6th Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under - 2.3

Australia, January 20-25, 2004

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Stage 2: Wednesday Jan 22, Jacob's Creek Visitor Centre - Kapunda, 157km

Complete Live Report

Commentary by Jeff Jones, with additional reporting by Gerard Knapp, Karen Forman, Gabriella Ekström and Anthony Tan

Time conversion guide: GMT = ACDT - 10.5 hrs, AEDT = ACDT + 0.5 hrs, EST = ACDT - 15.5 hrs, PST = CEST - 18.5 hrs

Start time: 11:20 ACDT
Estimated finish: 15:15 ACDT

10:47 ACDT    
Welcome to Cyclingnews' coverage of the second stage of the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under, 157 kilometres between Norwood, on the eastern outskirts of Adelaide, to Kapunda, which is to the north in the Barossa Valley.

Today's stage climbs for the first 60 kilometres, with the toughest ascent being Checker Hill (km 27.5), a short but very steep and nasty pinch that will split the bunch. However there is plenty of time for a regrouping afterwards, and the last 50 kilometres is flat, meaning that a bunch sprint could well determine the outcome of the stage.

Several teams, such as race leader Robbie McEwen's Lotto-Domo squad, as well as FDJeux.com, BankGiroLoterij, AG2r and Navigators, have a vested interest in a bunch sprint, and that should be more than enough firepower to keep things together. But anything can happen.

There are also two intermediate points sprints en route, at Mt Pleasant (50.8 km) and Eden Valley (67.5 km).

The riders will start the stage proper at 11:20 am after a 9.2 km neutral section which will take them to Campbelltown.

11:08 ACDT    
The riders are now under way in the neutral section, although the racing hasn't quite started yet. Temperatures are in the low 20's and it is partly cloudly. In contrast to previous years, the weather looks to be quite reasonable this week for racing, and it's expected that temperatures won't get above 30 for the rest of the week. For the last few years, we've always had at least one day in the 40's, and that makes it extremely difficult for the riders.

11:22 ACDT    
The race has now started, as the sun gets stronger and the temperatures climb into the upper 20's. There is a lot of action at the back of the peloton, with around 20 riders in the convoy, including Robbie McEwen, getting last minute mechanical attention.

The crowds are huge at the start, as usual, with a whole croquet club of old ladies in white, lots of shoppers, kids, and of course other riders who have come out to see the race. They're lined 2-3 deep even as the race heads to the outskirts of Adelaide. It's certainly popular.

There were no overnight abandons, and 93 riders took the start today.

11:28 ACDT    3 km/154 km to go
South Australian Patrick Jonker (UniSA) has launched the first attack of the day, after just three kilometres. Pat is in his last race as a professional, and is looking to go out with a bang!

Pat is joined by Alain Van Katwijk (Bankgiroloterij) and David McPartland (Team Australia) in his attempt

11:38 ACDT    8 km/149 km to go
We spoke to Graeme Brown and Giuliano Figueras (Panaria - Margres) this morning before the start in Norwood today. "I'm going to sit on Brett Lancaster's wheel all day, and then sprint," was Graeme Brown's summation of his tactics for today's stage, where the fiesty sprinter plans to ride with his team-mate and lead-out man, who's also a member of the Australian world-record holding team pursuit squad. "There won't be any lapped riders today, so that shouldn't be a problem," he added.

Brown, and his team-mate Giuliano Figueras, were in the leading break in yesterday's opening stage that lapped the field on the final lap. Some of the breakaway group, like Lotto - Domo's Robbie McEwen, flew through the lapped field, while other riders - like Brown - claim to have been blocked.

It could be the day that the Italian team exacts some revenge as Figueras told Cyclingnews that he had come to Australia with good form and today's stage suited him. The classy Italian is Panaria's rider for GC, and the 27 year old from Bologna, who finished 10th in the 2002 Giro d'Italia, has shown he can climb. What he's not used to is being in a lead group in a criterium, which he said "came as a surprise yesterday".

11:44 ACDT    10 km/147 km to go
After 10 kilometres, the three breakaways, Pat Jonker, David McPartland and Alain Van Katwijk have 3'35 on the peloton - a very handy lead as they approach the climb of Checker Hill (27.5 km). These three will take some chasing down.

11:57 ACDT    15 km/142 km to go
The breakaway trio has now covered 15 kilometres of the 157 km stage, and in a few kilometres will start climbing seriously. The lead of Jonker and co. is a very handy 4'23.

To read a Cyclingnews feature with Pat Jonker, click here.

12:07 ACDT    28 km/129 km to go
The leading trio of Patick Jonker (UniSA), Alain Van Katwijk (Bankgiroloterij) and David McPartland (Team Australia) has crossed Checker Hill now with Van Katwijk taking the mountain points at the top ahead of Jonker and McPartland. As this is the only mountain sprint of the day, Van Katwijk will be in the KOM jersey this evening.

12:16 ACDT    32 km/125 km to go
The peloton comes over the top of Checker Hill with Russell Van Hout and Gene Bates (UniSA) in the lead, followed by Christophe Le Mevel (Credit Agricole), Wim Vansevenant (Lotto-Domo), Thomas Lövkist (FDJeux.com), Allan Davis (Team Australia) and race leader Robbie McEwen (Lotto-Domo). The UniSA boys up the front are trying to slow down the pace, and it seems to be working - the latest time check is 6'30 between the break and the peloton.

The climb has taken its toll on Ashley Hutchinson and Stephen Wooldridge (Team Australia) and Guillermo Bongiorno (Panaria-Margres), who have been dropped from the peloton.

12:28 ACDT    40 km/117 km to go
Dutch champion Rudi Kemna (Bankgiroloterij), who finished second in yesterday's criterium, is suffering as the stage continues to climb up to Mount Pleasant. His teammate Julien Smink drops back to help him get back to the peloton.

12:34 ACDT    43 km/114 km to go
The pace has now picked up in the peloton, which is pursuing three breakaway riders (Jonker, Van Katwijk, McPartland). The speed is up over 50 km/h and the bunch splits into two.

12:38 ACDT    47 km/110 km to go
The peloton is back together again, with Lotto-Domo in front, controlling the tempo. Meanwhile, the breakaways are approaching the first sprint at Mt Pleasant, after 50.8 km

12:43 ACDT    
Despite being disappointed with yesterday's result in the opening stage of the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under, where the latest Australian recruit to the USA-based team finished seventh, David McKenzie is relishing his role as team leader of the Navigators squad.
Prior to the start of second stage, he told Cyclingnews that he thought the bunch would split, as the selection of hills on the course should result in a selection.

"Today could be decisive," he said.

12:52 ACDT    
One of the three breakaways, Pat Jonker, from the home-town UniSA squad, told Cyclingnews before the start of today's that "we're a bunch of aggressive riders who've been put in the one
team", although he didn't hint that it would be himself who'd lead the
charge.

However, in his final JCTDU the South Australian is obviously keen to show his climbing prowess. "We're after another stage win and today's
stage is fairly had, but not the hardest in the race, and so that ould
result in another bunch sprint."

13:10 ACDT    68 km/89 km to go
The three breakaways have passed the first sprint at Mt Pleasant, with Pat Jonker taking the points in front of McPartland and Van Katwijk. It was exactly the same result at the the second sprint at Eden Valley at 67 km.

The three breakaways have passed the first sprint at Mt Pleasant, with Pat Jonker taking the points in front of McPartland and Van Katwijk. It was exactly the same result at the the second sprint at Eden Valley at 67 km. The peloton has started riding a bit harder now, but the gap to the three has grown to 9'10.

One of the favourites for today's stage (if it comes back together), Baden Cooke from FDjeux.com said this morning that "obviously we have the Checkers Hill climb but it's so early in the race that it can still come together (for the finish). A strong team can chase it down." He also said he wanted to be in the top 30 selection of riders that get over today's major obstacle.

13:21 ACDT    74 km/83 km to go
As the stage approaches the halfway point, the peloton is splitting up as it pursues a three man break with Pat Jonker (UniSA), Alain van Katwijk (BankGiroLoterij) and David McPartland (Team Australia). 25 riders have formed a chase group behind them, with more trying to bridge. Defending JCTDU champion Mikel Astarloza is one of those trying to get across the 500m gap.

13:29 ACDT    79 km/78 km to go
Matthe Pronk (Bankgiroloterij), Eric Leblacher (Credit Agricole), Robbie McEwen and Gert Steegmans (Lotto-Domo), Luke Roberts, Gene Bates and Russell Van Hout (UniSA), Baden Cooke, Philippe Gilbert and Thomas Lövkist and Matthew Wilson (FDJeux.com), Erki Putsep (Ag2r Prevoyance) and a handful of others have formed the first chase group behind the breakaway trio - FDJeux.com obviously want to bring the leaders back. The gap is 8'00.

Not far behind them, Cedric Herve (Credit Agricole), Frederic Amorison (Quick.Step-Davitamon), Sergey Matveyev (Panaria-Margres), Nicolas Portal and Mark Scanlon (Ag2r Prevoyance), Paolo Valoti (Domina Vacanze) Nicholas Vogondy and Bernhard Eisel (FDJeux.com), Laurens Ten Dam (Bankgiroloterij) Simon Gerrans (Team Australia) and Aart Vierhouten (Lotto-Domo) have formed a second chase group.

13:39 ACDT    
The first chase group, which is some 8'00 behind Jonker and co. comprises 26 riders:

Jaan Kirsipuu, Erki Putsep (Ag2r Prevoyance), Eric Leblacher, Mads Kaggestad, Alexandre Botcharov (Credit Agricole), Antonio Fisher Murillo, Massimiliano Gentili, Massimo Giunti (Domina Vacanze), Robbie McEwen and Hans De Clercq (Lotto-Domo), Aurelien Clerc and Kevin Hulsmans (Quick.Step-Davitamon), Baden Cooke, Philippe Gilbert, Matthew Wilson and (FDJeux.com), David McKenzie and Philip Zajicek (Navigators Insurance Cycling Team), Matthe Pronk (Bankgiroloterij), Paolo Tiralongo (Panaria-Margres), Allan Davis, Ben Day, Allan Iacuone and Hilton Clarke (Team Australia), Luke Roberts, Gene Bates and Russell Van Hout (UniSA).

The bunch is in pieces, trying to regroup.

13:53 ACDT    95 km/62 km to go
The chase group of 25 (with McEwen and Cooke, among others) has cut the gap down to Jonker, McPartland and Van Katwijk to 6'50 with around 60 km to go. It's looking good for the leaders, and Pat Jonker obviously has his sights set on the yellow - if not today, then in the coming days.

14:01 ACDT    102 km/55 km to go
The gap continues to come down between the break and the first chase group (now up to 37 riders), with some 55 km to go as they pass through Tanunda. The latest check is 4'40.

We spoke to Allan Davis (Team Australia) this morning who said "it's only early in the season so a break could easily go up the road, especially over the climbs. If the break has the numbers in it then it's likely to stay away."

Allan is in that first chase group, and is definitely a rider to watch.

14:07 ACDT    109 km/48 km to go
After 109 kilometres, the gap to the leading trio has grown to 5'15. There are 37 riders in the chasing peloton, which could bring them back if they put their collective minds to it.

14:24 ACDT    122 km/35 km to go
The time gap between Jonker's breakaway trio and the first chunk of the peloton appears to be stabilising again, or even increasing. The last time check at km 121 was 4'40, which could be enough to ensure the break's success. The lead riders are still working well, although they've been out since almost the start of the stage.

14:37 ACDT    133 km/24 km to go
The riders are into the final 25 km now, and Pat Jonker, Alain van Katwijk and David McPartland have 3'45 on a chasing group containing race leader Robbie McEwen. It should be just enough to stay away, but it could be close at the end depending on how tired these three are. Jonker is doing the longest turns in the break. As to who will win the stage, it could be Jonker with a nice hometown victory, although Van Katwijk and McPartland should definitely not be counted out.

14:44 ACDT    137 km/20 km to go
With 20 kilometres to go, the break's lead is holding steady(ish) at 3'30. There are now 32 riders chasing them in the peloton.

14:49 ACDT    142 km/15 km to go
Just 15 kilometres to go of stage 2, and the riders will be looking forward to a gentle downhill run into Kapunda, where there is a huge crowd gathered waiting to watch the finish. With a gap of 3'03, it looks certain that Jonker, McPartland and Van Katwijk will stay away to contest for the stage win and yellow jersey.

Incidentally in yesterday's stage, there were no time gaps on GC, because of the fact that it was only a criterium. That will change today of course.

14:57 ACDT    147 km/10 km to go
The break has now just 10 kilometres to go, and Jonker is looking hungry - for a win, and probably for food and water at this stage of the proceedings. One of the three: Jonker, McPartland or Van Katwijk, will be in yellow tonight.

14:59 ACDT    149 km/8 km to go
The gap has fallen to 2'30 with less than 10 km to go, but it should be enough for the break to hold off the peloton.

15:04 ACDT    156 km/1 km to go
We're into the final kilometre! Who will it be? Jonker, McPartland or Van Katwijk, or...?

15:12 ACDT    0 km to go
As they charge down the finishing straight, it's Team Australia's David McPartland who takes the stage win and yellow jersey in front of Alain van Katwijk (BankGiroLoterij) and Pat Jonker (UniSA). An incredible performance by these three riders who have been out in front nearly from the word go. McPartland will take the yellow jersey from McEwen that means. Jonker will be in second, due to the time bonuses he picked up in the sprints.

Results

Unofficial
1 David McPartland (Aus) Team Australia
2 Alain Van Katwijk (Ned) Bankgiroloterij
3 Patrick Jonker (Aus) UniSA

General classification after stage 2

1 David McPartland (Aus) Team Australia
2 Patrick Jonker (Aus) UniSA
3 Alain Van Katwijk (Ned) Bankgiroloterij

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