ,,
74 MOSES Thomas Rapha Condor JLT 10:07
75 MOHORIC Matej Cannondale 10:08
76 BAYLY Cameron OCBC Singapore Continental Cycling Team ,,
77 HEGYVARI Adrian UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team 10:09
78 LOW Ji Wen OCBC Singapore Continental Cycling Team 10:13
79 ASADOV Elchin Synergy Baku Cycling Project 10:15
80 LLOYD Matthew KordaMentha Team Australia 10:28
81 DAVISON Luke Synergy Baku Cycling Project 14:47
82 LATHAM Christopher Great Britain 14:48
83 OPIE Christopher Rapha Condor JLT ,,
84 SCHREURS Hamish New Zealand ,,
85 KLEMME Daniel Synergy Baku Cycling Project 14:49
86 SCHWEIZER Christoph Synergy Baku Cycling Project 14:51
87 ROGERS Rico OCBC Singapore Continental Cycling Team 14:53
88 WOOD Olivier Great Britain ,,
89 SALLEH Hariff Terengganu Cycling Team 14:56
90 OTHMAN Muhamad Adiq Husaine Terengganu Cycling Team 14:59
91 MAT AMIN Mohd Shahrul Terengganu Cycling Team 15:01
92 YEUNG Ying Hon Ronald OCBC Singapore Continental Cycling Team ,,
93 SALEH Mohd Zamri Terengganu Cycling Team 15:03
94 MARZUKI Nur Amirul Fakhruddin Terengganu Cycling Team 15:07
95 RAGAN Jacob Great Britain 18:18