3rd Jacob's Creek Tour Down UnderAustralia, January 16 - 21, 2001Main page Course map Report and results Complete Live ReportStage 5 - January 20: Gawler - Tanunda, 156 kmStart time: 11:00 - SA Time The final road stage of the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under promises to be a cracker, with 12 riders still in realistic contention for the yellow jersey. No team has managed to control the race so far, and the profile for stage 5 is perfect for more attacks. A key feature of the 156 kilometre stage is the steep climb of Menglers Hill, occuring twice at kilometre 78 and 130. This type of hill is perfect for someone like Daniele Nardello to attack - his Mapei team certainly didn't come here to be anonymous. Nicolaj Bo Larsen (CSC) has the job of defending his yellow jersey, and he and his team will have to work for it. The finishing town of Tanunda has a strong German tradition (despite its name) and is situated in the heart of the Barossa Valley. This stage will take in many of the highlights of South Australia's most popular tourist region. 10:30 – 30 mins to start The crowd and riders are currently mingling in Gawler. One of the strengths of the JCTDU is the informality of the starts which is really helping get the sport across to the Aussie spectators. There isn't quite the street party atmosphere of yesterday, but it's Saturday morning and lots of people are out for a look. The temperature is headed for the high 30s and combined with the undulating terrain it will be a tough day. We expect lots of attacks though; the Europeans are now in their groove and our tip is that Daniele Nardello (Mapei) will try something today. Mapei have been fairly quiet - it's their turn. The stage today gets into its first climb after 10km with the first major sprint at the Jacob's Creek winery after 33.5km. From there we go on to a circuit which is basically a tour of the wineries in the Barossa Valley. We'll do the circuit twice, finishing in Tanunda. 11:05 – 1.5 km/154.5 km to go The riders are under way into the 400m neutral section. Once again it's windy, with the breeze across the course today. They gradually climb to Sandy Creek. It's already very hot – perhaps 45 C in the sun. That's going to be a big factor today. Franck Pencole (Big Mat) has not started today, but Cadel Evans has, contrary to yesterday's mistaken report that he had pulled out. 11:20 – 9km/147km to go The bunch has just passed through Sandy Creek and a break of seven riders has a gap of 37 seconds. Among the break is Alexandre Chouffe (Big Mat) Trent Wilson (Sunsmart-Mitsubishi) Christophe Agnolutto (Ag2R Decathlon) Juan Carlos Dominguez (Jacob's Creek-Linda McCartney). 11:30 – 16km/140km to go Three Australian riders are chasing the break – Russel Van Hout (University of South Australia), Jay Sweet (Big Mat) Allan Davis (United Water) . The break has 45 seconds on the main bunch, Credit Agricole are leading the chase. 11:40 – 24km/132km to go The break has two minutes on the bunch and now consists of nine riders as the chasing group of three has joined them: Christophe Agnolutto (Ag2R Decathlon), Jay Sweet (Big Mat), Alexandre Chouffe (Big Mat), Crescenzo d'Amore (Mapei-Quick Step), Allan Davis (United Water), Trent Wilson (Sunsmart-Mitsubishi), Juan Carlos Dominguez (Jacob's Creek-Linda McCartney), Bruce Mcintosh (United Water), Russel Van Hout (University of South Australia). Anthony Langella of Credit Agricole has dropped back to the bunch. There is less than 10km to to the first sprint at the Jacob's Creek winery.We are now in the heart of the wine country with vineyards adorning both sides of the road. The Europeans will feel right at home, except for the stinking hot headwind. There are local riders climbing the rise where we're waiting for the bunch, looking very hot and bothered. 11:55 – 35km/121km to go At the first sprint at Jacob's Creek winery, the order was: 1 Trent Wilson (Aus) Sunsmart-Mitsubishi Bruce Mcintosh (United Water) has been dropped from the break, leaving eight men in the leading group with a gap of about 2 minutes 30 seconds. 12:04 – 40km/116km The eight man break has a 4 minute lead. They have just passed through Tanunda for the first of three times. Riders in GC contention in the break include Juan Carlos Dominguez, Christophe Agnolutto, Crescenzo d'Amore and the latter in particular has a lot to gain, as he's the best-placed U-23. There's a strong headwind, but the riders will now change direction frequently so they will get some respite. There are lots of people out in the streets of the towns, which are vying for each day's Tidy Towns prize! 12:15 – 46km / 110km to go The gap is now 4min 40 sec. The bunch seems content to let them get away as while these riders will surely appreciate moving up on GC for themselves, none of them is a serious overall threat unless their lead extends well into double figures 12:30 – 59km / 97km to go We have just gone through Seppeltsfield Winery. The break has a 4:40 gap, so it looks like the lead has stabilised. Bruce McIntosh and Anthony Langella have been dropped from the main bunch. The scenes by the roadside are very European with lots of people out with their picnic tables and Chardonnay - it's definitely the day for a nicely chilled white. The break is working fairly smoothly together to try and stay away. 12.45 – 68km / 88km to go The break has just passed through Tanunda for the second time at 68km. The lead is still about 4:40. The riders are asking all their team cars up to the break to provide water as it's very hot and the wind is getting stronger.We're heading for Menglers Hill at kilometer 78.3. This is a 170m climb, about 1km long. 1:05 – 78.3km / 77.7km to go Despite its seeming shallow grade on the maps, Menglers Hill turns out to be a 1km, steep pinch. First to the top was Russel Van Hout by a small gap over Trent Wilson (Sunsmart-Mitsubishi), Jay Sweet (Big Mat) Allan Davis (United Water) Christophe Agnolutto (Ag2R Decathlon), Juan Carlos Dominguez (Jacob's Creek-Linda McCartney) and Crescenzo d'Amore (Mapei-Quick Step) still there. Alexandre Chouffe (Big Mat) has been dropped from the break The bunch is about 4min 20 sec behind. It was very strung out on the climb and lead over the summit by two Mapei riders but things will probably come back together on the descent. Suffering out the back on the climb were Steve Williams, and Tom Steels among others. On the descent a group of about 20, including the yellow jersey of Bo Larson has assembled and is chasing the breaakaway. 1:15 – 86km / 70km to go Allan Davis has attacked and has a 20 second lead though he is being chased by Jay Sweet, Trent Wilson and Crescenzo d'Amore. The remaining four are struggling along in the heat. The bunch is back together and beginning to sahow signs of getting its collective butt in gear to give chase. With just under half the distance remaining and conditions arduous in the extreme it seems unlikely that Allan Davis can stay away – this is more likely a 'show off the sponsor's colours' move. 1:25 – 92km / 64km to go At the sprint, three Australian took the honours after Allan Davis was caught. Allan Davis ahead of Jay Sweet and Trent Wilson. The lead group now numbers five, with Crescenzo d'Amore and Russel Van Hout making up the group. 1:40 – 100km / 56km to go At Nuriooppa the leading five have a five minute lead on the bunch. The peloton is being led by Lotto, and is about 90 seconds behind the riders who have been dropped from the break. The main activity in the peloton is survival-based with lots of feeding and passing up of water. 1:55 – 110km / 46km to go We're passing through Seppeltsfield again. The leading five riders still have a gap of over five minutes. The leftovers from the breakaway have been absorbed by the peloton. Seven riders have been dropped from the bunch and it seems that Bruce McIntosh has abandoned. 2:05 – 117km / 39km to go We're coming into Dorian for the second time. Most of the team cars are running out of water, such is the heat and the riders' thirst. There is now a 3:45 gap between the break and bunch. Jay Sweet had to change bike but has rejoined the lead group. The riders dropped by the main bunch include Hendrick Van Dijck (Bel) Lotto Adecco, Christophe Capelle (Fra) Big Mat, Nick Gates (Aus) Sunsmart-Mitsubishi, John Tanner (GBr) Jacob's Creek-Linda McCartney, Kristjan Snorrason (Aus) University of South Australia, and Bart Leysen (Bel) Mapei-Quick Step. 2:27 – 130.7km / 25.3km to go On the last climb of Menglers Hill, Allan Davis led Russel Van Hout over the summit, with Trent Wilson and Jay Sweet some 20 seconds back and Crescenzo d'Amore trailing a few hundred metres back after being dropped early in the climb. 2:46 – 144km / 12km to go Russel Van Hout has attacked and taken a 30 second lead over the remaining members of the breakaway. They have just been swept up by a 20-strong chasing group that includes Stuart O'Grady, Jorg Ludewig, Fabio Sacch , Peter Rogers and Patrick Jonker. The gap is about two minutes then to the yellow jersey group. 2:52 – 149km / 7 km to go The chasing pack has caught Van Hout and with at least four Credit Agricole riders in there including Stuart O'Grady, Benoit Poilvet, Chris Jenner, and Anthony Morin, it's clear they are trying to put O'Grady back in yellow. larson is driving the main bunch for all he's worth, and the GC today is going to come down to time bonuses. 3:04 – 156km / 0 km to go In a bunch sprint of the leading riders, Kai Hundertmarck (Telekom) takes the day's stage a bike length ahead of Peter Rogers ( Sunsmart-Mitsubishi) with Allan Davis (United Water) taking a well-deserved third after his huge efforts in the breakaway earlier. Time bonuses put Hundertmarck on equal time with O'Grady who was about seventh in the sprint today. Brown has retained the sprint jersey and Tighello has hung on to the KOM lead. Stage 5 results 1 Kai Hundertmarck (Ger) Telekom 4.00.28 2 Peter Rogers (Aus) Sunsmart-Mitsubishi 3 Allan Davis (Aus) United Water 4 Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Saeco Macchine Per Caffˇ 5 Glenn D'Hollander (Bel) Lotto Adecco 6 Gilles Maignan (Fra) Ag2R Decathlon 7 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Ag2R Decathlon 8 Cadel Evans (Aus) Sunsmart-Mitsubishi 9 Russel Van Hout (Aus) University of South Australia 10 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Credit Agricole General Classification 1 Kai Hundertmarck (Ger) Telekom 16.32.52 2 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Credit Agricole 3 Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Saeco Macchine Per Caffˇ 0.02 4 Chris Jenner (NZl) Credit Agricole 0.06 5 Daniele Nardello (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 6 Patrick Jonker (Aus) Big Mat 0.08 7 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Ag2R Decathlon 8 Benoit Poilvet (Fra) Credit Agricole 9 Glenn D'Hollander (Bel) Lotto Adecco 0.19 10 Cadel Evans (Aus) Sunsmart-Mitsubishi 0.22 |