Australia's road cycling sprint ace Robbie McEwen continued his storming start to the year by winning stage one of the Tour Down Under.

McEwen came around the outside of compatriot Allan Davis to just snare the 50km twilight street race, held in front of more than 60,000 fans in Adelaide's East End.

The win came three days after McEwen won his second national road title at Echunga in the Adelaide Hills.

The success meant he will start Wednesday's 150km stage from Salisbury to Tanunda as the overall race leader.

McEwen, who also won his sixth Bay Classic criterium series in Melbourne this month, said after the nationals he might struggle in the Tour.

Although he said after the finish he still had shaky legs, McEwen was all power at the finish after his Davitamon-Lotto teammates set him up perfectly for the mass sprint.

Two-time Tour winner Stuart O'Grady finished third after launching an attack more than 200m from the finish.

O'Grady was active at the front several times in the 25-lap race, at one stage appearing to gesture to other members of a breakaway to make more of an effort.

Fellow South Australian Gene Bates won the two intermediate sprints to lead the points classification.

The opening stage of the Tour has regularly been immersed in controversy - last year there was confusion at the finish when a breakway lapped the peloton.

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