Jacobs Creek Tour Down Under - 2.3Australia, January 15-20, 2002 |
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Stage 5 - January 19: Gawler - Tanunda, 156km
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Aussies ablaze in Barossa furnace
By Jeff Jones in Tanunda
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Today was the stage that everyone was dreading: a twisting, turning, 156 kilometre race through the vineyards of the picturesque Barossa Valley, including two climbs of the dreaded Menglers Hill - christened "Mongrel Hill" by the riders. Added to this was the incredible heat, that saw temperatures hit 44 degrees celsius. Truly it was the toughest day of the tour.
Everyone knew this would be the case, and special provisions were made as the team cars stocked up on water to ensure the riders could maintain at least a semblance of hydration. Australian Institute of Sport rider Michael Rogers was looking tense but determined before the stage, telling Cyclingnews "It's going to be hard, hot and windy...We'll try to play out cards right."
And play his cards right he did, as Rogers finished second in the stage and took the leader's yellow jersey after Saeco's Fabio Sacchi burned all his reservoirs and finished many minutes behind.
Today's winner was a well deserving Cadel Evans (Mapei-Quick Step), who showed his strength on the climbs to take the Mountains Jersey. before putting in a late attack to finish some 16 seconds ahead of Rogers and 25 seconds in front of Mapei teammate Daniele Nardello. In effect it was a Mapei 1-2-3 as Rogers normally rides for the Young Mapei team in Europe.
The attacks started from when the flag dropped, but it took 20 kilometres before a breakaway could finally establish itself. The attack included last year's winner of the Barossa stage, Kai Hundertmarck (Telekom) as well as Pierrick Fedrigo (Crédit Agricole), Thierry Loder, Mikel Astarloza (AG2r-Prevoyance), Luca Paolini (Mapei Quick Step), Nicolas Vogondy (La Française Des Jeux), Bram Tankink (Domo Farm Frites), Kurt Van De Wouwer (Lotto Adecco) and Russell Van Hout (UniSA).
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Hundertmarck - being German - was looking for a good performance today through the Barossa with its German speaking public. "It's very motivating to be able to speak to the spectators in German. At least I want to do a good race," he told Cyclingnews moments before the start in Gawler.
Hundertmarck certainly had a good race as he and his eight breakaway companions rode out to a steady 2 minute lead before the bottom of the first climb of Mengler's Hill (78 km). Although none of these riders was a threat to Sacchi's lead, the Saeco team were riding tempo on the front and did not ease up. However, the savage 10 percent gradient of Mengler's Hill combined with the oven-like temperatures saw the complexion of the race completely change on the ascent.
By the top of the climb, a group of 15 had formed containing several of the early escapees as well as Rogers, Evans, Nardello, Botcharov and Jonker. Rogers' race almost ended halfway up the climb when a race marshal's motorbike rode into the back of him and destroyed his derailleur and back wheel. In an incredible stroke of luck, a spectator immediately gave him a bike that was identical in size, and a carbon Colnago to boot.
Afterwards, Rogers said that "I did panic a bit. I thought it was all over."
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But Rogers remounted and caught the leaders before the top as his rival Sacchi was floundering in the third group, never to see the front again. After the descent, Rogers kept going strongly and got into the decisive break of the day, this time with Alexandre Botcharov (AG2r-Prevoyance), Kai Hundertmarck (Telekom), Daniele Nardello, Luca Paolini, Cadel Evans (Mapei Quick Step), Kurt Van De Wouwer (Lotto Adecco) and Patrick Jonker (UniSA).
With Sacchi gone, Rogers was the virtual leader on the road, and he confirmed this by taking the sprint bonus in Angaston. His leading group was chased by another 15 man group containing Andrea Tafi (3rd on GC) and Stuart O'Grady, but they could not close the gap.
The second climb of Mengler's came with 25 km to go, and here it was Evans who showed his good form to take the mountain points and reduce the leaders to just five men. Now it was Mapei's Nardello and Evans, Rogers, Botcharov and Jonker who were the leaders, with Hundertmarck and Van de Wouwer chasing them all the way to the finish, and Paolini dropping back to the third group.
The race for GC had gone to the impressive Rogers, but it remained to see who would win the stage. In the final two kilometres, Nardello launched a couple of attacks to set up a Mapei win. He was brought back and Cadel Evans countered strongly, putting his head down and motoring away for the stage win.
"I'm very happy to win, especially in Australia," said a delighted Evans afterwards. "Being the first win in Mapei colours helps a bit. I wasn't sure who was interested in going in the break but it worked out well."
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Rogers followed suit and stood on the pedals to finish ahead of Nardello and claim second place in the stage. It was certainly his day today, and he should now claim the overall classification of the 2002 Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under when the race finishes in Adelaide tomorrow.
"We just kept working the whole day," he said. "I was confident when we got over the last climb. We saw holes in his [Sacchi's] armour early on when he panicked and we took advantage of that."
"It's not over yet. We've still got a lot of work to do tomorrow."
Tomorrow's stage should be straightforward for Rogers, a 90 kilometre circuit race on wide roads in Adelaide. A two hour speed fest and the race will be his, his first stage race win as a professional cyclist.
Photography
- The atmosphere - in Gawler before the stage start
- Interesting acrobatics - in Gawler before the start
- Glenn d'Hollander's Litespeed
- Fabio Sacchi (Saeco) - did not look like he was in the mood to defend yellow
- The early breakaway - establish a gap
- Team helpers - run beside the breakaways
- Alexander Botcharov - rides in front of Dave McPartland on the first KOM
- David McPartland (United Water) - the current best U23 rider
- The goggle eyed crowd - cheer in Tanunda.
- A motorcycle policeman - gives the crowd a wave
- Julian Dean (CSC) - in the middle of the peloton
- Saeco controlled the peloton - but it was to no avail
- The peloton - pass palmtrees through Seppeltsfield
- Michael Rogers (AIS) - rides before his crash
- Kai Hundertmarck (Telekom) - had an excellent ride on stage 5
- Andrea Tafi - climbs up Mengler's Hill
- The official gap - between the leaders and the chasing group
- Cadel Evans (Mapei) - wins the fifth stage
- Michael Rogers (AIS) - finishes second in Tanunda and takes the overall lead
- A close up - of Rogers' destroyed derailleur (or lack thereof)
- Telekom's Jens Heppner and Andreas Kloeden - rehydrate after the stage
- Michael Rogers (AIS) - a triumphant salute on the podium
- Michael Rogers (AIS) - interviewed in yellow after the stage
Results
1 Cadel Evans (Aus) Mapei Quick Step 3.42.21 (42.1 km/h) 2 Michael Rogers (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 0.16 3 Daniele Nardello (Ita) Mapei Quick Step 0.25 4 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) AG2r-Prevoyance 5 Patrick Jonker (Aus) UniSA 0.33 6 Kai Hundertmarck (Ger) Telekom 1.30 7 Kurt Van De Wouwer (Bel) Lotto Adecco 8 Paul Van Hyfte (Bel) CSC - Tiscali 3.17 9 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Crédit Agricole 10 Anthony Morin (Fra) Crédit Agricole 4.43 11 Andrea Tafi (Ita) Mapei Quick Step 12 Robert Tighello (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 13 Inigo Chaurreau Bernadez (Spa) AG2r-Prevoyance 14 Steffen Wesemann (Ger) Telekom 15 Thierry Loder (Fra) AG2r-Prevoyance 16 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) AG2r-Prevoyance 17 Dave McPartland (Aus) United Water 18 Scott Davis (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 19 Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) La Française Des Jeux 4.48 20 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Mapei Quick Step 4.53 21 Luca Paolini (Ita) Mapei Quick Step 5.00 22 Russell Van Hout (Aus) UniSA 8.54 23 Sebastian Hinault (Fra) Crédit Agricole 14.50 24 Brad Davidson (Aus) Saeco-Longoni Sport 25.17 25 Baden Cooke (Aus) La Française Des Jeux 26 Peter Dawson (Aus) United Water 27 Ashley Humbert (Aus) United Water 28 Steve Cunningham (Aus) UniSA 29 Ief Verbrugghe (Bel) Lotto Adecco 30 Luke Roberts (Aus) UniSA 31 Gorik Gardeyn (Bel) Lotto Adecco 32 Adrian Laidler (Aus) UniSA 33 Gerrit Glomser (Aut) Saeco-Longoni Sport 34 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Lotto Adecco 35 Jonathan Vaughters (USA) Crédit Agricole 36 Stefan Van Dijk (Ned) Lotto Adecco 37 Biagio Conte (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 38 Matt Wilson (Aus) La Française Des Jeux 39 Oscar Mason (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 40 Christian Pepoli (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 41 Joerg Ludewig (Ger) Saeco-Longoni Sport 42 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Domo Farm Frites 43 Max Van Heeswijk (Ned) Domo Farm Frites 44 David Kopp (Ger) Telekom 45 Chris Jenner (NZl) Crédit Agricole 46 Servais Knaven (Ned) Domo Farm Frites 47 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun) Mapei Quick Step 48 Raphael Jeune (Fra) CSC - Tiscali 49 Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Domo Farm Frites 50 Glenn d'Hollander (Bel) Lotto Adecco 51 Bram Tankink (Ned) Domo Farm Frites 52 Fabian De Waele (Bel) Mapei Quick Step 53 Mark Renshaw (Aus) United Water 54 Jens Heppner (Ger) Telekom 55 Regis Lhuillier (Fra) La Française Des Jeux 56 Simon Gerrans (Aus) United Water 57 Tomas Konecny (Cze) Domo Farm Frites 58 Thomas Bodo (Fra) La Française Des Jeux 59 Bobby Julich (USA) Telekom 60 Jakob Piil (Den) CSC - Tiscali 61 Niko Eeckhout (Bel) Lotto Adecco 62 Bjarke Nielsen (Den) CSC - Tiscali 63 Innar Mandoja (Est) AG2r-Prevoyance 64 Frederic Bessy (Fra) Crédit Agricole 65 Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 66 Julian Dean (NZl) CSC - Tiscali 67 Geert Van Bondt (Bel) CSC - Tiscali 68 Bradley McGee (Aus) La Française Des Jeux 69 Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) Crédit Agricole 70 Jans Koerts (Ned) Domo Farm Frites 71 Robert Bartko (Ger) Telekom 72 Danilo Hondo (Ger) Telekom 73 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Telekom 74 Steve Williams (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 75 Corey Sweet (Aus) UniSA 76 Igor Astarloa (Spa) Saeco-Longoni Sport 77 Frederick Guesdon (Fra) La Française Des Jeux 78 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 79 David Pell (Aus) United Water 80 Anthony Langella (Fra) Crédit Agricole 81 Brett Aitken (Aus) UniSA 82 Lauri Aus (Est) AG2r-Prevoyance 83 Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) AG2r-Prevoyance 84 Tristan Hoffman (Ned) CSC - Tiscali 85 Hans De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Adecco 86 Daniel Mackey (Aus) United Water 87 Gene Bates (Aus) UniSA 88 Fred Rodriguez (USA) Domo Farm Frites 89 Bruce McIntosh (Aus) United Water 90 Allan Davis (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 91 Stefano Zanini (Ita) Mapei Quick Step 92 Arvis Piziks (Lat) CSC - Tiscali DNF Carlos Da Cruz (Fra) La Française Des Jeux General classification after stage 5 1 Michael Rogers (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 15.08.15 2 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) AG2r-Prevoyance 0.21 3 Patrick Jonker (Aus) UniSA 0.30 4 Cadel Evans (Aus) Mapei Quick Step 0.40 5 Daniele Nardello (Ita) Mapei Quick Step 0.58 6 Paul Van Hyfte (Bel) CSC - Tiscali 3.14 7 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Crédit Agricole 4.00 8 Andrea Tafi (Ita) Mapei Quick Step 4.38 9 Anthony Morin (Fra) Crédit Agricole 4.40 10 Robert Tighello (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 5.19 11 Steffen Wesemann (Ger) Telekom 5.29 12 Inigo Chaurreau Bernadez (Spa) AG2r-Prevoyance 6.17 13 Kurt Van De Wouwer (Bel) Lotto Adecco 9.32 14 Scott Davis (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 9.39 15 Kai Hundertmarck (Ger) Telekom 9.47 16 Dave McPartland (Aus) United Water 12.39 17 Thierry Loder (Fra) AG2r-Prevoyance 12.43 18 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) AG2r-Prevoyance 12.45 19 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Mapei Quick Step 12.46 20 Luca Paolini (Ita) Mapei Quick Step 12.57 21 Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) La Française Des Jeux 13.45 22 Russell Van Hout (Aus) UniSA 24.03 23 Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 25.07 24 Biagio Conte (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 26.01 25 Sebastian Hinault (Fra) Crédit Agricole 28.25 26 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Lotto Adecco 33.05 27 Danilo Hondo (Ger) Telekom 33.16 28 Ashley Humbert (Aus) United Water 33.20 29 Bobby Julich (USA) Telekom 30 Fabian De Waele (Bel) Mapei Quick Step 31 Max Van Heeswijk (Ned) Domo Farm Frites 32 Chris Jenner (NZl) Crédit Agricole 33 Simon Gerrans (Aus) United Water 34 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Domo Farm Frites 35 Robert Bartko (Ger) Telekom 33.31 36 Peter Dawson (Aus) United Water 33.34 37 Tomas Konecny (Cze) Domo Farm Frites 38 Bradley McGee (Aus) La Française Des Jeux 34.14 39 Joerg Ludewig (Ger) Saeco-Longoni Sport 34.37 40 Frederic Bessy (Fra) Crédit Agricole 41 Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) Crédit Agricole 42 Gene Bates (Aus) UniSA 35.51 43 Jens Heppner (Ger) Telekom 37.07 44 Servais Knaven (Ned) Domo Farm Frites 37.23 45 Mark Renshaw (Aus) United Water 46 Glenn d'Hollander (Bel) Lotto Adecco 37.25 47 Tristan Hoffman (Ned) CSC - Tiscali 48 Luke Roberts (Aus) UniSA 37.27 49 David Kopp (Ger) Telekom 50 Steve Cunningham (Aus) UniSA 51 Oscar Mason (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 37.30 52 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun) Mapei Quick Step 53 Julian Dean (NZl) CSC - Tiscali 54 Allan Davis (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 55 Gorik Gardeyn (Bel) Lotto Adecco 56 Stefan Van Dijk (Ned) Lotto Adecco 57 Regis Lhuillier (Fra) La Française Des Jeux 58 Innar Mandoja (Est) AG2r-Prevoyance 59 Geert Van Bondt (Bel) CSC - Tiscali 60 Hans De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Adecco 61 Igor Astarloa (Spa) Saeco-Longoni Sport 38.01 62 Bruce McIntosh (Aus) United Water 38.13 63 Frederick Guesdon (Fra) La Française Des Jeux 38.14 64 Thomas Bodo (Fra) La Française Des Jeux 38.24 65 Bram Tankink (Ned) Domo Farm Frites 38.52 66 Adrian Laidler (Aus) UniSA 41.00 67 Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) AG2r-Prevoyance 42.30 68 Jans Koerts (Ned) Domo Farm Frites 42.31 69 Baden Cooke (Aus) La Française Des Jeux 42.32 70 Stefano Zanini (Ita) Mapei Quick Step 71 Brett Aitken (Aus) UniSA 72 Bjarke Nielsen (Den) CSC - Tiscali 73 Fred Rodriguez (USA) Domo Farm Frites 74 Brad Davidson (Aus) Saeco-Longoni Sport 75 Niko Eeckhout (Bel) Lotto Adecco 76 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 77 Anthony Langella (Fra) Crédit Agricole 78 Lauri Aus (Est) AG2r-Prevoyance 79 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Telekom 42.57 80 Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Domo Farm Frites 43.00 81 Raphael Jeune (Fra) CSC - Tiscali 43.22 82 Jonathan Vaughters (USA) Crédit Agricole 43.51 83 Jakob Piil (Den) CSC - Tiscali 84 Arvis Piziks (Lat) CSC - Tiscali 43.58 85 David Pell (Aus) United Water 44.40 86 Steve Williams (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 87 Ief Verbrugghe (Bel) Lotto Adecco 44.49 88 Gerrit Glomser (Aut) Saeco-Longoni Sport 44.51 89 Christian Pepoli (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 44.52 90 Corey Sweet (Aus) UniSA 45.10 91 Matt Wilson (Aus) La Française Des Jeux 1.02.16 92 Daniel Mackey (Aus) United Water 1.11.54 Sprints classification 1 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Lotto Adecco 28 pts 2 Michael Rogers (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 20 3 Jans Koerts (Ned) Domo Farm Frites 14 4 Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 12 5 Glenn d'Hollander (Bel) Lotto Adecco 10 6 Tristan Hoffman (Ned) CSC - Tiscali 10 7 Daniele Nardello (Ita) Mapei Quick Step 10 8 Luca Paolini (Ita) Mapei Quick Step 10 9 Cadel Evans (Aus) Mapei Quick Step 8 10 Thierry Loder (Fra) AG2r-Prevoyance 6 11 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Mapei Quick Step 6 12 David Pell (Aus) United Water 6 13 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Crédit Agricole 6 14 Corey Sweet (Aus) UniSA 6 15 Danilo Hondo (Ger) Telekom 6 16 Robert Tighello (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 4 17 Russell Van Hout (Aus) UniSA 4 18 Biagio Conte (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 4 19 Andrea Tafi (Ita) Mapei Quick Step 4 20 Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) AG2r-Prevoyance 4 21 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) AG2r-Prevoyance 2 22 Kurt Van De Wouwer (Bel) Lotto Adecco 2 23 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) AG2r-Prevoyance 2 Mountains classification 1 Cadel Evans (Aus) Mapei Quick Step 48 pts 2 Russell Van Hout (Aus) UniSA 28 3 Glenn d'Hollander (Bel) Lotto Adecco 28 4 Daniele Nardello (Ita) Mapei Quick Step 20 5 David Pell (Aus) United Water 16 6 Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) La Française Des Jeux 16 7 Michael Rogers (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 10 8 Patrick Jonker (Aus) UniSA 8 9 Kai Hundertmarck (Ger) Telekom 6 10 Joerg Ludewig (Ger) Saeco-Longoni Sport 6 11 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) AG2r-Prevoyance 4 12 Thierry Loder (Fra) AG2r-Prevoyance 4 13 Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 4 14 Brad Davidson (Aus) Saeco-Longoni Sport 4 U23 classification 1 Dave McPartland (Aus) United Water 15.20.54 2 Ashley Humbert (Aus) United Water 20.41 3 Simon Gerrans (Aus) United Water 4 Peter Dawson (Aus) United Water 20.55 5 Gene Bates (Aus) UniSA 23.12 6 Mark Renshaw (Aus) United Water 24.44 7 Allan Davis (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 24.51 8 Gorik Gardeyn (Bel) Lotto Adecco 9 Regis Lhuillier (Fra) La Française Des Jeux 10 Bruce McIntosh (Aus) United Water 25.34 11 Thomas Bodo (Fra) La Française Des Jeux 25.45 12 Adrian Laidler (Aus) UniSA 28.21 13 Brad Davidson (Aus) Saeco-Longoni Sport 29.53 14 Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Domo Farm Frites 30.21 15 David Pell (Aus) United Water 32.01 16 Daniel Mackey (Aus) United Water 59.15 Teams classification 1 Mapei - Quick Step 45.31.14 2 Australian Institute Of Sport 4.34 3 Ag2R Prevoyance 12.02 4 Crédit Agricole 25.04 5 Telekom 41.47 6 UniSA 48.18 7 CSC - Tiscali 1.11.42 8 United Water 1.12.36 9 Lotto Adecco 1.13.54 10 La Francaise Des Jeux 1.17.12 11 Saeco Machine Per Caffe - Longoni Sport 1.19.25 12 Domo Farm Frites 1.33.38