Olympic cycling gold medallist Brett Aitken avoided a spectacular crash to claim victory in the fifth stage of the $60,000 Tour of Queensland.

Aitken turned a run of minor placings into a well-earned win when he avoided the carnage and crossed the line ahead of the field on the 86km stage around Maryborough in central Queensland.

The first bunch sprint finish of the tour was marred by the fall, which resulted in Poland's Mateusz Mroz flying over the top of Czechoslovakian Michal Precechtel, who had clipped the rear wheel of another rider.

Mroz crossed the finish line on his back with his bike sliding alongside of him.

Both Mroz and Precechtel were treated at the scene and later taken to hospital for a check-up but they are expected to take their place in the peleton.

Earlier in the day, Uruguayan Hector Morales rode a strong race to win the Maryborough Criterium, which signalled the half-way mark of the eight-stage tour.

Veteran Victorian David McKenzie, riding for the Jayco team, has assumed control of the tour, replacing overnight leader Eric Wohlberg (Maryborough City - Isis Shire).

He said he was keen to stay in the leaders' jersey for the rest of the tour.

"Everything has come to plan for our team and I'm reasonably confident of holding on now till the finish," McKenzie said.

Only three stages of the inaugural Tour of Queensland remain with Friday's sixth stage heading from Mount Perry to Gin Gin (73.3km) and then a 97km road stage at Bargara followed by a 35km criterium in Bundaberg.

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