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6th Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under - 2.3
Australia, January 20-25, 2004
Home Live report Results Previous Stage Next stage
Stage 4: Friday Jan 24, Unley - Hahndorf, 141 km
Jonker hangs tough as McEwen takes second win
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By Gabriella Ekström in Adelaide
Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under race leader Pat Jonker (UniSA) kept his lead as he finished the fourth stage between Unley and Hahndorf in the peloton. The stage was won by Robbie McEwen (Lotto-Domo), who took out his second stage win of the tour in thrilling fashion, triumphing in what seemed to be an unlikely bunch sprint in the picturesque town of Hahndorf. McEwen profited when the peloton decided to chase down a 13 man breakaway group, only catching the last rider - Jaan Kirsipuu (Ag2r) - within 50 metres of the line.
How it unfolded
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The morning in Unley was lovely and warm, and a lot of riders hoped that they would have an easy day ahead of them. Robbie McEwen, third on the GC after yesterday's stage, explained to Cyclingnews his desire to sit in the peloton to get at least one day of recovery. Despite their hopes, most riders realised that it was a stage made in heaven for those who wished to jump ahead of the peloton.
As the riders left the neutral zone behind and started the long climb along the deep fried South-Eastern Freeway, the front riders scattered all over the road. Navigators Ciaran Power launched one of the first attacks, and kept trying despite being chased down several times. On the long descent that followed the initial climb, six riders attacked and formed the first real breakaway. In the group sat Jaan Kirsipuu (Ag2r), Benoît Poilvet (Credit Agricole), Gert Steegmans (Lotto-Domo), Bernhard Eisel (FDJeux.com), Addy Engels (Bankgiroloterij) and Simon Gerrans (Team Australia). Behind them, Robbie McEwen suffered a puncture, on top of the attacks but was able to get back to the peloton shortly afterwards.
More and more riders tried to bridge across, and for a while it looked like a steady group would form with Kirsipuu, Erki Putsep (Ag2r), Francesco Secchiari and Massimiliano Mori (Domina Vacanze), Matthew Wilson and Mark Renshaw (FdJeux.com), Kirk O'Bee and Philip Zajicek (Navigators), Jose Pecharroman (Quickstep), Allan Davis (Team Australia) and Steve Cunningham (UniSA), but their respite was over when Pat Jonker bridged up to them. The peloton wouldn't let the yellow jersey get into a break that easily, and brought them all back.
After 47 kilometres, a break finally went away as a thirteen rider group started to work on creating a gap. 2003 JCTDU champion Mikael Astarloza was joined by Ag2r teammate Jaan Kirsipuu, Geoffroy Lequatre and Eric Leblacher (Credit Agricole), Lorenzo Cardellini and Francesco Secchiari (Domina Vacanze), Thomas Lövkvist (FDJeux.com), Nick Gates and Gert Steegmans (Lotto-Domo), Frederic Amorison (Quick.Step), Addy Engels (Bankgiroloterij), Hilton Clarke (Team Australia) and once again Ciaran Power (Navigators). After 50 kilometres of racing, they had built a lead of 32 seconds over the still active peloton.
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Shortly afterwards, as the riders passed Oakbank, a red horse made an unwelcome appearance on the road, and refused to swerve even after being told by the police to do so. The break, and later on also the rest of the peloton, was able to avoid an accident, but a policeman on a motorcycle almost called it a day after coming inches from colliding with the horse.
When they reached the bottom of the Fox Creek Rd climb the gap had grown to two minutes, and Cardellini and Gates took advantage of their fresh legs as they left the others behind over the summit. The chasers brought them back as they flew down the back side of the steep climb, and for a while it was status quo between the riders in the breakaway and the peloton. As the riders passed through Hahndorf to head out on a final 37 kilometre lap, Nick Gates launched a powerful attack that might have surprised a few riders, since Gates had just been chasing back after a bike change due to pedal problems. Jaan Kirsipuu was right on his wheel, and they regrouped for a short while.
With only 30 kilometres left to race, Mikel Astarloza, Gert Steegmans, Francesco Secchiari and the very same Nick Gates attacked again, and broke the bunch into pieces. Jaan Kirsipuu, Eric Leblacher, Thomas Lövkvist, Addy Engels and Hilton Clarke chased with a passion and were finally able to rejoin the first group with no more than fifteen kilometres to go. Jaan Kirsipuu then surprised everyone, including himself when he attacked with eleven kilometres to go, only to explain after the stage that he thought he was closer to the finish than what he actually was.
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Behind Kirsipuu, FDJeux.com's young rider Thomas Lövkvist attacked twice without getting away, and behind the first chasing group, the peloton was galloping to try and catch the breakaway before the line. With two kilometres to go, it looked like top sprinter Kirsipuu would actually take home the stage thanks to his solo ride, but like so many other times, the peloton finally caught the lone rider who already had the line in sight.
Despite not getting the easy day he yearned for, Robbie McEwen (Lotto-Domo) was able to take out the final sprint in front of Quick.Step rider Aurelien Clerc and FDJeux's Baden Cooke. Pat Jonker finished inside the peloton and kept his yellow jersey, now more confident that he could keep it to the end.
"I was a bit worried at first, because the group that went up the road was quite large, meaning that they could more easily build up a five minute lead, which would have been enough for me to lose the yellow jersey," Patrick told Cyclingnews after the stage. "However, my boys in the team worked really well, and they were pretty much in control during the race. Me having a lot of experience in arranging a good chase probably helped out too."
Tomorrow's stage around Willunga is considered to be the hardest one, but Jonker seemed fairly content that he could keep the jersey. "The jersey could be lost over the Willunga Hill, but I have ridden there since I was twelve, so I feel pretty secure, even if I do think that it will all be played about between the top ten riders on the GC on that climb."
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Stage winner Robbie McEwen was happy with his win, but admitted that his ideas of an easy day had been washed down he drain early during the stage. "I've worked hard today, that's for sure," said McEwen. "This morning, I didn't feel so good, and I just wanted to finish with the peloton to get myself into a good position for tomorrow's stage. I was in the right position at the end though, and ended up winning the stage. I see this win as a bonus, because I would have been glad to see one of our boys in the break win. We made sure to get a couple of riders in the break, so that we didn't have to spend all our energy on chasing the break down later in the day."
Although McEwen hoped for another stage win on Sunday, he was more modest about his overall chances. "I don't even consider catching Pat in the GC. I just want a nice massage and a night's sleep to rest up for tomorrow's stage."
Photography
Images by Mark Gunter/Cyclingnews/www.pbase.com/gunterphotograph
- Phillippe Gilbert (FDJeux.com and best young rider) signing on
- The Panaria boys were clearly raring to go
- Smile please. Baden Cooke poses for one of many photos
- FDJeux.com's Lapierre bikes gleaming in the morning sun
- Fans watch the action in Unley
- Pat Jonker catches up with a Dutch friend before the start
- Patrick Jonker (UniSA) gets ready for the start of another stage
- The publicity convoy is a distinctive feature of this race
- The Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under exits Adelaide, with the sea in the background
- The peloton on the long freeway climb near the start
- The peloton early in stage 4
- The peloton enters the Heysen Tunnel at the start of stage 4
- The face of suffering in stage 4
- Gene Bates (UniSA) is having a great tour, sitting in fourth overall
- Gert Steegmans (Lotto-Domo) on the attack
- Paolo Tiralongo (Panaria) in the King of the Mountains jersey
- A horse interrupted the peloton during stage 4. Fortunately no-one was injured.
- Jaan Kirsipuu (Ag2r) goes on the attack in stage 4
- Robbie McEwen (Lotto-Domo) wins the fourth stage of the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under
- Onya Pat - the sign says it all
- Robbie McEwen (Lotto-Domo) gives a sly grin on the podium
- Patrick Jonker (UniSA) on the podium in yellow
Images by Karen Forman/Cyclingnews
- A horse on the course. Fortunately no-one (including the horse) was hurt
- Race leader Patrick Jonker speaks to the press
- What a day. Stage winner Robbie McEwen
- Australian National Team manager Dave Sanders with Hilton Clarke
- Allan Iacuone (Team Australia) gets some instructions from Dave Sanders.
- Hilton Clarke (Team Australia) comes alongside the team car to grab a bidon of water.
- Allan Davis (Team Australia) on the chase.
Results
1 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Lotto-Domo 3.18.51 (42.5 km/h) 2 Aurelien Clerc (Swi) Quick.Step-Davitamon 3 Baden Cooke (Aus) FDJeux.com 4 Allan Davis (Aus) Team Australia 5 David McKenzie (Aus) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 6 Erki Putsep (Est) Ag2r Prevoyance 7 Julian Dean (Nzl) Credit Agricole 8 Mark Scanlon (Irl) Ag2r Prevoyance 9 Rudi Kemna (Ned) Bankgiroloterij 10 Antonio Fisher Murillo (Bra) Domina Vacanze 11 Graeme Brown (Aus) Panaria-Margres 12 Massimo Giunti (Ita) Domina Vacanze 13 Andy Flickinger (Fra) Ag2r Prevoyance 14 Aart Vierhouten (Ned) Lotto-Domo 15 Mark Renshaw (Aus) FDJeux.com 16 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Credit Agricole 17 David McPartland (Aus) Team Australia 18 Giuliano Figueras (Ita) Panaria-Margres 19 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick.Step-Davitamon 20 Bernard Sulzberger (Aus) United Water 21 Philip Zajicek (USA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 22 Remco Van Der Ven (Ned) Bankgiroloterij 23 Mark Jamieson (Aus) United Water 24 Ben Day (Aus) Team Australia 25 Gene Bates (Aus) UniSA 26 Massimiliano Gentili (Ita) Domina Vacanze 27 Luke Roberts (Aus) UniSA 28 Patrick Jonker (Aus) UniSA 29 Matthe Pronk (Ned) Bankgiroloterij 30 Nicolas Inaudi (Fra) Ag2r Prevoyance 31 Paolo Valoti (Ita) Domina Vacanze 32 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) FDJeux.com 33 Benoit Poilvet (Fra) Credit Agricole 34 Mads Kaggestad (Nor) Credit Agricole 35 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Panaria-Margres 36 Massimiliano Mori (Ita) Domina Vacanze 37 Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Credit Agricole 38 Russell Van Hout (Aus) UniSA 39 Ashley Humbert (Aus) United Water 40 Lorenzo Cardellini (Ita) Domina Vacanze 41 Hans De Clercq (Bel) Lotto-Domo 42 Wim Vansevenant (Bel) Lotto-Domo 43 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun) Quick.Step-Davitamon 44 Piotr Wadecki (Pol) Lotto-Domo 45 Siro Camponogara (Ita) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 46 Jose Pecharroman Fabian (Spa) Quick.Step-Davitamon 47 Inigo Chaurreau (Spa) Ag2r Prevoyance 48 Glenn D'Hollander (Bel) Lotto-Domo 49 Nicolas Portal (Fra) Ag2r Prevoyance 50 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Team Australia 51 Nicholas Vogondy (Fra) FDJeux.com 52 Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) FDJeux.com 53 Pedro Horrillo (Spa) Quick.Step-Davitamon 54 Alain Van Katwijk (Ned) Bankgiroloterij 55 Eric Leblacher (Fra) Credit Agricole 56 Kirk O'Bee (USA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 0.09 57 Sergio Marinangeli (Ita) Domina Vacanze 58 Burke Swindlehurst (USA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 59 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Bankgiroloterij 60 Matthew Wilson (Aus) FDJeux.com 61 James Hannam (Aus) UniSA 62 Steve Cunningham (Aus) UniSA 63 Jose Garrido Lima (Spa) Quick.Step-Davitamon 64 Allan Iacuone (Aus) Team Australia 65 Ciaran Power (Irl) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 66 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) Ag2r Prevoyance 67 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) FDJeux.com 0.23 68 Adrian Laidler (Aus) UniSA 0.25 69 Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Credit Agricole 0.29 70 Fabio Gilioli (Ita) Panaria-Margres 0.38 71 Hilton Clarke (Aus) Team Australia 72 Frederic Amorison (Bel) Quick.Step-Davitamon 0.46 73 Frank Van Dulmen (Ned) Bankgiroloterij 0.52 74 Addy Engels (Ned) Bankgiroloterij 75 Julien Smink (Ned) Bankgiroloterij 1.10 76 Scott Davis (Aus) Panaria-Margres 1.12 77 Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Ag2r Prevoyance 1.16 78 Nick Gates (Aus) Lotto-Domo 1.25 79 Jeff Louder (USA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 80 Francesco Secchiari (Ita) Domina Vacanze 1.40 81 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Lotto-Domo 2.36 82 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Panaria-Margres 9.52 83 Cedric Herve (Fra) Credit Agricole 84 Peter Dawson (Aus) United Water 85 Richard Moffat (Aus) United Water 86 Ryan Sullivan (Aus) United Water 87 Sergey Matveyev (Ukr) Panaria-Margres DNF Guillermo Bongiorno (Arg) Panaria-Margres ELIM Aaron Kemps (Aus) United Water DISQ Matthew Rex (Aus) UniSA Sprints Adelaide Road at Institute, Echunga - 26.0 km 1 Benoit Poilvet (Fra) Credit Agricole 6 pts 2 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Team Australia 4 3 Addy Engels (Ned) Bankgiroloterij 2 Main Street at Balhannah Hotel, Balhannah - 95.6 km 1 Eric Leblacher (Fra) Credit Agricole 6 pts 2 Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Credit Agricole 4 3 Frederic Amorison (Bel) Quick.Step-Davitamon 2 Mount Barker Road, Hahndorf - 141 km - Finish 1 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Lotto-Domo 8 pts 2 Aurelien Clerc (Swi) Quick.Step-Davitamon 6 3 Baden Cooke (Aus) FDJeux.com 4 Mountains Fox Creek Road near Croft Road - 77 km 1 Lorenzo Cardellini (Ita) Domina Vacanze 16 pts 2 Nick Gates (Aus) Lotto-Domo 12 3 Hilton Clarke (Aus) Team Australia 8 4 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) Ag2r Prevoyance 6 5 Addy Engels (Ned) Bankgiroloterij 4 General classification after stage 4 1 Patrick Jonker (Aus) UniSA 11.33.05 2 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Lotto-Domo 1.38 3 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) FDJeux.com 1.39 4 Gene Bates (Aus) UniSA 1.44 5 Antonio Fisher Murillo (Bra) Domina Vacanze 1.46 6 Baden Cooke (Aus) FDJeux.com 7 Giuliano Figueras (Ita) Panaria-Margres 1.47 8 Luke Roberts (Aus) UniSA 9 David McKenzie (Aus) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 1.48 10 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Credit Agricole 11 Massimo Giunti (Ita) Domina Vacanze 12 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick.Step-Davitamon 13 David McPartland (Aus) Team Australia 2.17 14 Aurelien Clerc (Swi) Quick.Step-Davitamon 4.01 15 Eric Leblacher (Fra) Credit Agricole 4.05 16 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Team Australia 4.06 17 Erki Putsep (Est) Ag2r Prevoyance 4.08 18 Massimiliano Gentili (Ita) Domina Vacanze 19 Matthe Pronk (Ned) Bankgiroloterij 20 Nicolas Portal (Fra) Ag2r Prevoyance 21 Ben Day (Aus) Team Australia 22 Paolo Valoti (Ita) Domina Vacanze 23 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Panaria-Margres 24 Aart Vierhouten (Ned) Lotto-Domo 25 Philip Zajicek (USA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 4.15 26 Frederic Amorison (Bel) Quick.Step-Davitamon 4.53 27 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Lotto-Domo 7.47 28 Cedric Herve (Fra) Credit Agricole 14.00 29 Mark Jamieson (Aus) United Water 29.08 30 Ciaran Power (Irl) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 29.30 31 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) FDJeux.com 29.31 32 Mads Kaggestad (Nor) Credit Agricole 31.23 33 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun) Quick.Step-Davitamon 34 Glenn D'Hollander (Bel) Lotto-Domo 35 Massimiliano Mori (Ita) Domina Vacanze 36 Wim Vansevenant (Bel) Lotto-Domo 37 Jose Pecharroman Fabian (Spa) Quick.Step-Davitamon 38 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) Ag2r Prevoyance 31.32 39 Jose Garrido Lima (Spa) Quick.Step-Davitamon 40 Kirk O'Bee (USA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 41 Alain Van Katwijk (Ned) Bankgiroloterij 33.48 42 Mark Scanlon (Irl) Ag2r Prevoyance 35.34 43 Allan Davis (Aus) Team Australia 44 Russell Van Hout (Aus) UniSA 45 Nicholas Vogondy (Fra) FDJeux.com 35.41 46 Hans De Clercq (Bel) Lotto-Domo 47 Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) FDJeux.com 48 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Bankgiroloterij 35.50 49 Matthew Wilson (Aus) FDJeux.com 50 Hilton Clarke (Aus) Team Australia 36.12 51 Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Ag2r Prevoyance 36.50 52 Nick Gates (Aus) Lotto-Domo 37.39 53 Sergey Matveyev (Ukr) Panaria-Margres 45.33 54 Inigo Chaurreau (Spa) Ag2r Prevoyance 1.02.24 55 James Hannam (Aus) UniSA 1.02.33 56 Benoit Poilvet (Fra) Credit Agricole 1.02.46 57 Rudi Kemna (Ned) Bankgiroloterij 1.02.49 58 Mark Renshaw (Aus) FDJeux.com 59 Graeme Brown (Aus) Panaria-Margres 60 Remco Van Der Ven (Ned) Bankgiroloterij 61 Andy Flickinger (Fra) Ag2r Prevoyance 62 Bernard Sulzberger (Aus) United Water 63 Lorenzo Cardellini (Ita) Domina Vacanze 64 Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Credit Agricole 65 Nicolas Inaudi (Fra) Ag2r Prevoyance 66 Piotr Wadecki (Pol) Lotto-Domo 67 Pedro Horrillo (Spa) Quick.Step-Davitamon 68 Julian Dean (Nzl) Credit Agricole 69 Siro Camponogara (Ita) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 70 Ashley Humbert (Aus) United Water 71 Allan Iacuone (Aus) Team Australia 1.02.58 72 Steve Cunningham (Aus) UniSA 73 Sergio Marinangeli (Ita) Domina Vacanze 74 Burke Swindlehurst (USA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 75 Adrian Laidler (Aus) UniSA 1.03.14 76 Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Credit Agricole 1.03.16 77 Fabio Gilioli (Ita) Panaria-Margres 1.03.27 78 Frank Van Dulmen (Ned) Bankgiroloterij 1.03.40 79 Addy Engels (Ned) Bankgiroloterij 80 Julien Smink (Ned) Bankgiroloterij 1.03.59 81 Scott Davis (Aus) Panaria-Margres 1.04.01 82 Jeff Louder (USA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 1.04.14 83 Francesco Secchiari (Ita) Domina Vacanze 1.04.29 84 Peter Dawson (Aus) United Water 1.12.41 85 Richard Moffat (Aus) United Water 86 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Panaria-Margres 87 Ryan Sullivan (Aus) United Water Sprints classification 1 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Lotto-Domo 24 pts 2 Aurelien Clerc (Swi) Quick.Step-Davitamon 18 3 David McPartland (Aus) Team Australia 16 4 Patrick Jonker (Aus) UniSA 16 5 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) FDJeux.com 14 6 Mark Renshaw (Aus) FDJeux.com 10 7 Alain Van Katwijk (Ned) Bankgiroloterij 10 8 Eric Leblacher (Fra) Credit Agricole 6 9 Benoit Poilvet (Fra) Credit Agricole 6 10 Gene Bates (Aus) UniSA 6 11 Rudi Kemna (Ned) Bankgiroloterij 6 12 Antonio Fisher Murillo (Bra) Domina Vacanze 4 13 Baden Cooke (Aus) FDJeux.com 4 14 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Team Australia 4 15 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) FDJeux.com 4 16 Mads Kaggestad (Nor) Credit Agricole 4 17 Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra) Credit Agricole 4 18 Giuliano Figueras (Ita) Panaria-Margres 2 19 Luke Roberts (Aus) UniSA 2 20 Frederic Amorison (Bel) Quick.Step-Davitamon 2 21 Graeme Brown (Aus) Panaria-Margres 2 22 Addy Engels (Ned) Bankgiroloterij 2 23 Guillermo Bongiorno (Arg) Panaria-Margres 2 Mountains classification 1 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Panaria-Margres 16 pts 2 Alain Van Katwijk (Ned) Bankgiroloterij 16 3 Lorenzo Cardellini (Ita) Domina Vacanze 16 4 Russell Van Hout (Aus) UniSA 14 5 Patrick Jonker (Aus) UniSA 12 6 Massimiliano Gentili (Ita) Domina Vacanze 12 7 Nick Gates (Aus) Lotto-Domo 12 8 David McPartland (Aus) Team Australia 8 9 Hilton Clarke (Aus) Team Australia 8 10 Mads Kaggestad (Nor) Credit Agricole 6 11 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) Ag2r Prevoyance 6 12 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick.Step-Davitamon 4 13 Addy Engels (Ned) Bankgiroloterij 4 14 Gene Bates (Aus) UniSA 4 U23 classification 1 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) FDJeux.com 11.34.44 2 Mark Jamieson (Aus) United Water 27.29 3 Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) FDJeux.com 34.02 4 James Hannam (Aus) UniSA 1.00.54 5 Mark Renshaw (Aus) FDJeux.com 1.01.10 6 Bernard Sulzberger (Aus) United Water 7 Ashley Humbert (Aus) United Water 8 Peter Dawson (Aus) United Water 1.11.02 9 Richard Moffat (Aus) United Water 10 Ryan Sullivan (Aus) United Water Most aggressive rider classification 1 Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Ag2r Prevoyance Teams classification 1 UniSA 34.42.59 2 FDJeux.com 1.52 3 Domina Vacanze 4.00 4 Crédit Agricole 6.20 5 Lotto-Domo 6.27 6 Quick Step-Davitamon 7 Team Australia 6.59 8 Ag2R Prevoyance 8.40 9 Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 31.40 10 Panaria-Margres 37.53 11 Bankgiroloterij 1.09.59 12 United Water 2.31.02
