Tanunda, South Australia - Karl Menzies of the Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis easily won the opening stage of the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under (UCI 2.HC), assuming the overall race lead - and the leader's orange jersey - in the process.

The big rider from Tasmania was undaunted by the fact that the vast majority of the decisive 18-man break of which he was a part, was composed of Pro Tour riders. When it came down to the winning group of five riders in the final few kilometers, Menzies simply rode away from them, countering an attack by Matthew Lloyd (Predictor-Lotto), blowing past the young Australian with 600 meters to go and opening a four bike-length gap on second place Martin Elmiger (AG2R), the former Swiss national champion, at the line. CSC's Lars Bak came third, three seconds later, followed by Lloyd. Gustav Larsson (Unibet.com) came in 11 seconds back for fifth place.

"This is as big as it gets for me," Menzies, riding for the composite national team UniSA, told Agence France Presse. "This is the best result for a long way."

Menzies joined the winning move of 18 when it departed the peloton barely 30 km into the 152 km stage. With all 14 teams represented in the break, the peloton simply shut down, rolling into the finish 26 minutes after Menzies had crossed the line.

With 30 km to go, the attacking started within the break and the group began to whittle down, with CSC riders Bak and Luke Roberts doing much of the work to splinter the front group. Inside 10 km to go, the front group of five held a 20-second advantage on the chasers. With five kilometers to go, the tactics started among the front five.

But it wasn't until one kilometer to go that Lloyd made the first serious attack by any of the five.

"You knew everyone was just foxing, trying to get away," Menzies told Cycling News. "Lloyd got away from us, so I swung off as if I was letting them go, but then I hit them and got through Lloyd. I saw (Elmiger) coming after me, but then I went up a gear and there was no way he was going to get me."

Menzies and his strong composite team will look to defend his slim one-second overall lead on Elmiger until the race's end on January 21.

1. Karl Menzies (UniSA-Australia)
2. Martin Elmiger (AG2R)          :01
3. Lars Bak (CSC)                 :03