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10th Tour Down Under - ProT
Australia, January 20-27, 2008
Main Page Results & report Stage Details Previous Stage Next Stage
Stage 3 - Thursday, January 24: Unley - Victor Harbor , 139km
Complete live report
16:39 CST
Tune in to Cyclingnews.com
on Thursday, January 24 at 10:50 AM (CDT) for the third stage of the 10th Anniversary
Tour Down Under, covering 139km from Unley to Victor Harbour.
10:54 CST
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11:01 CST
Once again, the crowds are out to
catch a glimpse of the big international bike race. Paul Verkuylen from Cyclingnews
is at the start and one of the riders he spoke to is the Italian veteran fast-finisher,
Fabio Baldato, riding for the Lampre squad. He said, "I have a try yesterday
(in the finale), but the Australians and some of the teams like High road are
just at a higher level than us at the moment. We are definitely feeling it,"
he said of the early season pace.
11:05 CST 0km/139km to go
And as the flag drops
for today's stage, we could expect fireworks from the gun, given there's a climb
right out of Unley, except there is a 13km neutral section until the town of
Sturt, where the racing really starts. If you look at the Stage
3 profile it can favour a breakaway, and so far, we've seen the French teams
realy going on the offensive.
11:10 CST 0km/139km to go
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11:19 CST 0km/139km to go
And as the peloton
trundles up and out to the real race start at Sturt, this morning the new race
leader, Graeme Brown (Rabobank) said, "It's good to start the day in the leader's
jersey. It's pretty clear for the team that we have definitely got to control
the race." For those of you who missed it, Brown was yesterday awarded the race
leader's ochre jersey on a countback, and this was only discovered as previous
race leader, Mark Renshaw (Credit Agricole), was being interviewed as the ongoing
leader. Renshaw shrugged his shoulders, said he "thought that might be the case",
smiled and walked away. So the jersey passsed from one NSW-based trackie/roadie
to another. Renshaw and Brown have also been Australian team-mates on several
occasions, representing their country at the highest level, especially on the
track.
11:30 CST 0km/139km to go
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11:34 CST 4km/135km to go
Straight away a rider
from Euskaltel - Euskadi has a dig off the front, followed very closely by several
other riders, with an immediate reaction in the peloton. There's a group of
three with 100 metres on the peloton, including Frantisek Rabon (Cze) from Team
High Road, Andoni Lafuente (Spa) from EE, and Simon Clarke from UniSA. Rabobank
moves to the front right away.
11:38 CST 6km/133km to go
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11:43 CST 9km/130km to go
For a while there Porte
- who escaped on Tuesday's opening stage - had four other riders for company,
but they were swamped by the peloton. How long willl it remain quiet?
11:44 CST 11km/128km to go
Not long, as Philippe
Gilbert (Bel) from FDJ had a go, and he was joined by a Caisse D'Epargne rider,
but the peloton seems to be having none of it, and they're on the chase.
11:45 CST 13km/126km to go
Meanwhile, at the
back of the field, Kurt Asle Arvesen (Nor) from Team CSC has rejoined the field
as it all comes back together ... and then there's another attack.
11:48 CST 14km/125km to go
Well they're caught
and the peloton is flying along at 60kmh with the whole field in single file;
the only bike that could attack here would be a Ducati.
11:53 CST 17km/122km to go
With a slight drop
in tempo, three riders have got away. Mickael Delage (Fra) from FDJ, Kjell Carlstrom
(Fin) from Liquigas and Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) from UniSA - Tasmania, I mean
Australia. Although slightly bandaged from his fall in the Australian Open just
over a week ago, Wes is a classy young bike rider who could be able to make
an impact.
11:57 CST 20km/119km to go
So the latest update
has them at 15 seconds to the peloton and holding steady. At this point, though,
they'll hit some rolling up-and-down country, before facing a short but sharp
climb up to the Sellicks Hill KoM sprint at kilometre 43.7. From then there
is about 20km of an uphill drag until a short descent, some 62km into the stage.
11:59 CST 22km/117km to go
The trio have fifteens
seconds - or 250 metres off the front of the peloton - and holding steady. These
undulating roads are the perfect launch pad to make a break before they hit
the climb.
12:05 CST 27km/112km to go
And away they go!
The gap is now 1.10 and look who's racing again? Yes, a Frenchman, and today
he's joined by a Viking and the ubiquitous young Aussie. Does anyone see a pattern
here? Well, at least we can pick up yesterday's discussion thread: why are the
French riders so aggressive in this year's TDU?
12:08 CST 28km/111km to go
They're at 1.45 and
reporting in from the back seat of a team car, CN's Paul Verkeuylen said, "The
race was off to a very quick start, with many riders attacking after the neutral.
Racing at up to 65km hour, nothing was able to stay away for very long." (Until
now, that is.) "It was a very long neutral section, with a lot of enthuastic
fans lining the streets of Adelaide. The riders turned right onto the freeway
and then got onto a fast hotmix surface, and with three lanes to play with the
pace was on!"
12:11 CST 30km/109km to go
And the gap goes up
to 2.30 as the peloton eases off after GC calculations are processed and information
relayed back to the field. Paul continued on above the din of being in a team
car, "I was speaking to Alan Peiper (Team High Road DS) before the race start
- he was enthuastic about the team, explaining that 'showing good teamwork was
more important for the team than the win yesterday'. Also, many fans may wonder
why the High Road crew are still walking around in Adidas clothing. 'Although
they have pulled out as sponsor, they have a deal to supply the team with casual
clothing for the next year,' Peiper said. They will not be using the team for
advertising, though."
12:14 CST 31km/108km to go
More from our man
in the peloton. "They were riding like juniors at the start (of the stage aftert
the neutral). As one attack was brought back, another went off the front. Today
is looking like it will be exciting as riders are keen to make a difference
today after two days of sprints", he shouted (to be heard, of course). And the
peloton have hit the brakes, literally. The gap is now 3.50 after 31km of racing.
12:19 CST 33km/106km to go
So our trio has kept
its collective head down and is now some 5.05 ahead after only 33km of racing.
Actually, I doubt there were any GC calculations done as virtually the whole
field is at 10 seconds to Graeme Brown on GC, with a dozen or so stragglers
at the bottom of the field.
12:22 CST 35km/104km to go
Our leaders are now
on the climb up to Sellicks Hill and if they turn around, they will be able
to look back and check out the calm blue water of the Spencer Gulf. Farms, vineyards
and beaches abound.
12:24 CST 37km/102km to go
So Delage, Carlstrom
and Sulzberger now have 5.45 to the main field; they're actually increasing
their lead while they are on the climb up Sellicks Hill.
12:28 CST 40km/99km to go
Not all pre-race predictions
come true. This morning Mark Renshaw from Credit Agricole told us, "We will
mix it up today. A break probably won't go today, there's a chance it could
break up with a small climb near the finish, but probably not. I think I can
pinch back the leader's jersey today - it will be close between me, Brownie
and Greipel - it will come down to the finishing order." Well, we know the first
part of Mark's plan isn't working out, but there's still plenty of time for
the peloton to knuckle down and pull this break back for another bunch kick.
12:34 CST 44km/95km to go
So leaders are leaving
the coast and heading inland through the mountains. It was a "pretty decent
climb", reports Paul V from the team car, and they have an uphill drag lasting
about 20km before s hort-ish descent. With all this climbing, their lead is
now back to just over 5 minutes, but the peloton is on the climb and so it will
probably blow back out again. We'll get you the results of the first KoM sprint
soon.
12:39 CST 45km/94km to go
The peloton has also
turned away from the relatively narrow strip - about a kilometer wide - between
the hills and the gulf. The view from the top of the climb takes in the dry
rural landscape, with the Adelaide city skyline in the distance. And there are
people. Lots of people. Locals have even taken to making cycling icons, in this
case from anything they can find laying around on the farm, like pieces of corrugated
iron. Very Australian. Time gap is 5.05.
12:44 CST 49km/90km to go
So the order over the
KoM at Sellicks Hill was Mickael Delage (Fra) from FDJ, followed by Kjell Carlstrom
(Fin) from Liquigas, then Wes Sulzberger from UniSA - Tasmania, I mean Australia.
(There are three Tasmanians in this 'Australian' team, OK?) Then about five
minutes or so later, Philippe Gilbert (Bel) from FDJ scooted ahead of the peloton
to keep his KoM jersey safe/r, followed by Marcus Burghardt (Ger) of Team High
Road. Gilbert has a four-point lead in the KoM competition, and he just added
six points courtesy of that fourth place. One of our readers from Texas just
asked about the time bonuses, and I'll fill y'all in real soon on those decisive
bonuses. Our leaders are steady at 5.10.
12:47 CST
Rabobank patrols the front of the
peloton as they work to hold the leaders steady to about 5 minutes. So Ken from
College Station in Texas was asking about time bonuses, so here goes:
12:51 CST
Whoops - hit 'update' too quickly
(wishful thinking). For stage finishes,
1st - 10 seconds and 8 points
2nd - 6 seconds and 6 points
3rd - 4 seconds and 4 points
Intermediate sprints:
Stages 1 to 6
1st - 3 seconds and 6 points
2nd - 2 seconds and 4 points
3rd - 1 seconds and 2 points
King of the Mountain competition:
1st - 16 points
2nd - 12 points
3rd - 8 points
4th - 6 points
5th - 4 points
12:55 CST 60km/79km to go
With just over 5km
to the intermediate sprint, Delage, Carlstrom and Sulberger hold their lead
and are working well together, as Rabobank trundles along on the front of the
peloton.
12:59 CST
My geographical reference has just
been corrected by a local (and I asked a local, too, what that stretch of water
was called). "I know it a good view from Sellicks Hill but I don't think you
can see across Yorke Peninsular to see the waters of Spencer Gulf - however,
you can see Gulf St Vincent", writes Chris Mulraney. So yes, it's the Gulf St
Vincent then, and thanks Chris, I hope your boss sees this and asks you what
else you're up to ...
13:00 CST 65km/74km to go
With just over a 1km
or so to the sprint, our leaders have kept the peloton to 5.35, or is it that
the peloton is keeping them to that time gap?
13:03 CST
All the riders are now on the top
of a range, with long flat plains and cattle grazing in dry paddocks. "Very
dry terrain," reports CN's Greg Johnson from the side of the road. "The temperature
has increased with cloud clearing, but it's not as warm as previous days."
13:09 CST 68km/71km to go
The results of the
intermediate sprint are in, and our Frenchman has taken the spoils (again -
they are being serious). So first was Delage from FDJ, then Carlstrom from Liquigas,
then Wes Sulzberger from Tasmania. They're holding steady off the front as they
roll past another alpaca farm. They're working very well together and are at
5.40, but the Frenchman seems to be taking this quite seriously, as there's
usually some sharing of the minor spoils among riders in a break. He's got both
the KoM and the sprint. This, of course, is my way of leading back to yesterday's
discussion point ...
13:11 CST
And Andrew Swan has his theory as
to why the French riders have been so aggressive in this year's TDU. They have
been in every break, and yesterday, it was only French riders in the break.
Over to you, Andrew: "For a long time the French have complained about cycling
"a deux vitesses", or "at two speeds", meaning that they (being a clean country,
or so the argument goes) have always been at a disadvantage compared to the
"dirty" (read: non-French) countries. Maybe with the UCI's introduction of the
biological passport, the Frenchies feel new enthusiasm for what they perceive
to be a newly levelled playing field, and it's that enthusiasm that encourages
them to attack all the time."
13:13 CST
Andrew also asked why Karl Menzies,
one of the Tasmanians in UniSA, has not been in a break. Killer Karl had a big
spill on the run into the finish of stage 1 and is really quite beaten up. But
abandon? Never.
13:19 CST 74km/65km to go
Our leaders have stocked
up going through the Goolwa Road feed zone after 72km of racing and are holding
their time gap reasonably comfortably, as there has not been a massive reaction
in the peloton. It will probably stay this way for another 30-45 minutes, but
after that the chase should be on.
13:23 CST 73km/66km to go
John Andrews from Perth
makes a reference to a theory proposed by Brad Davis, who wrote in yesterday
to discuss the animated and aggressive French riders in this year's TDU. "I
am a bit more positive than Brad and think it's (hopefully) they can rack up
some UCI points early in the season - just like they do in the various categories
of the Tour De France in the early stages. Mind you it could be just be they
believe that racing miles are the best training miles." The gap to our leaders
is steady at 5.40.
13:25 CST
Greg Porter believes that Wes Sulzburger
has "let the other two in the breakaway take the points and KOM. I think he
is taking it easy given his current form. I predict that he will blow the other
two riders away when the peloton starts to catch up and solo all the way home".
And based on Greg's email address, he's not even from Tasmania.
13:35 CST 79km/60km to go
And the gap stays at
5.50 after a short but steep descent off the hills. Our leaders are not that
far from the next intermediate sprint for the day and are continuing to work
well. One reader (at work - OK - you're all anonymous then) also wrote in to
point out how this stage was very decisive in the 2005 edition of the TDU, and
it was where we all witnessed the then Liberty-Seguros rider Luis Leon Sanchez
take the stage
win and we all know what happened next, don't we? OK, he won.
13:40 CST 92km/47km to go
That was a fast descent
because as the peloton trundled through the 84km point, it was 6.30 behind our
leaders, who flew down the 14% descent at almost 80kmh. Our man on the side
of the road, who's fought his way to the barricades through the throng of people
in Goolwa, said it was a genuine sprint among our leaders going for the points.
Is there a language problem preventing a gentlemen's agreement? But the finishing
order was the same, with Delage first, then Carlstrom, and then Wes Sulzberger.
13:44 CST
If you're thinking, 'Sulzberger, I've
heard that name before ... ' that's because he took silver in the U23 World
Road Championships just last year. Wes and his two companions are now in relatively
flat, wide open roads, but luckily there's little wind to hold them back. They
certainly have the engines to stay clear and theoretically - they now have time
on their side. Our man on the side of the road says they still look good and
are working well together. As the peloton rolled through the 90km mark it was
5.30 behind.
13:49 CST
Here's a link to that race at the
World's last year when Sulzberger bagged second in the
U23 road race but back in the peloton the big teams have woken from the
collective slumber and are starting to work. Have they left it too late to catch
them? At 94km the peloton was 4.55 behind.
13:58 CST 99km/40km to go
As to our theories
why the French riders have been so animated this year, Wes from Perth said,
"Easy. I've seen photos and highlights from races all over the world and the
TDU has THE hottest podium girls of all time. Now there's an incentive". At
99km, Delage, Carlstrom and Sulzberger had the peloton pegged at 4.50. This
is going to be very close.
14:00 CST
The conditions for this breakaway
group just keep improving. CN's Greg J reports from the finish that, "The temperature
has droped considerably. It's much cooler at the moment. There is light cloud
cover but nothing to suggest we will have the same pouring conditions as last
year's finish in Victor Harbour".
14:04 CST
Can our trio make it? Geoff in Melbourne
suggests, "If the break is together, I would suggest that Wes (Sulzberger) attacks
when they turn onto the Ring Rd in Victor Harbour. The others in the break will
be so amazed by how cool the adventure park is (well it was when I was 15) that
they'll not be watching his wheel ... "
14:08 CST
Race radio just reported that neutral
service was being called up to the break ...
14:11 CST 109km/30km to go
High Road riders are
on the front chasing hard, and several of the other sprinters' teams are lending
a hand to the chase, too. The gap from our leaders to the peloton is 4.00. Can
they do it?
14:17 CST 119km/20km to go
With 20km to go, the
three are staying clear and the last time gap given was 4.00, while riders are
being shelled from the back of the main field as the pace goes up.
14:20 CST
The peloton has just gone through
the 20-to-go point, being led by High Road and Caisse D'Epargne. Our man on
the side of the road says the leaders are still working well together, and coming
up is a short but sharp climb on the run into Victor Harbour, an excellent place
to attack for one of our three? It's happened before. The latest time gap is
2.30. It's coming down rapidly.
14:24 CST
CN's Greg J reports from Victor Harbour:
"The finish line in Victor Harbour is alive with activity with thousands enjoying
the temporary rock climbing wall, ferris wheel, and other rides. The riders
will face a moderate cross wind as they head down the finishing straight which
curves to the right." Latest time gap? Just over 2 minutes ...
14:28 CST
The latest time gap to come through
has our leaders at 1.35 - the gap is really coming down but a local, John from
Normanville, wrote in in to say: "I think they're going to stay away. I know
the roads very well, the terrain they're headed into doesn't favor a close chase.
The rider that can get a gap at the top of the last little rise won't be caught."
14:30 CST 129km/10km to go
With 10km to go, our
leaders have a gap of over a minute as the peloton puts the hammer down and
splits in two. Riders are being shelled out the back - it's going to be very
close. There are some very big motors in the main field.
14:32 CST 132km/7km to go
The main field is really
travelling now and our man on the side of the road reckons the leaders will
be caught - the time gap is now at 40 seconds.
14:35 CST
There's a stiff breeeze blowing in
off the ocean that will make a crosswind on the finishing straight; it's a tight
and twisty finale, even if it is dead flat. It's what you would call a 'McEwen
finish'.
14:37 CST 134km/5km to go
With 5km to go the
gap has really come down now - the leaders only have a gap of 200 metres or
so, but they're not giving up.
14:40 CST 136km/3km to go
They're caught! Once
again, with 3km to go ...
14:40 CST 137km/2km to go
There are attacks going
from the front of the peloton now but none are getting clear. The field will
have to negotiate a few turns before they swing on to the finishing straight.
14:41 CST 138km/1km to go
They're inside 1km
and altogether and the sprinters' teams get their acts together ...
14:43 CST 139km/0km to go
And coming down the
final straight the UniSA boys have put Alby Davis into a great position, and
he's holding his line and behind him it looks like Mark Renshaw and then Graeme
Brown ... and Alby holds them off and take it by 3 bike lengths!
14:50 CST 139km/0km to go
Immediately after the
finish, Allan Davis from UniSA - Australia said, "mate, it's a big relief (to
get the stage win). I'd like to thank my team-mates from UniSA. The boys did
a great job and I'd like to thank all of them." Davis said coming into the final
straight he was "in a good position and about 350 metres out I gave it a good
go, and I had a look between my legs and saw that nobody was there ... it's
a really good win for me today, thanks mate". Our reporter on the line believes
Davis was followed across the line by Mark Renshaw (Credit Agricole) and Graeme
Brown (Rabobank), but that's unofficial for now, although Davis is definitely
the winner of the stage.
14:54 CST
Ah, so it was close but no cigar once
again for the brave breakaway lads. At least Wes Sulzberger can have a beer
tonight with Alby and celebrate the stage win. Although UniSA is a 'composite'
team in a ProTour event, one look at its roster shows a mixture of serious cycling
talent with experience, talent, strength and finishing skill. After all, Davis
did bag second at Milan - Sanremo last year.
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14:58 CST
Thanks for the comments and sharing
the spirit, so to speak, willing our leaders home - just for once wouldn't it
be great to see them stay away? One reader thinks the use of race radios has
made it far too hard for breaks to stay clear, as it puts all the advantage
with the chasing peloton. Dan in Newport Beach wrote in to say, "Again it would
be such a better race without the on-rider radios. Without that they slow about
2kmh because the motors don't know when to launch and to send a rider back to
the team car, get the info and work that back into the field is impossible at
'FULL' speed." We're still waiting for confirmation of those minor placings,
but if Renshaw did bag second, and Brown in third, then the ochre jersey will
go back to Renshaw. Possibly.
15:10 CST
Apologies for the delay providing
confirmation of the minor placings in today's stage, as the judges need to double-check
the finish, but it seems that the organge and blue jersey in third may have
been that of Mat Hayman from Rabobank (Brown was in ochre), while our reporters
are pretty sure it was Renshaw in second. No doubt about Alby, though. Also,
Philippe Gilbert from FDJ put in a bold attack with just over a kilometre to
go and was hugging the barricades, but with the speed of the chasing peloton
he was caught just before the line.
15:14 CST
Latest word is that there are countbacks
underway to determine the general classification, but the final placings should
be out soon. Just have to be sure ...
15:58 CST 139km/0km to go
OK - we have finally
received the stage results and top 10 in the GC for today's stage, and it is
Davis, followed by Mark Renshaw and Mathew Hayman of Rabobak, so there's an
Australian trifecta for today's stage. With his second place, Mark Renshaw of
Credit Agricole has once again secured the ochre leader's jersey with a slim
lead of two seconds.
16:00 CST
Thanks again for following the Cyclingnews'live
coverage of the third stage of the Tour Down Under. We'll be back tomorrow for
the fourth stage from Mannum to Strathalbyn, a rolling 134km course that should
see another shake-up to the overall standings. Until then, thanks for joining
us and we'll be back tomorrow.
Summary
After a 13km neutral trundle out of Unley, racing got seriously underway in the town of Sturt and right away the attacks started. Finally, after 17km one of these attacks did stay away - comprising Mickael Delage (Fra) from Francaise Des Jeux, Kjell Carlstrom (Fin) from Liquigas and Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) from UniSA - Australia.
This trio really worked well together and at one stage built up a lead of almost six minutes, but then, like on other days, the peloton came alive and started to chase. Today's capture happened with under 3km remaining and then there was a furious affair to bag the stage win. With several corners leading into the finishing straight, it was thought to be one of those circuits that would favour Robbie McEwen (Silence - Lotto), except that Philippe Gilbert from FDJ flew off the front with 1.5km remaining.
However, the sprinters' teams were too orqanised, especially that of UniSA - Australia, who would have saved their strength by not contributing to the chase of their team-mate, Sulzberger. Coming onto the final straight, the Belgian, Gilbert, had the line in sight but behind came him noted sprinter Allan 'Alby' Davis, who finished a clear three bike lengths in front of Mark Renshaw (Credit Agricole), with Mathew Hayman (Rabobank) in third.
Immediately after the finish, Davis said, "mate, it's a big relief (to get the stage win). I'd like to thank my team-mates from UniSA. The boys did a great job and I'd like to thank all of them." Davis said coming into the final straight he was "in a good position and about 350 metres out I gave it a good go, and I had a look between my legs and saw that nobody was there ... it's a really good win for me today, thanks mate". Davis was followed across the line by Mark Renshaw (Credit Agricole), which means he regained the ochre leader's jersey after losing it yesterday to Rabobank's Graeme Brown.
Provisional results of stage 3, Tour Down Under, January 24, 2008 1 Allan Davis (Aus) UniSA - Australia 3.13.48 2 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Credit Agricole st 3 Mathew Hayman (Aus) Rabobank 4 Davide Vigano (Ita) Quick Step 5 Andre Greipel (Ger) Team High Road 6 Stuart O’Grady (Aus) Team CSC 7 Pieter Jacobs (Bel) Silence - Lotto 8 Aurelien Clerc (Swi) Bouygues Telecom 9 Martin Elmiger (Swi)Ag2R-La Mondiale 10 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Francaise Des Jeux General Classification after Stage 3 1 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Credit Agricole 10.14.00 2 Allan Davis (Aus) UniSA - Australia .02 3 Andre Greipel (Ger) Team High Road .06 4 Graeme Brown (Aus) st 5 Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Caisse D'Epargne .10 6 Mickael Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis Le Credit Par Telephone st 7 Mickael Delage (Fra) Francaise Des Jeux st 8 Yoann Offredo (Fra) Francaise Des Jeux 0.11 9 Mathew Hayman (Aus) Rabobank 0.12 10 Kjell Carlstrom (Fin) Liquigas st
