Bauer jumped around fellow escapee Javier Moreno (Movistar) and then out sprinted Amael Moinard (BMC) and Erick Rowsell (Madison Genesis) to raise his hands in the air and utter a relieved and happy scream.
It is Bauer's first individual stage win since the Herald Sun Tour prologue in 2014 and comes after a couple of seasons of bad luck.
Here's the celebration! #tob2016 pic.twitter.com/XmUOuQI05X — Tour of Britain 🇬🇧 (@TourofBritain) September 8, 2016
"This win caps off a difficult year for me. I took six months out from the sport last year (after breaking a femur at the 2015 Tour de France) and returned in February and instantly broke a wrist on my first race back.
"I think many people had written me off thinking I just couldn't ride my bike any more or perform to the same level. But a year on I'm back and I'm able to win a race and I'm really grateful for that.”
The day unfolded similarly to stage 15 of the 2014 Tour de France where the Kiwi led for 222 kilometres to have victory snatched from him by the peloton in the closing metres.
But Bauer said today he was not going to let that happen again.
"I learnt that once you have the opportunity to win, you lay it all on the line. Coming second isn't an option. That was in my mind today," he said.
It is Cannondale-Drapac's ninth win of the season.
Bauer moving on
The Kiwi was asked in the press conference posted on Facebook if he was riding with Cannondale-Drapac in 2017.
"No, I'm leaving the team after five years. It's the team I turned professional with, I learned a lot and had some great experiences and done some amazing races with them."
"I do have a team, and that will become apparent in the next couple of weeks," Bauer said.
As it happened
At kilometre zero, Bauer, Moreno, Rowsell and Moinard broke away with Johnny McEvoy (NFTO). Their lead of five minutes gradually melted away as Lotto Soudal and LottoNL Jumbo worked for the finale.
With the peloton fast approaching, Moinard attacked the leaders within 10 kilometres from the finish and then again with three kilometres to go. But the Frenchman was caught again by Rowsell, Moreno and Bauer. McEvoy found Moinard's initial propulsion too much and dropped back
Bauer eased away after the second last left hand corner but the gradient caught him out a little and he jumped back on to Moreno's wheel before launching his sprint.
Australia's Caleb Ewan (Orica-BikeExchange) won the rest of the bunch sprint defeating yesterday's winner and fellow young gun Dylan Groenewegen (LottoNL-Jumbo).
