The Stages
PreviewThe Tour of Tasmania which carries a UCI 2.5 Ranking has reemerged as one of the important Stage races on the Australian calendar. It also resurrects the traditional "Tour" in the southern island of Australia which started with the Tour of the North (1954-1991) and the Mercury Tour (1954-60).
Past WinnersTour of the North 1954 Colin McKay Victoria 1955 Neil Geraghty New Zealand 1956 Jim Nevin Victoria 1957 No Event 1958 No Event 1959 No Event 1960 Colin Hymus Victoria 1961 Allan Grindall Victoria 1962 Vic Browne Victoria 1963 Vic Browne Victoria 1964 Mal Powell Victoria 1965 Ray Bilney Victoria 1966 Dan Wilson Victoria 1967 Alan Baker New Zealand 1968 Kevin Morgan Tasmania 1969 Kerry Wood Tasmania 1970 Don Allan Victoria 1971 Russell Tankard Victoria 1972 Don Allan Victoria 1973 Barry Uyatt New Zealand 1974 Remo Sansonetti Victoria 1975 Remo Sansonetti Victoria 1976 Remo Sansonetti Victoria 1977 Gary Sutton NSW 1978 Michael Wilson Tasmania 1979 John Trevorrow Victoria 1980 Geoff Skaines NSW 1981 Murray Hall Victoria 1982 Wayne Della Victoria 1983 Wayne Hildred Victoria 1984 Jack Swart New Zealand 1985 Michael Lynch Victoria 1986 Stephen Fairless Victoria 1987 Barney St. George NSW 1988 Kevetoslav Pavlov NSW 1989 No Event 1990 Brian Fowler New Zealand 1991 Grant Rice Tasmania 1992 No Event 1993 No Event 1994 No Event Tour of Tasmania 1995 Stephen Hodge ACT 1996 Alan Iacuone Victoria Stage 1, Devonport-Burnie, via Wynyard, 104 kms:Devonport is on the North coast and the race follows the coast to the NW town of Burnie and proceeds onto Wynyard (rounding Table Cap), back inland and confronts the final KOM which is 20 kms out from the finish back in Burnie.
1. Steve Williams (Aus) Herald Sun AIS 2.40.44 2. Brett Aitken (Aus) Arnold Thomas and Becker's 0.43 3. Harm Jansen (Ned) 0.47 4. P. Kil (Ned) 0.48 5. G. Harris (Aus) 0.49 6. Roberto Gaggioli (Ita) Abom 0.49 7. J. Auslters (Aus) 0.50 8. Geoff Miller (NZ) 0.51 9. Tristan Priem (Aus) Jayco-VIS 0.51 10. Alex Iaucone (Aus) 0.52 11. Neil Shaddock (NZ) Qantas 12. Brendan Vesty (NZ) Qantas 13. Glenn Mitchell (NZ) Qantas 14. D Smith (Aus) 0.53 15. M. Jackson (Aus) 16. H. Bradbury (Aus) 17. M. Wilson (Aus) 18. R. Van Speybroeck (Aus) 19. Tim Leaper (Aus) Alchemy 20. Franky Van Haesebrouke (Bel) 21. N. Russell (Aus) 22. D. Trinne (Aus) 23. Dean Jones (Aus) 24. Warren Jennings (Aus) 25. Corey Sweet (Aus) 26. Jamie Drew (Aus) 27. J. Pollock (Aus) 28. A. Stalder (Aus) 29. Dean Rogers (Aus) 30. Neil Stephens (Aus) Festina 31. Cadel Evans (Aus) Volvo-Cannondale 32. Chris White (Aus) 33. David McKenzie (Aus) 34. J. Marsland (Aus) 35. P. Rowney (Aus) 36. E. Aususer (Ger) 37. G. Adamson (UK) 38. Colin Sturgess (UK) 39. Wayne Kestle (Aus) 40. E. Nedands (Aus) 41. N. Snays (USA) 42. J. Stewart (Aus) 43. Matt White (Aus) Volvo-Cannondale 44. C. McDonald (Aus) 45. Peter Rogers (Aus) 46. M. Allen (Aus) 47. Luke Stockwell (Aus) 48. D. Boone (Aus) 49. R. Suckling (Aus) 50. A. Aeschbach (Swi) 51. C. Rivette (Aus) 52. S. Aitken (Aus) 53. J. Taylor (Aus) 54. B. Stapleton (Aus) 55. M. Conn (Aus) 56. Stuart Mitchell (NZ) 57. Scott Guyton (NZ) 58. J. Gregory (Aus) 59. Tim O'Shannessy (Aus) 60. Matt Rice (Aus) 0.53 61. C. Nedenberry (Aus) 5.06 62. T. Perry (Aus) 63. A. Tinsley (UK) 64. S. O'Neill (Aus) 65. Ric McCaig (Aus) 66. C. Fogliani (Aus) 67. Kris Denham (Aus) Volvo-Cannondale 68. Josh Collingwood (Aus) 69. C. Beeck (Aus) 70. V. Reid (Aus) 71. Luke Weir (Aus) 72. Sean Sullivan (Aus) 73. C. Elkye (USA) 74. M. Threadgold (Aus) 75. T. Bennett (Aus) 76. S. Pasque (Aus) 5.06 77. Brett McCaig (Aus) 10.51 78. L. Venn (Aus) 42.47 79. Jon Cosgrove (UK) 80. S. Price (Aus) Stage 2, Devonport-Launceston, 149 kms:This is a hilly stage between two coastal towns. The race passes through Sheffield and along the main road to Deloraine. It then climbs for around 4 kms into Hadspen just before the finish with a fast downhill route into Launceston.
1. Tom Leaper (Aus) Alchemy 3.29.58 2. Neil Stephens (Aus) Festina 0.08 3. Glen Mitchell (NZ) Qantas 0.11 4. Tristan Priem (Aus) Jayco-VIS s.t. 5. Brett Aitken (Aus) Arnold Thomas and Becker's s.t. GC after Stage 2 1. Steve Williams (Aus) Herald Sun AIS 6.10.53 2. Brett Aitken (Aus) Arnold Thomas and Becker's 0.41 3. Tristan Priem (Aus) Jayco-VIS 0.41 4. Neil Stephens (Aus) Festina 0.42 5. Roberto Gaggioli (Ita) Abom 0.45 Stage 2 Report Today's stage was raced in rain and covered 149 kms from Devenport to Launceston. A strategic breakaway by Tom Leaper (Victoria) as a small group of 15 or so riders went under the one km kite saw him take the stage from Neil Stephens. The real action was started by Roberto Gaggioli who drove a strong break with Luke Stockwall, Matt Wilson, and Warren Jennings for over 45 kms and they were pulled back in the final 30 kms. A major fall in the peloton injured Nestor Snays (USA) and the disruption allowed the break some latitude. The overnight leader on GC, Stuart Williams from NSW finished safely in the main peloton which closed down the breaking 15 riders to within a handful of seconds at the end. He retained his jersey. Stage 3, Launceston Criterium, 1 hour:The city centre criterium was cancelled due to torrential rain.Stage 4, Launceston-St. Helens, 163 kms:From Launceston the race goes towards the East coast and confronts some very rugged climbs and fast descents in the NE ranges. Once over the range, the last 15 kms back down into St. Helens, which is on the coast, makes for a very fast finish. The non-sprinters have to break the peloton up over the ranges to have any chance.Neil Stephens who rides in Europe for the Festina team took the lead in the Tour of Tasmania by winning a sprint from his two fellow breakaways - Brendan Vesty from New Zealand and Cadel Evans, who is better known as a MTB ace, and who hails from Victoria. By successfully keeping the break going, Stephens now has 5 seconds on Vesty and 14 on Evans with Steve Williams (NSW) back at 35 seconds. In constrast to the rain-soaked previous day, Stage 4 was held in dry and warm conditions with 75 riders leaving Launceston on their 163 kms journey to St. Helens. It was a hilly stage and the peloton set a daunting pace with the three KOM passes being ascended at speeds in excess of 30 km/h and the descents being stormed at over 80 km/h. The main riders finished more than 20 minutes ahead of the race program. An early break involved Tasmanian Institute of Sport rider Sean Sullivan and NZ rider Brendan Vesty. It came to nothing. The main break went with just over 46 kms to go to the finish as the race was descending the Weldborough Pass. Vesty, Stephens and Evans made the move. Cadel Evans had just recovered from some drama after he took a bike from team-mate Kris Denham (Volvo Cannondale) because he had punctured. The "milk man" and fellow Volvo Cannondale rider Matt White helped Evans regain touch with the peloton. White won the peloton sprint at 1.06. Neil Stephens was reported as saying: "This was always going to be a decisive day in the tour and I hope I can hold on to the lead. I'm feeling quite comfortable in the hills but the time trial may hold the key to the race. I think the stage to St Helens has sorted out the men who are going to be in the finish."
1. Neil Stephens (Aus) Festina 4.11.28 2. Brendan Vesty (NZ) Qantas 3. Cadel Evans (Aus) Volvo Cannondale s.t. 4. Matt White (Aus) Volvo Cannondale 1.06 5. Tim Leaper (Aus) Alchemy 6. Brett Aitken (Aus) Arnold Thomas and Becker's 7. Glenn Mitchell (NZ) 8. Michael Wilson (Aus) 9. H. Bradbury (Aus) 10. D. Trinne (Aus) all s.t. GC after Stage 4
1. Neil Stephens (Aus) Festina 10.22.52 2. Brendan Vesty (NZ) Qantas 0.05 3. Cadel Evans (Aus) Volvo Cannondale 0.14 4. Steve Williams (Aus) Herald Sun AIS 0.35 5. Brett Aitken (Aus) Arnold Thomas and Becker's 1.15 6. David McKenzie (Aus) Jayco-VIS 1.19 7. Glenn Mitchell (NZ) Qantas 1.21 8. Matt White (Aus) Volvo Cannondale 1.22 9. Michael Wilson (Aus) 1.22 10. H. Bradbury (Vic) 1.24 Stage 5, St. Helens-Swansea via Bicheno, 119 kms:The stage goes down the East coast and is typically hit by hard cross winds coming from the East off the Tasman Sea.The morning stage from St Helen's to Swansea was marred by very strong cross winds. The big loser was NZ's Brendan Vesty who punctured about 20 kms out and saw Stephens attacking to maximise the advantage.
1. Matt White (Aus) Volvo Cannondale 2. Jamie Drew (Aus) Stage 6, Port Arthur ITT, 20 kms:1. Neil Stephens (Aus) Festina 2. Cadel Evans (Aus) Volvo Cannondale 3. Matt White (Aus) Volvo Cannondale Stage 7, Port Arthur-Mt. Wellington via Richmond and Hobart, 130 kms:This is the hardest stage of all not the least because it climaxes with a 22 kms climb of Mt. Wellington, the towering mountain overlooking Hobart, down on the SE coast of Tasmania.Cadel Evans climbed the tough Mt. Wellington just outside Hobart like no-one else and left the peloton and the favoured contender, Neil Stephens suffering on the slopes. Better known for his MTB skills, Evans showed he has a great road future ahead of him with one of the more emphatic road victories ever seen in Australian road racing. Evans took 3.59 out of Stephens after starting the day in 2nd place on the GC to the Festina rider (at 19 seconds). The stage became aggressive at the start of the 21 km climb which was at the end of the stage. The three big-hitters, Stephens, Evans and Brendan Vesty (NZ) attacked. Evans responded and Stephens was the first to go after about 10 kms of climbing. A km later Vesty was shelled. Sources tell me that Evans was riding at around 27 kmh on the climb. That is pretty staggering. He will now win the tour if he doesn't crash tommorrow in the final stage criterium in Hobart (Salamanca Place).
1. Cadel Evans (Aus) Volvo Cannondale 3.39.48 2. Brendan Vesty (NZ) Qantas 2.19 3. Alan Iacuone (Aus) Jayco 3.34 4. Neil Stephens (Aus) Festina) 3.40 5. Matt White (Aus) Volvo Cannondale 3.49 GC after Stage 7:
1. Cadel Evans (Aus) Volvo Cannondale 17.20.18 2. Neil Stephens (Aus) Festina 3.27 3. Brendan Vesty (NZ) Qantas 3.46 4. Matt White (Aus) Volvo Cannondale 4.54 5. Alan Iacuone (Aus) Jayco 6.11 Stage 8, Salamanca Place Criterium, 1 hour:Right in the centre of Hobart, Tasmania's capital city, Salamanca Place is surrounded by historical buildings and is usually a market place. It is also the place where Tasmania's Gay population staged many protests over ridiculous Tasmanian Government laws which banned homosexuality in this State.20-year old Cadel Evans won the Tour of Tasmania today after destroying the fancied riders on the climb to Mt. Wellington yesterday. Everyone was raving about his performance yesterday and many were predicting big things for him, if he should turn his MTB talent to the road. The race organiser told a radio interviewer that he thought Evans was the only Australian capable of winning the Tour de France. He will clearly have to make a choice in a few years whether to concentrate on road or MTB. My sources tell me that he is on a very large MTB racing contract (rumoured to be $A500,000+) and if it is money that rules then he will remain a MTB rider. He won't be earning that on the road unless he wins the TDF or something similar. A farcical situation evolved at the end of the day. Typically a bit of "Um err.....duh--- nah" by officials went on after the Hobart criterium when only 15 riders finished. After being told before the race 1 minute for every lap out penalty would apply. Brendan Vesty failed to finish (so I'm told). This should have but Matt White into 3rd place over Brendan. But who knows what the "Exhibition" Crits are for if you can't get time on riders??. Typical. All the results presented here came without any help at all from the promoters or organisers. Phone calls, some emails and radio briefs did it.
1. Brett Aitken (Aus) Arnold Thomas and Becker's Final GC
1. Cadel Evans (Aus) Volvo Cannondale 17.20.18 2. Neil Stephens (Aus) Festina 3.27 3. Brendan Vesty (NZ) Qantas 3.46 |