Tour Down Under Stage 2: Movistar's Juan Jose Lobato takes win (plus gallery)

Movistar’s Juan Jose Lobato has won Stage 2 of the Santos Tour Down Under to move second overall, with UniSA-Australia rider Jack Bobridge remaining in the leader’s jersey with a margin of 3 seconds over the Spaniard.

Lobato, aged 26, launched his attack on the uphill drag to the finish in Stirling at the end of the 150km stage from Unley, with Orica-GreenEdge’s Daryl Impey second and another Movistar rider, Gorka Inxausti, third.

"It's a victory on a different type of terrain for me," said Lobato afterwards. "I'm coming here in good form, but thanks to God, I was able to deliver victory for the team. We have a great team here, we're always at the front at every race we go to."

The rider admitted that he would be hard pushed to challenge for the overall, and revealed that Movistar had specifically targeted this stage, including training on the route of it last week.

"I am not discounting anything [but] I came here to go well on this finale and I've raced here the past two years," he added.

Lobato had to overcome a puncture inside the final 25 kilometres, and Movistar sports director Jose Luis Arrieta said: "We knew that Lobato was climbing well, and that he could get up the difficulties better than the other sprinters but he used a bit of energy to chase back so we were not sure going into the final sprint how he would react,

"It’s a very important victory for us, and for his confidence as well," he added.