CAMERON Wurf has collected Tasmania's third podium finish in as many days at the Herald Sun Tour, catapulting himself up to second in the overall standings.
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Hobart's Cannondale rider drove a break of three in the 163-kilometre stage from Ballarat to Bendigo and finished behind Simon Clarke, of Orica-GreenEdge.
Clarke assumed overall lead of the four-stage tour with Wurf second just eight seconds behind and was quick to praise his Tasmanian ally.
``Fortunately Cam Wurf was there, who is just as strong as an ox,'' he said.
``I said to the other boys when we were near to the top to make sure we wait for him and as you saw he was of great value to the breakaway and pretty much the reason we stayed away.''
Wurf's performance, which earned him the most aggressive rider jersey, followed Will Clarke's third in the prologue and Matt Goss coming second in stage one.
Drapac's Clarke, of Campbell Town, sits ninth overall, 1:23 off the lead, Launceston's Alex Clements is 14th (1:28), Campbell Flakemore, of Hobart, 45th, with Launceston duo Goss and Karl Menzies 51st and 59th.
Tour Down Under champion Simon Gerrans took the bunch sprint for fourth and moved into seventh place overall.