Australian rider Simon Gerrans pipped Spaniard Alejandro Valverde on a countback to win his second Tour Down Under title on Sunday. 

German Andre Greipel won the final 20-lap street dash around Elder Park on the outskirts of Adelaide as Gerrans finished safely in the pack to clinch the title.     

Gerrans’s second Tour Down Under triumph, his first was in 2006, also gave GreenEdge, the first Australian team to race the elite World Tour, a dream start to their debut season.     

Returning from a two-year doping ban, Valverde went into the final stage level on time with Gerrans but could not gain time in the two intermediate sprints or at the finish.