Australian Michael Matthews won the third stage of the Tour Down Under yesterday while compatriot Matthew Goss recovered from a late puncture to reclaim the leader’s jersey.

World under-23 champion Matthews, riding for the Netherlands-based Rabobank team, outsprinted Goss and defending champion Andre Greipel in an uphill finish to the 129-kilometre (80-mile) stage from suburban Unley in Adelaide to Stirling in the hills that fringe the city.

Overnight tour leader Robbie McEwen also punctured late in the stage to see the overall lead change hands for the third time in as many stages.

Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong rode strongly in temperatures of 37 degrees Celsius (98 Fahrenheit), controlling the tempo of the peleton before finishing in 84th place, 3 minutes, 11 seconds behind the stage winner.

British sprint ace Mark Cavendish came in almost 12-1/2 minutes behind the winner, suffering from the serious cuts and abrasions he suffered in a crash near the end of Wednesday’s second stage.

Cavendish, winner of 15 stages on the Tour de France, was so far back police escorting the race mistakenly opened the route to traffic before he had finished. The Isle of Man rider, dubbed the Manx Missile, was furious he was forced to dodge private cars before finishing 130th on the stage to lie in 131st and last place overall.

Race director Mike Turtur said the incident would be investigated.

Matthews underscored his considerable potential with his first win on a WorldTou setage, coming off Goss’ wheel with about 200 metres (yards) remaining to win comfortably. Greipel was second while Australians Goss, Simon Gerrants and Luke Roberts filled the next three placings.

Goss, with an accumulated time after three stages of 9 hours, 56 minutes, 25 seconds, holds a two-second lead over Greipel on general classification while McEwen is third, four seconds behind the lead, with Matthews fourth on the same time.

“It’s amazing,” Matthews said of his stage win.... “My team did really well for me today and got me all the way to the finish.”

Greipel was disappointed that he became boxed in near the finish and was unable to challenge more strongly for his ninth stage win in the Tour Down Under.

Goss punctured about 10 kilometres from the finish but was able to quickly catch the peleton and work his way into a position to challenge for the stage win.

Yesterday’s stage took riders from Adelaide’s inner southern suburbs along the city’s southern expressway into the Adelaide Hills, through a chain of small settlements separated by woods and rolling pastureland.

Today’s stage will be from Norwood in Adelaide’s inner eastern suburbs to Strathalbyn in the hills.