6th Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under - 2.3

Australia, January 20-25, 2004

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Stage 4 - January 23: Unley to Hahndorf, 141km

Complete live report

Commentary by Jeff Jones, with additional reporting by Karen Forman and Gabriella Ekström

Start time: 11:15 ACDT
Estimated finish time: 14:47 ACDT

11:01 ACDT
Welcome to our live coverage of Stage 4 of the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under, which takes the riders from Unley, on the southern outskirts of Adelaide, to Hahndorf, one of the Adelaide Hills' much-loved heritage towns. Today's stage starts (after a 7.2 km neutral section) with a long, steady climb up through the Heysen Tunnels to Stirling, which followed by a descent to the first sprint at Echunga (km 26).

After that, the stage undulates through the Adelaide hills until the riders reach Hahndorf for the first time at km 43. They then do a figure eight circuit out towards Lobethal and Cudlee Creek, with the day's only mountain sprint at Fox Creek Rd (km 77). Then it's a fast, undulating return to the second sprint at Balhannah (km 95) before the riders pass through Hahndorf again at km 104. The final 37 km circuit takes them out past Littlehampton and Inverbrackie, coming back via Balhannah again before the finish in Hahndorf at 141 km.

The weather today is slightly warmer than yesterday, with temperatures expected to be in the mid to high 20's. A light wind is blowing from the south.

11:04 ACDT
The riders are just leaving Unley now for their 7 km of neutral. It's warming up and there are big crowds lining the streets cheering the peloton on.

11:14 ACDT
Race leader Pat Jonker (UniSA) together with Graeme Brown (Panaria) and Robbie McEwen (Lotto-Domo) all missed the neutral start from Unley, but shot out of a side street to join the peloton as it cruised through Adelaide. In a few minutes time, the race proper will start.

One rider absent this morning is Nic Sanderson (United Water), who is listed as a DNS (did not start).

11:23 ACDT - 0 km/141 km to go
Stage 4 has now started, and the peloton is heading towards the Old Toll Gate, before the first climb starts.

11:28 ACDT
This morning before the start we spoke to UniSA's Luke Roberts, whose number one priority is looking after his teammate and yellow jersey Patrick Jonker: "I guess we've got to try to keep it under control. There are certain guys, probably around nine of them in contention for GC, but Patrick has proved he's the strongest rider in the race and probably the most experienced," he said. "Only a tactical error could stop him finishing well. My main priority is getting Patrick to the finish in yellow. I'm seventh overall myself, and I'd like to finish top 10, but Patrick is my priority."

11:33 ACDT - 5 km/136 km to go
Ciaran Power (Navigators) has attacked on his own after just a few kilometres of the stage. But at the five kilometre mark it's all back together.

11:37 ACDT - 6 km/135 km to go
Allan Iacuone (Team Australia) is the next rider to make a move, at kilometre 6. Plenty of action early in the stage, as usual. However, the peloton regroups again.

11:52 ACDT - 15 km/126 km to go
Four riders have attacked near the top of the climb at kilometre 15 - we're waiting on the numbers.

We spoke to yesterday's stage winner and second placed rider on the overall classification, Philippe Gilbert (FdJeux.com), who said their team will adopt a defensive strategy today: "Today's stage is not very hard, and it's likely that a break of three to five riders will go; Jonker's team will have to chase - we'll just sit and wait."

And news just in from the course is that Queensland rider - and new recruit to the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), Lorian Graham - has taken out round two of The Advertiser women's criterium series in Echunga. The women's criterium series is a new addition to the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under this year, with a series of three street criteriums held in towns where the men's race either finishes or passes through.

Cyclingnews' reporter John-Michael Flynn said that Graham won the event by 27 seconds from Sara Carrigan, another Queenslander, and the ever-present Oenone Wood from the ACT. Graham went hard from the gun and actually crashed on the first corner, took a lap out and then rejoined the field on the next lap of the 850 metre, tight street circuit. Despite a series of atacks, none really managed to create a serious gap until Graham put her head down halfway through the 22-lap race.

She then built up a commanding lead for such a tight circuit that went up to 38 seconds at one stage. Carrigan countered and tried to reel her in, with Graham's team-mate Oenone Wood on her wheel. However, Graham held them off and completed her first win in AIS colours, some 27 seconds ahead of the field. (A full report and photos will follow later today.)

Race 2 - January 23 - Kapunda

1 Lorian Graham (AIS)         31.13
2 Sara Carrigan (QIS)          0.27
3 Oenone Wood (AIS)
4 Hayley Rutherford (WAIS)
5 Olivia Gollan (AIS)
6 Kelly McComeie
7 Christine Riakos (NSW)
8 Kate Nichols (NSWIS)
9 Kirsty Bortolin
10 Miho Oki (Jpn)

11:57 ACDT - 18 km/123 km to go
Two riders have just joined the breakaway, which went clear at the top of the hill. The break now contains: Jaan Kirsipuu (Ag2r Prevoyance), Benoit Poilvet (Credit Agricole), Gert Steegmans (Lotto-Domo), Bernhard Eisel (FDJeux.com), Addy Engels (Bankgiroloterij), and Simon Gerrans (Team Australia).

12:17 ACDT - 35 km/106 km to go
The leaders have now passed the first sprint, with Benoit Poilvet(Credit Agricole) taking it out ahead of Simon Gerrans (Team Australia) and Addy Engels (Bankgiroloterij). But shortly after that, the bunch regrouped at the 27 kilometre mark.

The attacks are continuing now, with another 9 man break trying to get clear at the 36 km mark. It's non-stop attacking as the peloton approaches Hahndorf for the first time.

Race leader Pat Jonker (UniSA) gets across to a break, and predictably it comes back together. This is a crucial stage for him, as he doesn't want to lose time to any of his rivals before tomorrow's Willunga stage.

12:22 ACDT
We talked to sprints leader Robbie McEwen (Lotto-Domo) before the start today. He is also third placed overall at 1'44 behind Jonker, and said that "I hope they're not going to attack on the freeway, because that's going to be a nasty way to start the day. I would like to have a nice relaxing day in the peloton, because I've been going pretty hard the last three days."

Asked about his chances of winning, McEwen said he's still in with a shot: "Between the second and twelfth rider, there's not a great difference in time; one sprint can change it all. If I can finish top five in the overall, I'll be happy."

About the King of the Mountains climb at Fox Creek Rd: "I think it's about three times as hard as Checker Hill."

12:28 ACDT - 42 km/99 km to go
Nicholas Vogondy (FDJeux.com), Matthe Pronk (Bankgiroloterij) and Andy Flickinger (Ag2r Prevoyance) launched an attack after Hahndorf, and were joined by Sergey Matveyev (Panaria-Margres). However the peloton reacted and the race is back together once again.

Race leader Patrick Jonker (UniSA), knows he and his team still have plenty of work to do today, as he told Cyclingnews this morning: "The overall classification isn't in the bag yet," he said. "There might be a lot of crazy attacks, and that makes life really hard for us in the team. Hopefully, they [the other riders] will be a bit tired today, and as I said yesterday, if I survive today, I will feel a lot more confident about keeping the jersey until the end."

12:33 ACDT - 50 km/91 km to go
Jaan Kirsipuu (Ag2r Prevoyance), who has been quite active today, has got himself into another break with Geoffroy Lequatre (Credit Agricole), Lorenzo Cardellini (Domina Vacanze), Gert Steegmans (Lotto-Domo), Nick Gates (Lotto-Domo), Frederic Amorison (Quick.Step-Davitamon), Thomas Lövkist (FDJeux.com), Addy Engels (Bankgiroloterij) and Hilton Clarke (Team Australia). They are joined by Mikel Astarloza (Ag2r Prevoyance), Eric Leblacher (Credit Agricole), Francesco Secchiari (Domina Vacanze) and Ciaran Power (Navigators). The gap is 20 seconds to the peloton.

12:40 ACDT - 56 km/85 km to go
This break is not too dangerous for Jonker, as Eric Leblacher (CA) is the best placed in it, lying in 18th overall at 4'08 (Frederic Amorison is also on the same time). UniSA won't want to give them too much advantage though.

There is a horse on the course! The break has just passed it, with no incidents.

12:47 ACDT - 59 km/82 km to go
The gap between the 13 rider break and the peloton has grown to 1'10, and this is the first real break that has established itself today. None of the big GC names are in it, although there are two riders (Leblacher and Amorison) within 4'08 of Jonker's yellow jersey.

Credit Agricole's best-placed rider on GC is Russian Alexandre Botcharov, who was not really sure what to expect today when we spoke to him this morning. "Today is rather easy.... isn't it? I think the whole team will wait for tomorrow before we make a move, because tomorrow's stage is going to be more selective."

We haven't heard of any incidents with the horse that was on the course, so hopefully that means the riders and the horse are ok. We'll refrain from any bad "hors course" puns. Really.

12:55 ACDT - 61 km/80 km to go
The break is now passing through Lobethal in the Adelaide Hills with a handy 1'21 lead over the peloton, which is riding at a controlling tempo. The best finisher in the break is undoubtedly Jaan Kirsipuu, who will be a man to keep an eye on if this group goes all the way to the finish. When fit, Kirsipuu is also a strong attacker and has won several races in solo breakaways.

One well known sprinter who isn't in the break (but would like to be?) is Baden Cooke (FDJeux.com), who said at the start that despite the absence of their fearless leader Bradley McGee, they're managing very nicely. "We're a tight unit. It's not just one rider holding us together. Everybody steps forward and takes responsibility," said Cooke.

"Yesterday, we had a great ride with Philippe, it was his second pro win. I have complete confidence in him. Yesterday, I wasn't feeling so good - I told him to go and he went really well. Today, it will be an aggressive race again. We have two in the top 10. I'd like to win the stage."

13:07 ACDT - 75 km/66 km to go
The 13 man break is flying along as it approaches the King of the Mountain sprint at Fox Creek Road (km 77). The last time check was 1'52, and this will be causing a few jitters for Pat Jonker, who is in the peloton and can only lose 4'08 to Leblacher and / or Amorison. Or perhaps these are the tactics, in order to take the pressure off before tomorrow's decisive Willunga stage?

13:12 ACDT - 77 km/64 km to go
Lorenzo Cardellini (Domina Vacanze) and Nick Gates (Lotto-Domo) have attacked the break to go for the KOM points.

13:18 ACDT - 82 km/59 km to go
The KOM results at Fox Creek Road: 1 Lorenzo Cardellini (Domina Vacanze), 2 Nick Gates (Lotto-Domo), 3 Hilton Clarke (Team Australia), 4 Mikel Astarloza (Ag2r Prevoyance) and 5 Addy Engels (Bankgiroloterij).

Cardellini and Gates have a 15 second lead on the descent, but they are recaptured by the bottom.

13:25 ACDT
The gap at the 80 km mark is reported as 2'12, which means the peloton hasn't released its grip on the breakaways, and it's certainly possible that they could be caught. The 13 names again:

Jaan Kirsipuu and Mikel Astarloza (Ag2r Prevoyance), Geoffroy Lequatre and Eric Leblacher (Credit Agricole), Lorenzo Cardellini and Francesco Secchiari (Domina Vacanze), Gert Steegmans and Nick Gates (Lotto-Domo), Frederic Amorison (Quick.Step-Davitamon), Thomas Lövkist (FDJeux.com), Addy Engels (Bankgiroloterij), Ciaran Power (Navigators) and Hilton Clarke (Team Australia).

Another rider we spoke to this morning was David McKenzie, who is loving riding with Navigators in his first race with the team. "I feel pretty good," he told Cyclingnews. "Yesterday, there was a bit of bluffing going on. There were more guys tired in the front group than I thought - I should have been a bit more positive and gone with them," he said.

"Maybe when you feel tired you hesitate. I felt good enough but I did all the wrong moves. I'm in eighth place with nine seconds to second place. It'll be frustrating if I finish like this on Sunday."

13:32 ACDT - 90 km/51 km to go
The chase has started! There are too many teams in the peloton that have a vested interest in keeping this race together, and the 13 man breakaway has been brought back to 1'45 at the 87 km point.

13:39 ACDT - 95 km/46 km to go
The leaders have passed the Balhannah sprint now, as Nick Gates (Lotto-Domo) has to get a bike change due to problems with his pedals. He rejoins the break though. They will be hitting Hahndorf for the second time in about 10 km.

The results of the second sprint: 1 Eric Leblacher (Credit Agricole), 2 Geoffroy Lequatre (Credit Agricole), 3 Frederic Amorison (Quick.Step-Davitamon).

Cyclingnews' Karen Forman just spoke with Allan Iacuone (Team Australia), who is in the main peloton at the moment. "It's going to be a hard finish and it looks like Panaria are going to hit out for it," he said.

13:51 ACDT - 104 km/37 km to go
As the 13 front runners ride through Hahndorf with a lap of 37 km to go, their lead has shrunk to 1'41. The peloton can certainly catch this break if it wants to.

Panaria rider Giuliano Figueras (in the peloton) is certainly a danger man for the overall, currently lying sixth at 1'47 behind Patrick Jonker, but said this morning that he will be playing it cool today

"We'll stay in the bunch; if there's an attack, I'll follow them. I'm very happy with the way things are going. I'd definitely like to win, but it's hard because the Australians are so much fitter. McEwen's the one who I'm most concerned about. This is my first time in Australia and it's magnifico!"

13:52 ACDT
Nick Gates attacks, and Jaan Kirsipuu chases him down. The lead group is really splitting up now. Frederic Amorison (Quick.Step-Davitamon), Thomas Lövkist (FDJeux.com) and Lorenzo Cardellini (Domina Vacanze) join Gates and Kirsipuu, but the rest of the riders catch on again.

13:58 ACDT - 110 km/31 km to go
The next riders to attack the break are Mikel Astarloza (Ag2r Prevoyance) and Gert Steegmans (Lotto-Domo). They are joined by Francesco Secchiari (Domina Vacanze) and Nick Gates (Lotto-Domo) and their lead grows to 20 seconds!

14:05 ACDT - 116 km/25 km to go
The leading four stretch their advantage to 48 seconds with 25 km to go. This could be the winning move.

14:11 ACDT - 120 km/21 km to go
A group of six riders or so has formed a chase behind Steegmans, Gates, Astarloza and Secchiari. But their lead is 1'10 and growing. The last time check back to the peloton was 3'13, which will put Steegmans (28th overall at 5'11) in a very handy position on GC. Jonker still has two minutes to play with though.

14:13 ACDT - 122 km/19 km to go
Nick Gates is at the front of the lead breakaway, powering it along for his teammate Steegmans. Lotto-Domo has two of the four riders in the break, and really want this stage win. But Secchiari, in the Domina Vacanze zebra stripes, is sitting on their wheels at the moment. Less than 20 km to go now...

14:21 ACDT - 130 km/11 km to go
Jaan Kirsipuu (Ag2r Prevoyance), Eric Leblacher (Credit Agricole), Thomas Lövkist (FDJeux.com), Addy Engels (Bankgiroloterij) and Hilton Clarke (Team Australia) have joined the four leaders now to form a group of nine with 11 km to go. The rest have been caught by the peloton.

Kirsipuu attacks!

14:28 ACDT - 135 km/6 km to go
Kirsipuu is powering away in front of the break and has a 20 second lead over the eight chasers. The peloton is getting closer however, and is at 1'30, which means Jonker will keep yellow.

The peloton is riding hard in the final kilometres, with the Navigators team in front. The gap to Kirsipuu and co is less than 1'20.

14:35 ACDT - 139 km/2 km to go
The peloton has made contact with the chase group, but Kirsipuu is still out the front. Can he hang on?

14:38 ACDT - 0 km to go
Kirsipuu is caught inside the final 50m and Robbie McEwen wins his second stage in a thrilling finish! Aurelien Clerc (QuickStep) is second, just ahead of Baden Cooke (FDJeux.com). Pat Jonker (UniSA) maintains his yellow jersey going into the final two stages, with a 1'38 gap to McEwen.

Results

1 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Lotto-Domo
2 Aurelien Clerc (Swi) Quick.Step-Davitamon
3 Baden Cooke (Aus) FDJeux.com


General classification after stage 4

1 Patrick Jonker (Aus) UniSA                             
2 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Lotto-Domo                   1.38
3 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) FDJeux.com                1.39
4 Gene Bates (Aus) UniSA                             

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