Swiss racer Martin Elmiger was rewarded for his persistence with the lead of the Tour Down Under after the fourth and penultimate stage on Saturday.

On another rain-soaked day in the hills around Adelaide, Elmiger took the ochre jersey from overnight leader Karl Menzies of UniSA after the Australian managed only to finish 11th in the 147 kilometer stage.

Elmiger moves into the lead, but it's still close.

Photo: Graham Watson

The 24-year-old Belgian Pieter Ghyllebert won the stage, picking up his maiden professional win and the second in the five-stage race for his Chocolade Jacques outfit. Teammate Steven Caethoven celebrated a fine win on Thursday. A former cyclo-cross rider, Ghyllebert came close to victory that day but, because of team plans, had to lead out Caethoven for the win on stage two.

"Two days ago I was also very strong, and maybe if I went from 600 meters by myself I would normally win, but it was the plan for my teammate to win,” Ghyllebert said. “Today it was my turn."

The weather was wet and windy for most of the stage which began with numerous early attacks until things sorted out as a group of 13 riders, none a threat to the top-ten on GC, established a lead.

An estimated 70,000 crowded into vantage points along the route as the riders battled strong crosswinds and intermittent downpours of rain. Former world champion Laurent Brochard (Bouyges Telecom) joined the lead group, with an aim of taking over the lead in the SA Lotteries Sprint classification and picked up four points for second place at the first intermediate sprint at Snapper Point (58.8km) behind Dutchman Hans Dekkers (Agruitubel) with Australian Matt Wilson (Unibet.com) third.

Brouchard was in the hunt for sprint points

Photo: Graham Watson

For the next 50 kilometers the lead group of 13 maintained an advantage of between two and three minutes as the peloton bided its time waiting for the only climb of the day up Old Willunga Hill. Along the way Brochard earned the sprint classification lead winning the second intermediate sprint on the third pass through Snapper Point (100.7km). Dekkers crossed second and New Zealand mountain biker, Clinton Avery, was third.

With the climb looming the peloton roared into life and started the chase in earnest. The pressure was on up Old Willunga Hill, where thousands braved the rain to cheer on the riders.

Three riders from the lead group, Heath Blackgrove (New Zealand national), Belgian Glenn D'Hollander (Chocolade Jacques), and Brochard were one, two, three over the summit, but the main contenders were not far behind.

On the descent a group formed with notable absentees being the race leader Karl Menzies, third ranked Lars Bak (CSC) and his teammate Luke Roberts who was sitting in sixth place overall at the start of the day.

... until the chase began in earnest.

Photo: Graham Watson

That prompted an aggressive chase by both CSC and UniSA Australia who managed to bring their top riders back to the front before the finish line.

Elmiger, meanwhile, repaid the sterling work of his AG2R teammates in the final, hilly part of the course where they helped close the gap on some early leaders.

It allowed the Swiss to push forward in the final 10 kilometers and get in contention for victory in a chaotic bunch sprint at the finish line, where he came third behind Uzbekistan's Sergey Lagutin.

Elmiger picked up a two-second bonus, pushing Menzies down into second overall at just a second behind ahead of Sunday's finale, a 90 kilometer city race where time bonuses are on offer at intermediate sprints and at the finish line.

Elmiger had hoped to gain time on the climb.

Photo: Graham Watson

If Elmiger wins the ochre jersey, it will mean the French Ag2r team picks up its fourth overall title out of nine editions of the Tour. However the 28-year-old, who moved to Ag2r after his former Phonak squad folded last year, is not celebrating yet.

"It was my goal today to claw back some seconds on the climb (at Willunga Hill), but in the end I had to sprint to get the jersey," said Elmiger, who is looking for his first win in over a year. "But tomorrow I will have to ride intelligently. I can sprint well, and I will probably have to try for (time bonuses)."

Menzies was livid with anger when he learned of Elmiger's third place finish, having lost track of the Swiss in the chaotic closing stages.

According to UniSA team manager, Dave Sanders, Menzies will be looking to claw back time from the two intermediate sprints on laps eight and 12, and at the finish on Sunday's 4.5 kilometer inner city circuit.

"It isn't over yet - it's very winnable," said Sanders. "It's not going to be easy. Nothing ever is but we have the firepower."