Australian cycling star Rohan Dennis boosted his confidence ahead of next month's Giro d'Italia by winning stage two at the Tour of the Alps.
Dennis won the uphill sprint at Innervillgraten in Austria and improved to seventh overall.
The five-day tour is an important hitout for Dennis and several rivals ahead of next month's Giro d'Italia.
Dennis has a long-term plan to become an overall contender in the three-week Grand Tours and his Giro debut is the first step in that process.
Stage two was shortened at the start by 40km because of snow at the Brenner Pass.
The Australian BMC rider showed an impressive turn of speed at the finish to win the stage.
Frenchman Thibaut Pinot finished second and that gave him the overall lead.
"I have come here for the final bit of top-end racing to prepare me for next month, and this gives me a bit more confidence going into the Giro d'Italia for sure," Dennis said.
"Yesterday didn't go exactly to plan, and it knocked me a little bit, but I didn't let that get to me as I know I have done a lot of work recently.
"Today, that turned around but this wasn't the toughest stage of this race, and we will see more of where I am at over the next few stages."
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