3rd Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under

Australia, January 16 - 21, 2001

Complete Live Report

Stage 4 - January 19: Unley - Strathalbyn, 157 km

Start time: 11:00 - SA Time
Estimated finish time: 15:12

For the second year in a row, the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under returns to the picturesque streets of Unley, just to the south of Adelaide. The first goal is the intermediate sprint at Echunga (km 26.1), before continuing south to Meadows, then west to McLaren Flat, the location of the second sprint (km 59.2).

Yesterday's start town of McLaren Vale will be visited again (km 63.5), but instead of heading towards the coast the race will progress up the main climb of the day, Willunga Hill (km 73.1). From then on, it is an undulating route until the finish in the historic town of Strathalbyn.

Race leader, Stuart O'Grady will no doubt be put under pressure by the Saeco team today, but there are still several other riders that can challenge for the overall. Temperatures are predicted to be warmer, in the mid 30's or so, and that could have a critical effect on the stage.

10:45 - 0.0 km

15 minutes before the start, and the atmosphere in Unley is buzzing. This is certainly the most colourful of the stage starts so far. The riders will move out of Opey St, which is a narrow street filled with early '20s style shops. Houses have been done up in the red, yellow and blue colours of the race.

The stage begins with a 7.4 kilometre neutral section before the start proper in Glen Osmond road. Then, it is a long gradual climb up to the sprint at Echunga.

11:00 - 0.0 km

As the riders prepare to roll out, the attention is on the Credit Agricole team to see if they can support O'Grady's yellow. "I realise that my lead is really slim, but the entire team is ready to go and put themselves on the line to defend it," said O'Grady. "Most of the teams are fairly hostile so there'll be no alliances...I don't think Jay Sweet (Big Mat) will be able to help for example."

Magnus Backstedt says that he's "ready to go and ride tempo for O'Grady" and that he is "coming back into form during the race after being a little up and down early."

Marcel Gono (Linda McCartney) added: "Today is going to be a little bit too hot for the European riders. Maybe the race is a little bit too hard this early in the season. We've had two weeks of training camps, so it's good to finish it with a race."

11:20 - 3.0 km/154 km to go

The neutral section is now over, and the peloton is now under race conditions. Currently, the temperature in Adelaide is just over 30 degrees, and 27.2 in Strathalbyn (stage finish).

Support races often precede the stage finishes in the town centres, consisting of graded criteriums to keep the crowds (and local racers) happy. The results of yesterday's Victor Harbor criteriums, run by Norwood CC, have now been posted at cyclingnews.com in Australian results.

11:35 - 6.6 km/151 km to go

The pack is setting a cracking pace of 20 km/h (well, it is uphill) as they head toward Stirling. Salvtore Commesso (Saeco) is in difficulty, as he has been all tour. Possibly suffering from the same virus that knocked out Lotto's Jeroen Blijlevens and Nico Eeckhout?

It is quite a lot warmer now.

11:53 - 16 km

Salvatore Commesso has abandoned - he turned around and rode back to the team car. The remainder of the bunch is still all togther. There is approximately 8 kilometres to go until the first sprint at Echunga (km 26.1).

12:09 - 30 km/127 km to go

Nine riders have broken away from the bunch after the sprint in Echunga (km 26.1), and have a 1:25 lead. Ludovic Turpin (Ag2R), Chris Jenner (Credit Agricole), Tayeb Braikia (Linda McCartney), Miguel Martin Perdiguero (Linda McCartney), Jakob Piil (CSC), Luca Paolini (Mapei), Paul Van Hyfte (Lotto), Dominique Rault (Big Mat) and Robert Tighello (Sunsmart).

Stuart O'Grady is at the head of the second group. The danger man in the front group is Domenique Rault, who is 12th, at 19 seconds behind O'Grady on GC. However, O'Grady's teammate, Chris Jenner is better placed (7th at 8 seconds).

Results of the Echunga sprint: 1. Graeme Brown (United Water) 2. Nicolaj Bo Larsen (CSC-World Online) 3. Chris Jenner (Credit Agricole)

12:20 - 37 km/120 km to go

At the 34 kilometre point, the nine man break have a 4:30 lead. This means that Chris Jenner is the clear leader on the road. He also picked up 2 seconds in the intermediate sprint at Echunga. Jenner is certainly capable of taking the overall win.

12:35 - 48 km/111 km to go

At the 48 kilometre point, the lead has dropped to 4:10, but it is fairly solid. However, the nine breakaways are just about to hit a headwind, before climbing again.

The next sprint is due in 10 kilometres at McLaren flat. The Old Willunga Hill KOM comes at kilometre 73.

12:48 - 59 km/98 km to go

The results of the second sprint at McLaren flat (km 59): 1. Tayeb Braikia, 2. Jakob Piil, 3. Chris Jenner. This gives Jenner another 2 seconds bonus, however the gap has been brought back to 2:35.

The scene on the Old Willunga Hill climb, which is coming in 20 minutes is that there are a lot of people lining the roads up to the summit. Names have been painted in yellow paint, cow bales, balloons and so on. At the top is an incredibly spectacular view of Victor Harbor to the south.

13:00 - 69 km/88 km to go

The main bunch are just starting the climb, and could easily collect the breakaways by the top. After some spirited chasing, the gap is now down to 1:20, with approximately 4 kilometres of climbing to the summit of Old Willunga Hill.

People are standing on mounds of dirt, with ti tree branches attached to them(!).

13:12 - 73.1 km/84 km to go

The results of the Willunga Hill KOM: 1. Robert Tighello (Sunsmart), 2. Dominique Rault (Big Mat) 3. Chris Jenner (Credit Agricole), 4. Jakob Piil (CSC), 5. Paul Van Hyfte (Lotto Adecco). Tighello is looking very good to secure the KOM jersey.

There is only a small gap between the break and the bunch, and it should come together on the descent. There are plenty of stragglers coming up the hill now.

13:32 - 90 km/67 km to go

After a regrouping on the descent, there is a lead group of approximately 50-60 riders (the race commissaire is being diplomatic i.e. there are 30 riders out the back). The town of Nangkita has been passed, and there appears to be no wind, but a lot of heat. Note that Chris Jenner placed third in the Willunga Hill climb (not Jakob Piil, who was 4th).

13:49 - 102 km/55 km to go

As the peloton heads towards Ashbourne, which is approximately 15 kilometres before the feed station at Strathalbyn, there has been an attack by 8 riders: Brad Davidson (Saeco), Gerhard Trampusch (Telekom), David McKenzie (Linda McCartney), Tristan Hoffman (CSC), Luca Paolini (Mapei), Xavier Jan (Big Mat), Scott Davis (United Water) and Robert Tighello (Sunsmart). They have about 200m on the main bunch.

The terrain is somewhat undulating at the moment.

14:09 - 120 km/37 km to go

At kilometre 104, six of the previous eight man group went back to the bunch, including danger man Tighello. However, there was an immediate counter attack and now: Danilo Hondo (Telekom), David McKenzie (Linda McCartney), Michael Rogers (Mapei), Xavier Jan (Big Mat), Cameron Jennings (United Water) and Steve Williams (Sunsmart) are well clear, with 2:50 on the peloton as they head into Strathalbyn for the first time.

The finishing circuit goes via Belvidere, Langhorne Creek (wine growing disctricts) and Woodchester (farming area) and it is very flat. The temperature in Strathalbyn is 34 degrees.

14:19 - 127 km/30 km to go

Credit Agricole led the chase through Strathalbyn, helped by Saeco, and Lotto. Everyone makes sure they get their feed bag, with less than an hour of racing at all. It is dead still and boiling hot.

Cadel Evans (Sunsmart-Mitsubishi) has abandoned.

14:43 - 136 km/21 km to go

At kilometre 136, the break has been recaptured, just after the town of Langhorne Creek (one of Australia's first wine growing districts - look out for the Horseradish farm). Now the riders head north to Woodchester, before turning back east into Strathalbyn, where the mercury has climbed to 35 celsius.

14:47 - 140 km/17 km to go

There is a counter attack from four riders: Miguel Martin Perdiguero (Linda McCartney), Philippe Bordenave (Ag2R), Robert Bartko (Telekom) and Russel Van Hout (Uni of SA). They have 15 seconds, with 17 kilometres to go.

14:52 - 143 km/14 km to go

There are a lot of attacks in the closing kilometres now. Russel Van Hout has been joined by Max Sciandri (Linda McCartney), and Daniele Nardello (Mapei) to form a new three man group in front.

14:57 - 147 km/10 km to go

And they're all together win 10 kilometres to go, passing through Woodchester. In a bunch sprint, the smart money at the moment would be on Graeme Brown, although O'Grady will be trying desparately for more seconds.

15:06 - 157 km/0.0 km to go

Luke Roberts (University SA) has won the stage ahead of Linda McCartney's Marcel Gono. Nicolaj Bo Larsen (CSC) was 3rd, Trent Wilson (Sunsmart) 4th and Nicolas Jalabert (CSC) 5th.

The five had escaped with 5 kilometres to go, and did not finish as a group.

Tayeb Braikia (Linda McCartney) won the bunch sprint for 6th, capping off a good day for the team. Roberts' win was close, and came to a photo finish but he knew that he had won. Bo Larsen now has the yellow jersey by 13 seconds rom O'Grady.

Results

1 Luke Roberts (Aus) University of South Australia 3.44.07
2 Marcel Gono (Aus) Jacob's Creek-Linda McCartney
3 Nicolaj Bo Larsen (Den) CSC-World Online
4 Trent Wilson (Aus) Sunsmart-Mitsubishi              0.04
5 Nicolas Jalabert (Fra) CSC-World Online             0.08
6 Tayeb Brakia (Den) Jacob's Creek-Linda McCartney    0.17
7 Hendrick Van Dijck (Bel) Lotto Adecco
8 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Credit Agricole
9 Stefano Zanini (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step
10 Ciaran Power (Ire) Jacob's Creek-Linda McCartney

General classification after stage 4

1 Nicolaj Bo Larsen (Den) CSC-World Online        12.32.11
2 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Credit Agricole                0.13
3 Jorg Ludewig (Ger) Saeco Macchine Per Caffé         0.15
4 Kai Hundertmarck (Ger) Telekom                      0.19
5 Chris Jenner (NZl) Credit Agricole 
6 Patrick Jonker (Aus) Big Mat                        0.21
7 Arvis Piziks (Lat) CSC-World Online
8 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Ag2R Decathlon
9 Benoit Poilvet (Fra) Credit Agricole
10 Glenn D'Hollander (Bel) Lotto Adecco               0.32

Sprints classifiaction

1 Graeme Brown (Aus) United Water

Mountains classification

1 Robert Tighello (Aus) Sunsmart-Mitsubishi

Teams classification

1 Credit Agricole

Most aggressive rider

David McKenzie (Aus) Jacob's Creek-Linda McCartney

Report and results