Australian Allan Davis is not claiming a Tour Down Under event victory despite winning the race's crucial fifth stage at Willunga, in Adelaide's south today.
It was thought the stage would open up the competition to the stronger mountain climbers but the ochre-jersey holder stayed in touch during the two treks up the three-kilometre Willunga Hill.
He then led the peloton home to win his third stage this year and take a 25-second buffer into tomorrow's finale.
Davis will need only to complete the Tour's street circuit without incident to win overall but the Quick Step rider isn't ready to celebrate just yet.
'This race isn't over yet until we cross the line tomorrow. In cycling anything can happen - it's nice to be in front on the leaders' board going into the final stage,' Davis said.
'Last year I was couple of seconds behind so I had to concentrate on the bonus seconds and in the intermediate sprints.
'It's going to be an exciting race again tomorrow. I think there'll be a massive bunch sprint and you'll see the big boys up there.'
The 28-year-old said it was his Quick Step team-mates' ability to stick to a plan that helped him cross the line first against the recognised climbers.
'It's an unbelievable feeling to be up here, I've still got goose bumps all over,' Davis said.
'We were expecting all the big guns to attack us as much as they could and good on them they did exactly that.
'We said just keep them in sight, each time up Willunga (Hill) and if we get it back that'll be great and if not it's been a good week anyway.'
Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil Rojas (Caisse D'Epargne) and Martin Elmiger (AG2R La Mondiale) made up the minor placings.
Lance Armstrong was part of a chase group during the second half of the race but he continued his solid but unspectacular comeback by finishing in the peloton - officially in 23rd.
The Texan is now 29th in the general classification and 49secs off the lead.
Earlier in the race, it didn't take long for a group of eight riders, including UniSA's Travis Meyer and Jack Bobridge to breakaway.
At the 17-kilometre mark they started to build a lead and led by close to three minutes 63-kilometres later. But from that point onwards the gap closed.
Breakaway group members Serguei Klimov (Team Katusha) and Bobridge - who was named the stage's most aggressive rider, tried to do it on their own but by they were reined in by a 10-rider chase pack that included Armstrong before the second climb of Willunga Hill.
With eight kilometres to go it was the peloton leading the charge and from that emerged Davis, who fisted the air in celebration after crossing the line first.
