(Sean Quentin Lee is a cycling fan and regular BPL contributor.)

For the second day in a row, the powerful WorldTour teams competing in the Jayco HeraldSun Tour have been upstaged by an outsider. Little-known South African rider Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (MTN Qhubeka) has claimed stage two of Australia's oldest stage race, beating home pre-tour favourite Baden Cooke (Saxo Bank-Sungard) and in-form local rider Steele Von Hoff (Genesys Wealth Advisers).

Stage-one hero, Rhys Pollock (Drapac Professional cycling), the man quoted before the race as saying that he can't sprint, climb or time trial, holds onto the overall lead after a smart ride by his team.

Despite bright and calm conditions and a picturesque route, the stage was anything but a picnic.

The first King of the Mountain points, contested on the slopes of Mt Buninyong just minutes after the race got underway, was a small taste of what was to come. With the peloton not overly interested in exerting itself, it was left to Aussie Adam Hansen (Omega Pharma-Lotto) who attacked close to the top to claim the first points of the stage.

Tim Gudsell (Pure Black Racing) and Chris Jongewaard (Budget Forklifts) broke away from the field midway through the race and managed to get out to a six-minute lead, but suffered dreadfully on the brutal road between Meredith and Maude. While reaching speeds of in excess of 80kph on the breakneck descents, it was the lung-busting climbs that took their toll on the race leaders, and by the time they had conquered the murderous 15% gradient of the final classified climb of the day, their lead had been whittled down to just 2'30''.

With five kilometres to go they were swallowed by the peloton, but the steep last kilometre of the race coming out Fyansford, near Geelong, took some riders by surprise. The uphill sprint finish suited the South African Van Rensburg who took his first race victory outside of Africa.

But Jongewaard's efforts in the breakaway did not go unrewarded. He leads the King of the Mountain classification, while exciting youngster Nathan Haas (Genesys Wealth Advisors) maintains his lead in the points and young rider classifications.

The overall lead remains with Pollock, who sits 15 seconds ahead of Haas, with Jonas Aen Jorgensen (Saxo Bank-Sungard) a further three seconds back in third.

Former Australian road champion Matthew Lloyd (pictured above), who was sacked mysteriously earlier in the year by Omega Pharma-Lotto, showed his race legs were returning by leading the chasing peloton over the last climb of the day to pick up the remaining King of the Mountain points. Lining up for the Mitchelton Australian National Team, Lloyd is enjoying competing again after a six-month layoff and is looking forward to Saturday's much anticipated stage that takes in the hairpin bends of the Arthur's Seat climb twice.

Stage three will take the riders from Geelong, through the Otway Ranges and along the Great Ocean Road, before finishing at Drysdale on the Bellarine Peninsula.