Melbourne, Australia - Australian Hilton Clarke won the opening stage of the Herald Sun cycling tour of Victoria state Sunday for the U.S.-based Navigators team.

Clarke was one of six riders to join an early breakaway in the criterium stage at Shepparton in north-central Victoria.

The group built a lead of more than a minute halfway through the stage. Australian team members Robbie McEwen and Simon Gerrans, last year's winner, worked hard to cut their advantage to 20 seconds but the lead group was able to hold off their pursuers.

Clarke, who won the final stage of last year's event, beat home German Tobias Erlier, while Australian Karl Menzies was third.

Monday's second stage takes riders 179km (110 miles) from Shepparton to Bendigo. The race concludes on Saturday.