The 21-year-old has shown strong form in the early weeks of the year, having been crowned the winner of the Australian National Criterium Championships earlier this month, before winning the People's Choice Classic on January 17.

It proceeded the first International Cycling Union (UCI) men’s WorldTour race of the season and Ewan showed his ability again by leading home a 140-strong peloton at the end of the 131 kilometres stage from Prospect to Lyndoch.

A breakaway, consisting of Australia’s Sean Lake, Frenchman Alexis Gougeard and Dutchman Martijn Keizer, had been allowed to slip away from their field in the early stages of the race.

With the finish town of Lyndoch, located outside Adelaide, favouring the sprinters, it came as no surprise when the trio were hauled back, particularly due to the blisteringly hot conditions.

African squad Dimension Data, making their debut as a WorldTour team this season, sensed a victory with their Australian sprinter Mark Renshaw leading in the closing metres of the race.

Form man Ewan, however, was able to overtake his compatriot, with the Orica-GreenEdge rider earning victory in 3 hours 24min 13sec.

Renshaw claimed second place ahead of The Netherlands’ Wouter Wippert, as they crossed with the same time as the winner.

“I felt good all day and they [my team] backed me right from the start,” said Ewan.

“To win a road race you have to be very conservative during the day, the victory usually goes to the one who's got the freshest legs and the best team in the end.

“It'll be a really proud moment for me to race in the ochre jersey tomorrow, I’ve never led a World Tour race before and to do it in my own country means a lot to me.”

Owning to bonus seconds earned by winning the stage, Ewan will hold a four-second lead over his nearest rival Renshaw when the race is due to resume tomorrow with a 132km route from Unley to Lyndoch.