Jacobs Creek Tour Down Under - 2.3Australia, January 15-20, 2002 |
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Stage 6 - January 20: Adelaide City Council circuit, 90km
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Rogers takes yellow in fast finale
McEwen caps off a great week
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By Jeff Jones in Adelaide
Australian rider Michael Rogers has taken out the final general classification in the 2002 Jacob's Creek Down Under, as the six day event finished in Adelaide with a 90 kilometre circuit race. Rogers rode a safe race today, allowing his Australian Institute of Sport teammates to cover all the breaks while he kept himself out of trouble. The stage finished in a bunch sprint and he crossed in 22nd place, raising his arm in triumph across the line.
"I always knew I was in with a chance," Rogers told Cyclingnews afterwards. "It has been my week. I was a bit nervous last night. I couldn't sleep, tossing and turning, but I was quietly confident. On days like this you never know what will happen. Thanks to the boys from the AIS. I couldn't have done it without them; and the staff of the ACF."
It was no surprise that the in-form sprinter in this race, Robbie McEwen (Lotto-Adecco), took out the stage, despite a strong showing by the rest of the sprinters in the race. For McEwen it was his fourth stage out of a maximum of six, and he also won the best sprinter's jersey.
"I have been trying to win every day except for yesterday. But I never expected to come here and win four stages," he said. "People were coming up to me and asking if I was going to win again today, and four out of six ain't bad. I was feeling confident going into it and I felt sure my team would be there."
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It was never certain that the stage would come down to a bunch sprint, as the riders had to do 20 climbs of Montefiore Hill. This, combined with the fact that a lot of teams were looking for a stage win, meant that there were constant attacks. Particularly aggressive were the teams of Domo-Farm Frites and Saeco-Longoni Sport, who always had a couple of riders in the breaks.
Thus the large crowd (estimated at 80,000) which had gathered to watch the final stage, was treated to an exciting finale raced around the most picturesque circuit that Adelaide had to offer.
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Local hero Stuart O'Grady couldn't repeat his effort from last year, when he took the yellow jersey via a time bonus sprint in the final stage. However, the freckle-faced Credit Agricole rider still wowed the crowd with his constant attacking in an attempt to win the stage. He earned an intermediate sprint for his troubles and the Most Aggressive rider award for the stage, but couldn't place higher than 7th in the final sprint.
With four laps to go, the race was pretty well back together and it looked likely to end in a bunch sprint. Andrea Tafi (Mapei) tried a couple of late attacks but the speed was simply too high to stay away. McEwen kept his position near the front, while the Domo and Francaise des Jeux teams set things up for the sprint, which was slightly uphill along King William Drive.
FDJ's Brad McGee provided the final leadout for Baden Cooke, who described it afterwards. "On the last lap Fred [Guesdon] kept the attacks at bay and Brad hit out from before the corner and led me up the straight. If I could have won it that was the only way. I jumped first from the bottom of the hill. I got a gap and I had a bit of power but didn't have the range...Another month I might have 5 seconds more in my sprint."
"And I might have another 100 metres in my leadout," quipped his teammate Brad McGee nearby.
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So it was left to Robbie McEwen to launch himself up the outside with 100 metres to go to take the stage clearly ahead of Julian Dean (CSC) who was glued to his wheel, with Cooke taking third.
Dean told Cyclingnews afterwards that "I actually ended up on Robbie's wheel so I was just protecting that as best I could for the final kilometre. If anything I didn't open up really. Robbie is the in-form rider now and that's pretty good for me as I'm definitely not feeling 100 percent."
Robbie is indeed the in-form rider, and he hopes to keep that when the European season starts including Paris-Nice (which will probably go ahead despite financial difficulties).
But the overall honours belonged to 22 year old Michael Rogers, who won stage 2 and overcame a little misfortune yesterday to ride into the yellow jersey position. "Yesterday when I did the bike in I thought that was it. Sometimes in cycling good things happen, sometimes not so good things happen."
Mick was riding his own bike today but he had his "spare bike" on a car roof somewhere for luck.
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"The difference between now and two years ago when I won a stage is that this time I could retain the jersey. In 2000 I kept it for a few days but I couldn't get over the big hills. But this year I could."
This year's tour showed the strength of the Australian riders at the height of their season, as all of the classifications went to Australians: Rogers (GC), McEwen (Sprints), Cadel Evans (Mountains) and David McPartland (U23). However, many of the Europeans were certainly here to race, and this showed throughout the tour. There were very few riders out here on "holiday".
They were perhaps surprised at the speed and intensity, but will certainly be back next year with more kilometres in their legs, and a desire to take home a few bouquets from the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under.
Photography
- Robbie McEwen (Lotto) - signs autographs for fans in his national jersey
- Michael Rogers - signs an autograph for a young fan, Angus Cramp
- The crowds - were huge on the final stage
- Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under - Girls on Tour
- Second placed overall Alexander Botcharov (Ag2r) - at the start
- Corey Sweet (UniSA) - flies around a corner
- Cadel Evans (Mapei) - in his King of the Mountains jersey
- Action at the feed zone - as riders grab bottles (or don't...)
- Fans at the top of the climb - cheered everyone on
- Jans Koerts (Domo) - rides during the final stage
- Andrea Tafi (Mapei) - was one of the most aggressive riders in the last stage
- Lotto - kept things under control
- The peloton - snakes down King William Road
- Stuart O'Grady - was the most aggressive rider today
- Mick Rogers - looked cool and calm during the final stage
- Robbie McEwen (Lotto) - was too good for Julian Dean and Baden Cooke in the sprint
- Michael Rogers - salutes as he finishes the race
- Michael Rogers - is hugged by his Mapei manager Alvaro Crespi after his overall win
- Michael Rogers - raises his arms on the podium
- Mick Rogers - doused in champagne on the podium
- Champagne - was flowing on the final podium
- The Mapei boyz - Daniele Nardello, Michael Rogers, Roberto Damiani, Cadel Evans, and Andrea Tafi
Photos by Jeff Jones
- Domo's Eddy Merckx bikes - before the start of the last stage
- Domo-Farm Frites - was looking at a big result today, but it was not to be
- Jaan Kirsipuu (Ag2r) - before the start of the stage
- Best Young Rider - Dave McPartland (United Water) interviewed at the start
- Lined up for the start - Baden Cooke (FDJ) nearest to camera
- It looks like - the start of a track race
- Andrea Tafi (L) - was in the thick of the action
Photos by Phillip Chia.
- Daniele Nardello and Cadel Evans (Mapei) - before the start
- Adelaide, the city of churches
Results
1 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Lotto Adecco 1.51.29 (48.4 km/h) 2 Julian Dean (NZl) CSC - Tiscali 3 Baden Cooke (Aus) La Française Des Jeux 4 Stefano Zanini (Ita) Mapei Quick Step 5 Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) AG2r-Prevoyance 6 Danilo Hondo (Ger) Telekom 7 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Crédit Agricole 8 Max Van Heeswijk (Ned) Domo Farm Frites 9 Brett Aitken (Aus) UniSA 10 Lauri Aus (Est) AG2r-Prevoyance 11 Fabian De Waele (Bel) Mapei Quick Step 12 Gerrit Glomser (Aut) Saeco-Longoni Sport 13 Sebastian Hinault (Fra) Crédit Agricole 14 Innar Mandoja (Est) AG2r-Prevoyance 15 Allan Davis (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 16 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) AG2r-Prevoyance 17 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Mapei Quick Step 18 Thierry Loder (Fra) AG2r-Prevoyance 19 Patrick Jonker (Aus) UniSA 20 Bobby Julich (USA) Telekom 21 Jans Koerts (Ned) Domo Farm Frites 22 Michael Rogers (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 23 Steffen Wesemann (Ger) Telekom 24 Kurt Van De Wouwer (Bel) Lotto Adecco 25 Daniele Nardello (Ita) Mapei Quick Step 26 Cadel Evans (Aus) Mapei Quick Step 27 Bradley McGee (Aus) La Française Des Jeux 28 Peter Dawson (Aus) United Water 29 Andrea Tafi (Ita) Mapei Quick Step 30 Chris Jenner (NZl) Crédit Agricole 31 Frederick Guesdon (Fra) La Française Des Jeux 32 Anthony Morin (Fra) Crédit Agricole 33 Bjarke Nielsen (Den) CSC - Tiscali 34 Paul Van Hyfte (Bel) CSC - Tiscali 35 Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 36 Jens Heppner (Ger) Telekom 0.10 37 Inigo Chaurreau Bernadez (Spa) AG2r-Prevoyance 38 Robert Tighello (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 39 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) AG2r-Prevoyance 40 Kai Hundertmarck (Ger) Telekom 0.13 41 Frederic Bessy (Fra) Crédit Agricole 42 Ashley Humbert (Aus) United Water 43 Biagio Conte (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 44 Oscar Mason (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 45 Steve Cunningham (Aus) UniSA 46 Raphael Jeune (Fra) CSC - Tiscali 47 Luca Paolini (Ita) Mapei Quick Step 48 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun) Mapei Quick Step 49 Scott Davis (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 50 Dave McPartland (Aus) United Water 0.17 51 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 52 Simon Gerrans (Aus) United Water 53 Gorik Gardeyn (Bel) Lotto Adecco 54 Geert Van Bondt (Bel) CSC - Tiscali 55 Christian Pepoli (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 56 Igor Astarloa (Spa) Saeco-Longoni Sport 57 Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Domo Farm Frites 58 Brad Davidson (Aus) Saeco-Longoni Sport 59 Bruce McIntosh (Aus) United Water 60 Robert Bartko (Ger) Telekom 61 Jonathan Vaughters (USA) Crédit Agricole 62 Tristan Hoffman (Ned) CSC - Tiscali 63 Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) Crédit Agricole 64 Anthony Langella (Fra) Crédit Agricole 65 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Domo Farm Frites 66 Ief Verbrugghe (Bel) Lotto Adecco 67 Hans De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Adecco 68 Glenn d'Hollander (Bel) Lotto Adecco 69 Servais Knaven (Ned) Domo Farm Frites 70 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Telekom 71 Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) La Française Des Jeux 72 Daniel Mackey (Aus) United Water 73 Regis Lhuillier (Fra) La Française Des Jeux 0.32 74 Steve Williams (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 0.34 75 David Pell (Aus) United Water 76 Adrian Laidler (Aus) UniSA 0.38 77 Bram Tankink (Ned) Domo Farm Frites 78 Jakob Piil (Den) CSC - Tiscali 0.41 79 Luke Roberts (Aus) UniSA 0.42 80 Stefan Van Dijk (Ned) Lotto Adecco 0.46 81 Gene Bates (Aus) UniSA 0.48 82 Thomas Bodo (Fra) La Française Des Jeux 0.50 83 Fred Rodriguez (USA) Domo Farm Frites 1.28 84 Russell Van Hout (Aus) UniSA 4.40 85 Mark Renshaw (Aus) United Water 86 Corey Sweet (Aus) UniSA 4.41 87 Arvis Piziks (Lat) CSC - Tiscali 88 Joerg Ludewig (Ger) Saeco-Longoni Sport 89 Matt Wilson (Aus) La Française Des Jeux 90 Tomas Konecny (Cze) Domo Farm Frites 91 David Kopp (Ger) Telekom 10.41 92 Niko Eeckhout (Bel) Lotto Adecco DNS Carlos Da Cruz (Fra) La Française Des Jeux Final general classification 1 Michael Rogers (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 16.59.44 (43.1 km/h) 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 3.57 8 Andrea Tafi (Ita) Mapei Quick Step 4.36 9 Anthony Morin (Fra) Crédit Agricole 4.40 10 Steffen Wesemann (Ger) Telekom 5.28 11 Robert Tighello (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 5.29 12 Inigo Chaurreau Bernadez (Spa) AG2r-Prevoyance 6.27 13 Kurt Van De Wouwer (Bel) Lotto Adecco 9.32 14 Scott Davis (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 9.52 15 Kai Hundertmarck (Ger) Telekom 10.00 16 Thierry Loder (Fra) AG2r-Prevoyance 12.43 17 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Mapei Quick Step 12.46 18 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) AG2r-Prevoyance 12.55 19 Dave McPartland (Aus) United Water 12.56 20 Luca Paolini (Ita) Mapei Quick Step 13.10 21 Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) La Française Des Jeux 14.02 22 Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 25.07 23 Biagio Conte (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 26.13 24 Sebastian Hinault (Fra) Crédit Agricole 28.25 25 Russell Van Hout (Aus) UniSA 28.43 26 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Lotto Adecco 32.59 27 Danilo Hondo (Ger) Telekom 33.16 28 Max Van Heeswijk (Ned) Domo Farm Frites 33.20 29 Fabian De Waele (Bel) Mapei Quick Step 30 Bobby Julich (USA) Telekom 31 Chris Jenner (NZl) Crédit Agricole 32 Ashley Humbert (Aus) United Water 33.33 33 Peter Dawson (Aus) United Water 33.34 34 Simon Gerrans (Aus) United Water 33.37 35 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Domo Farm Frites 36 Robert Bartko (Ger) Telekom 33.48 37 Bradley McGee (Aus) La Française Des Jeux 34.14 38 Frederic Bessy (Fra) Crédit Agricole 34.50 39 Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) Crédit Agricole 34.54 40 Gene Bates (Aus) UniSA 36.39 41 Jens Heppner (Ger) Telekom 37.17 42 Julian Dean (NZl) CSC - Tiscali 37.26 43 Allan Davis (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 37.30 44 Innar Mandoja (Est) AG2r-Prevoyance 45 Steve Cunningham (Aus) UniSA 37.40 46 Servais Knaven (Ned) Domo Farm Frites 47 Glenn d'Hollander (Bel) Lotto Adecco 37.42 48 Tristan Hoffman (Ned) CSC - Tiscali 49 Oscar Mason (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 37.43 50 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun) Mapei Quick Step 51 Gorik Gardeyn (Bel) Lotto Adecco 37.47 52 Geert Van Bondt (Bel) CSC - Tiscali 53 Hans De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Adecco 54 Regis Lhuillier (Fra) La Française Des Jeux 38.02 55 Luke Roberts (Aus) UniSA 38.09 56 Frederick Guesdon (Fra) La Française Des Jeux 38.14 57 Tomas Konecny (Cze) Domo Farm Frites 38.15 58 Stefan Van Dijk (Ned) Lotto Adecco 38.16 59 Igor Astarloa (Spa) Saeco-Longoni Sport 38.18 60 Bruce McIntosh (Aus) United Water 38.30 61 Thomas Bodo (Fra) La Française Des Jeux 39.14 62 Joerg Ludewig (Ger) Saeco-Longoni Sport 39.18 63 Bram Tankink (Ned) Domo Farm Frites 39.30 64 Adrian Laidler (Aus) UniSA 41.38 65 Mark Renshaw (Aus) United Water 42.03 66 Jans Koerts (Ned) Domo Farm Frites 42.29 67 Baden Cooke (Aus) La Française Des Jeux 42.30 68 Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) AG2r-Prevoyance 69 Stefano Zanini (Ita) Mapei Quick Step 42.32 70 Brett Aitken (Aus) UniSA 71 Bjarke Nielsen (Den) CSC - Tiscali 72 Lauri Aus (Est) AG2r-Prevoyance 73 Brad Davidson (Aus) Saeco-Longoni Sport 42.49 74 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 75 Anthony Langella (Fra) Crédit Agricole 76 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Telekom 43.14 77 Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Domo Farm Frites 43.17 78 Raphael Jeune (Fra) CSC - Tiscali 43.35 79 Fred Rodriguez (USA) Domo Farm Frites 44.00 80 Jonathan Vaughters (USA) Crédit Agricole 44.08 81 Jakob Piil (Den) CSC - Tiscali 44.32 82 Gerrit Glomser (Aut) Saeco-Longoni Sport 44.51 83 Christian Pepoli (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 45.06 84 Ief Verbrugghe (Bel) Lotto Adecco 85 David Pell (Aus) United Water 45.14 86 Steve Williams (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 45.14 87 David Kopp (Ger) Telekom 48.08 88 Arvis Piziks (Lat) CSC - Tiscali 48.39 89 Corey Sweet (Aus) UniSA 49.51 90 Niko Eeckhout (Bel) Lotto Adecco 53.13 91 Matt Wilson (Aus) La Française Des Jeux 1.06.57 92 Daniel Mackey (Aus) United Water 1.12.11 Sprints classification 1 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Lotto Adecco 36 pts 2 Michael Rogers (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 20 3 Jans Koerts (Ned) Domo Farm Frites 18 4 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Crédit Agricole 12 5 Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 12 6 Tristan Hoffman (Ned) CSC - Tiscali 10 7 Glenn d'Hollander (Bel) Lotto Adecco 10 8 Daniele Nardello (Ita) Mapei Quick Step 10 9 Luca Paolini (Ita) Mapei Quick Step 10 10 Cadel Evans (Aus) Mapei Quick Step 8 11 Andrea Tafi (Ita) Mapei Quick Step 8 12 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Mapei Quick Step 6 13 Thierry Loder (Fra) AG2r-Prevoyance 6 14 Christian Pepoli (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 6 15 David Pell (Aus) United Water 6 16 Biagio Conte (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 6 17 Corey Sweet (Aus) UniSA 6 18 Julian Dean (NZl) CSC - Tiscali 6 19 Danilo Hondo (Ger) Telekom 6 20 Robert Tighello (Aus) Australian Institute Of Spor 4 21 Russell Van Hout (Aus) UniSA 4 22 Baden Cooke (Aus) La Française Des Jeux 4 23 Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) AG2r-Prevoyance 4 24 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) AG2r-Prevoyance 2 25 Steffen Wesemann (Ger) Telekom 2 26 Kurt Van De Wouwer (Bel) Lotto Adecco 2 27 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) AG2r-Prevoyance 2 Mountains classification 1 Cadel Evans (Aus) Mapei Quick Step 48 pts 2 Russell Van Hout (Aus) UniSA 36 3 Glenn d'Hollander (Bel) Lotto Adecco 28 4 Brad Davidson (Aus) Saeco-Longoni Sport 20 5 Daniele Nardello (Ita) Mapei Quick Step 20 6 Peter Dawson (Aus) United Water 16 7 David Pell (Aus) United Water 16 8 Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) La Française Des Jeux 16 9 Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) AG2r-Prevoyance 12 10 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Crédit Agricole 12 11 Michael Rogers (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 10 12 Patrick Jonker (Aus) UniSA 8 13 Servais Knaven (Ned) Domo Farm Frites 8 14 Paul Van Hyfte (Bel) CSC - Tiscali 8 15 Frederick Guesdon (Fra) La Française Des Jeux 6 16 Kai Hundertmarck (Ger) Telekom 6 17 Hans De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Adecco 6 18 Joerg Ludewig (Ger) Saeco-Longoni Sport 6 19 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) AG2r-Prevoyance 4 20 Thierry Loder (Fra) AG2r-Prevoyance 4 21 Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 4 U23 classification 1 Dave McPartland (Aus) United Water 17.12.40 2 Ashley Humbert (Aus) United Water 20.37 3 Peter Dawson (Aus) United Water 20.38 4 Simon Gerrans (Aus) United Water 20.41 5 Gene Bates (Aus) UniSA 23.43 6 Allan Davis (Aus) Australian Institute Of Sport 24.34 7 Gorik Gardeyn (Bel) Lotto Adecco 24.51 8 Regis Lhuillier (Fra) La Française Des Jeux 25.06 9 Bruce McIntosh (Aus) United Water 25.34 10 Thomas Bodo (Fra) La Française Des Jeux 26.18 11 Adrian Laidler (Aus) UniSA 28.42 12 Mark Renshaw (Aus) United Water 29.07 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 32.18 16 Daniel Mackey (Aus) United Water 59.15 Teams classification 1 Mapei - Quick Step 51.05.41 2 Australian Institute Of Sport 4.44 3 Ag2R Prevoyance 12.02 4 Crédit Agricole 25.04 5 Telekom 41.47 6 UniSA 48.31 7 CSC - Tiscali 11.42 8 United Water 13.06 9 Lotto Adecco 14.11 10 La Francaise Des Jeux 17.12 11 Saeco Machine Per Caffe - Longoni Sport 19.38 12 Domo Farm Frites 33.55