3rd Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under

Australia, January 16 - 21, 2001

Main page    Course profile    Results and report

Complete Live Report

Stage 1 - January 16: Glenelg Street Race, 47 km

Start time: 19:30
Estimated finish time: 20:30

Welcome to the live coverage of stage one of the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under, with an hour of intense action scheduled around a tight street circuit in Glenelg, Adelaide. The course is ideally suited to a sprint finish, with riders like Tom Steels, Jaan Kirsipuu, Jeroen Blijlevens, Steffen Wesemann, Graeme Brown, and Christophe Capelle as likely favourites.

Live updates will be posted here at 10-15 minute intervals after the race starts.

Weather update: Currently very a pleasant 25 degrees.

19:15 - 0.0 km

The start is just 20 minutes away, and all the riders are on the course warming up. Most have been out earlier today for a two hour spin to relax the legs.

The crowd that has turned out to watch in Glenelg is fanstastic - some 40,000 according to estimates. In previous years, it was closer to 16,000. They are lining the streets the whole way around the 1.88 kilometre circuit, to watch 25 laps of fast, furious action.

19:30 - 0.0 km

They're under way in the 2001 Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under. 96 riders, representing 12 teams and 17 countries are going to do battle in and around the streets of Adelaide for the next six days.

Steve Cunningham (University of South Australia) leads teammate Russel Van Hout and Fabio Sacchi (Saeco Macchine Per Café) around the first corner, to a huge roar from the crowd.

19:40 - 6.0 km/41 km to go

At the end of the third lap, the speed of the pack is high. Uni of SA cyclists are riding well, in front of the peloton. O'Grady is about a third of the way back.

Graeme Brown (United Water) tries a move off the front at the beginning of lap 4. He is caught as Bobby Julich does a turn of pace to string out the peloton. This is Bobby's first time in the Tour Down Under.

The first sprint is at lap 10 (km 19). There are no time bonuses however, just points.

19:50 - 14.0 km/33 km to go

There is a sprint at lap 10, and it seems as though Michael Rogers (Mapei) is going for it. He has a 10 second gap on the main field at the beginning of lap 9, who are not too concerned about chasing him. There are a few gaps beginning to appear in the peloton now, with BJ McIntosh (United Water off the back)

19:54 - 19 km/28 km to go

Michael Rogers extends his lead to 17 seconds and takes the first sprint on lap 10. He is followed by Graeme Brown and Crescenzo d'Amore (Mapei).

One lap later, and the gap has all but closed. Kristjan Snorrasson (UniSA) is just 5 seconds behind Rogers, followed by big Kai Hundertmarck (Telekom).

20:00 - 25 km/22 km to go

Snorrasson catches Rogers and the two hold a 10 second advantage to a small group led by Stuart O'Grady, and Jakob Piil (CSC).

Two prominent racing identities are off the back of the bunch: Jeroen Blijlevens (Lotto) and Salvatore Commesso (Saeco).

20:06 - 28 km/19 km to go

The gap is coming down under the pressure of the chase. The bunch are all together, but strung out all along Sussex Street. Rogers and Snorrasson will last 1-2 more laps.

20:14 - 34 km/13 km to go

Magnus Backstedt (Credit Agricole) leads the bunch in pursuit of Snorrasson and Rogers, who have just 3 seconds with 7 laps to go. Close, but not quite for the Australian duo. The next sprint is due in 2 laps.

20:18 - 37.5 km/9.5 km to go

The break is caught with a lap to go until the second (and last) sprint. Snorrasson is prominent, but Botcharov (Ag2r) is looking good too.

The sprint with 5 to go goes to Graeme Brown (United Water) from Peter Rogers (Sunsmart) and Michael Rogers in third.

20:23 - 41 km/6 km to go

Robert Bartko, Stuart O'Grady and Bobby Julich are prominent as the race nears its end. The peloton are stretched taut, but have not broken despite the speed.

Baigio Conte and Fabio Sacchi are also leading the charge for Saeco, but they are without Commesso.

20:28 - 45 km/1.9 km to go

With two laps to go, Hans de Clercq (Lotto) leads from Torsten Nitcsche (Seaco) and O'Grady. A win by the man in third wheel would be popular, which is understating things somewhat.

With one to go, Linda McCartney are 1-2-3, with Brown 4th and O'Grady 5th. There is a fall.

20:31 - 47 km/0.0 km to go

McCartney leads the two other Australians out perfectly. Graeme Brown takes the win and the yellow jersey, with Stuart O'Grady 2nd and Fabio Sacchi (Saeco) in third. The crowd gives a massive round of applause for a great bike race.

Results

1 Graeme Brown (Aus) United Water 		1.00.03 (46.9 km/h)
2 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Credit Agricole 
3 Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Saeco Macchine Per Café 
4 Ciaran Power (Ire) Jacob's Creek-Linda McCartney 
5 Fabien De Waele (Bel) Lotto Adecco 
6 Nicolas Jalabert (Fra) CSC-World Online 
7 David McKenzie (Aus) Jacob's Creek-Linda McCartney 
8 Hendrick Van Dijck (Bel) Lotto Adecco 
9 Lado Fumic (Ger) University of South Australia 
10 Alexandre Chouffe (Fra) Big Mat 
11 Kristjan Snorrason (Aus) University of South Australia 
12 Russel Van Hout (Aus) University of South Australia 
13 Danilo Hondo (Ger) Telekom 

Sprint classification

1 Graeme Brown (Aus) United Water		16 pts
2 Michael Rogers (Aus) Mapei-Quick Step		 8
3 Peter Rogers (Aus) Sunsmart-Mitsubishi	 4
3 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Credit Agricole		 4
5 Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Saeco Macchine Per Café	 2
5 Crescenzo d'Amore (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step	 2

*Note: the jersey is awarded to Michael Rogers