Austria’s Christoph Tschellnig took a surprise victory on stage five of the Croc Trophy.

Billed as the easiest stage of the ten-day race, a 100km loop in Chillagoe, weekend warrior Tschellnig, who has a full-time job as a fitness trainer, stole the show to clock three hours, 11 minutes, 26 seconds.

“I blame the three pieces of fish that I had for dinner last night,” joked the 25-year-old. Up until three years ago a dedicated road rider, the mountain bike convert launched his attack after 20km and stayed away until the line.

Compatriot Philipp Ludescher was two minutes, 25 second back in second, while Canada’s Cory Wallace completed the podium.

Swiss rider Urs Huber continues to lead the overall classification, more than four minutes ahead of Holland’s Bart Brentjens, with Belgian Mike Mulkens nearly 33 minutes adrift in third.