Cycling: Tour Down Under goes down to the wire

Francisco Ventoso crosses the line to win the fifth stage yesterday. Photo / Getty Images

The Tour Down Under will be decided on today's final stage after an action-packed race on the tough course at Willunga.

Spanish cyclist Francisco Ventoso won the 131km stage, but there was far more interest in what happened to the overall standings.

Tasmanian Matt Goss placed third to gain a precious time bonus. Overall leader Cameron Meyer from Western Australia was in the group of 18 at the finish, meaning he only lost four seconds to Goss.

That means Meyer leads Goss by eight seconds heading into today's last stage, the 90km Adelaide street circuit race. Normally that would be enough, but Goss is a strong sprinter and Meyer lacks the top-end speed to be among the leaders on the circuit.

Goss will try to grab more time bonuses at the intermediate sprints and the finish to overhaul Meyer, while the race leader's well-drilled Garmin-Cervelo team will do everything in their power to stop that.

Yesterday's fifth stage featured two brutish climbs up Willunga Hill and, at one stage, American legend Lance Armstrong went on the attack. But his group was caught and the race came down to a front group of 18 and a chase of about 25. Armstrong finished 75th.

He might not have won in his international cycling swansong but Armstrong showed some of his old style and resilience, joining in the seven-man breakaway shortly after riders crested Old Willunga Hill on the first of two passes over the tour's longest and harshest climb.

Armstrong's presence at the front of the field thrilled fans who lined the race route in the tens of thousands. Many carried signs and banners urging Armstrong on as he nears the final day of his last international race.

Responding to their encouragement, Armstrong gave them one last show. He said on his arrival in Australia he didn't intend to spend his farewell race sitting among the bunch and, after taking a low key role on the first four days of the tour, he stood out yesterday.

Still, he was disappointed. Two of his Radio Shack team members - South African Robbie Hunter, who was sixth, and Belgian Ben Herman,s who was ninth - finished in the top 10 in the stage, but the team lost their chance of winning the tour as McEwen faded.

"I'm disappointed we couldn't keep Robbie up there and go for the win," Armstrong said.