Tour Down Under: Stage 1 live updates
Roar Guru By The Roar, 17 Jan 2012 The Roar is a Roar Guru
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- Cycling, GreenEDGE, live blog, Tour Down Under
Stage 1 of Tour Down Under starts today, a race from Prospect to Clare of 149 km, with an estimated race time of 3 hours and 54 minutes. Join us for live updates of the Stage 1 of the Tour Down Under from 11:30 ADST (11am local).
The race begins with a 5 km neutral start. There are two sprint point locations: Jayco Sprint #1, at 74.7 km, and Jayco Sprint #2, at 104.5 km.
The focus for most Aussies will be on the GreenEDGE team, who frankly, looked short on ideas in the Down Under Classic.
With Jack Bobridge recovered from his fall which kept him out of the Classic, the team will be looking to ensure defending champion Cam Meyer, as well as past winners Simon Gerrans and Stuart O’Grady are with the main classification.
GreenEDGE have unsurprisingly backed Gerrans as one of their key riders vying for overall honours this year, after winning the National Road title last weekend. Meyer will play his part, being the defending champion and he’ll hope to catch a rare breakaway which helped him win last year. Local boy Stuart O’Grady won’t be far away, with Robbie McEwen, Matt Goss, Leigh Howard and Bobridge making up a strong looking team.
Team Sky has three Aussies in the race, with Michael Rogers, Chris Sutton and Mathew Hayman, as well as the likes of Boasson Hagen.
Lotto Belisol with Andre Greipel will also be a strong team – Greipel will need to get over the climbs, but has won twice. Movistar have Alejandro Valverde and Rojas in the line up and the course might suit their style and Aussie Matt Lloyd, riding for the Lampre ISD Italian team, will be in the mix.
Rabobank’s Luis Leon Sanchez won the race in 2005 and knows how to make a nuisance of himself, while teammate Mark Renshaw will be looking to show the world that he is more than a leadout fish for Mark Cavendish and emerge as a pure sprinter – with Stage 1 his first real chance after spotting a flat tyre in the lead-up Classic.
We’ll be doing our best to keep you updated throughout the race – join in with any questions and thoughts you have as the race unfolds.
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4:22pm
Tristan Rayner said | 4:22pm | Report comment
Lotto-Belisol rider Andre Greipel wins Stage 1 of the Tour Down Under in a photo finish from Alessandro Petacchi
4:28pm
Tristan Rayner said | 4:28pm | Report comment
Sabatini third. Reports Haussler has hurt himself in the crash.
4:18pm
Tristan Rayner said | 4:18pm | Report comment
Andre Greipel being called the winner…
4:17pm
Rob McLean said | 4:17pm | Report comment
There’s been a crash
4:17pm
Rob McLean said | 4:17pm | Report comment
There’s been a crash
4:17pm
Tristan Rayner said | 4:17pm | Report comment
1.5km to go; it’s hard to follow what’s what with the technical issues…
There’s been a CRASH we’re hearing. Will keep you updated.
Sirens in background on radio.
4:16pm
Rob McLean said | 4:16pm | Report comment
1 kay to go now
4:17pm
Tristan Rayner said | 4:17pm | Report comment
Keep the call coming Rob!
4:16pm
Rob McLean said | 4:16pm | Report comment
3 kays
4:14pm
Rob McLean said | 4:14pm | Report comment
The Uni SA rider back with the peloton.
4:13pm
Rob McLean said | 4:13pm | Report comment
5 kay to go Will Clark leads by 200 metres
4:13pm
Tristan Rayner said | 4:13pm | Report comment
Will Clarke is leading by 250mtrs with 5km to go!
4:10pm
Rob McLean said | 4:10pm | Report comment
Tristan, what address can I send some pics to?
4:12pm
Tristan Rayner said | 4:12pm | Report comment
Hi Rob – we love pics from live events. Thanks.
Please email to editorial (at) theroar dot com.au
Thanks mate – we’ll get them up asap.
4:04pm
Tristan Rayner said | 4:04pm | Report comment
12km’s to go and the peleton has caught the race leader, Rohan Dennis.
So it’ll be a bunched sprint to the tape.
3:59pm
Tristan Rayner said | 3:59pm | Report comment
Lead down to 27 seconds. He’s falling away…
3:55pm
Tristan Rayner said | 3:55pm | Report comment
Rohan Dennis still leading with less than 13km to go!
3:53pm
Tristan Rayner said | 3:53pm | Report comment
Rohan Dennis wants the win – splits from the breakaway and is going to go for it alone.
134km/15km: The time gap is under one minute.
3:48pm
Tristan Rayner said | 3:48pm | Report comment
Gap is coming down, which leaves openings for the sprinters: Renshaw, Greipel, Goss all among the chances in a bunch sprint.
The gap is now (unofficially) down to 1:20. This lack of race radio has made the blogging tough.
3:49pm
Tristan Rayner said | 3:49pm | Report comment
14kms to go.
3:47pm
Tristan Rayner said | 3:47pm | Report comment
Technical issues all around here.
1.2m gap currently. 4 in Pelaton.
Still relying on unofficial coverage here. Listen live here: http://www.abc.net.au/local/players/internet_radio.htm?streamFile=localadelaide&streamTitle=Grandstand's+Tour+Down+Under
3:45pm
Rob McLean said | 3:45pm | Report comment
I’m guessing we’re about 20 minutes from a finish.
For us ol’ school media outlets, that’s a pain.
The print manager is breathing down my neck!
3:43pm
Tristan Rayner said | 3:43pm | Report comment
Matt White from GreenEDGE says “we’ll catch ‘em”. Time gap is down to two minutes with about 20 kms to race.
Stuart O’Grady spent an hour on the front of the race to reel in the breakaway, face first into the hot winds. Tough.
3:44pm
Tristan Rayner said | 3:44pm | Report comment
The breakaway managed to get 11m 40s in front but it’s been a good chase to bring them back.
3:27pm
Tristan Rayner said | 3:27pm | Report comment
(Unofficial) report that the lead riders are only 30k’s from the finish at Clare
Gregory Henderson (NZL) – Lotto Belisol Team and Martin Elmiger (SUI) – Ag2r La Mondiale have crashed – unknown if they can continue or abandon.
3:31pm
Tristan Rayner said | 3:31pm | Report comment
The gap is just two minutes – the peleton is steaming home to work for a sprint finish over the breakaway riders
2:58pm
Tristan Rayner said | 2:58pm | Report comment
Unofficial reports suggesting with 40km to go – the break is being reeled in, at 5:10sec – will confirm if we can
3:07pm
Tristan Rayner said | 3:07pm | Report comment
Gap now reported as 4:30 with ~40km to go
2:54pm
Tristan Rayner said | 2:54pm | Report comment
Temperatures are starting to drop; a cool change is taking a few degrees off to the (mild) relief of the riders. Clare’s temperature has dropped to (just) 33C.
2:53pm
Tristan Rayner said | 2:53pm | Report comment
It’s tough without race radio. The next King of the Mountains is coming up, and word from the course is that GreenEDGE are working hard to close the gap to leaders.
2:43pm
Tristan Rayner said | 2:43pm | Report comment
Update: Unofficially the time check is now 8:30. The peleton is now chasing hard to bridge the gap.
2:34pm
Tristan Rayner said | 2:34pm | Report comment
Race radio is down, might have fizzled out under the intense heat.
2:19pm
Tristan Rayner said | 2:19pm | Report comment
The first King of the Mountains has been taken out by Marcello Pavarin (ITA) – Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team – no surprises there.
2:30pm
Tristan Rayner said | 2:30pm | Report comment
Kohler 2nd in KOM
Vorganov 3rd
2:13pm
Rob McLean said | 2:13pm | Report comment
For those of you who love your Aussie tv – McLeod’s Daughters was filmed in and around Freeling, where the riders passed through today.
A sporting fact about Kapunda, where the first sprints were held: the town has a beautiful golf course and its favourite son is Paul McCarthy, who has won the club’s title more than 20 times. The most recent being 2011.
Clare, where the stage will finish, was the home of Joe Darling, former Australian cricket captain and Tasmanian politician.
2:05pm
Tristan Rayner said | 2:05pm | Report comment
First intermediate sprint goes to Martin Kohler (BMC). 3 sec bonus for Kohler and five points.
2:30pm
Tristan Rayner said | 2:30pm | Report comment
Rohan Dennis (AUS – SA) – UniSA Australia picks up two secs and three points. Marcello Pavarin (ITA) – Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team picks up one sec and two points.
3:32pm
Tristan Rayner said | 3:32pm | Report comment
Here’s Kohler: http://yfrog.com/nxj8svpj
1:58pm
Tristan Rayner said | 1:58pm | Report comment
Team Katusha’s Latvian rider Gatis Smukulis has asked for the race doctor. Hope he’s alright.
1:56pm
Tristan Rayner said | 1:56pm | Report comment
The break is now within one kilometres of the first Sprint in Kapunda.
2:00pm
Tristan Rayner said | 2:00pm | Report comment
It seems to be inconsequential for the outcome of the various jerseys – the peleton won’t be too worried.
1:55pm
Tristan Rayner said | 1:55pm | Report comment
GreenEDGE is now at the front looking to reduce the gap along with Team SKY.
1:53pm
Tristan Rayner said | 1:53pm | Report comment
From TDU feed: Team SKY and Lotto-Belisol are working hard at the front of the peloton as William Clarke (AUS – Tas) – UniSA Australia struggles at the back of the bunch.
1:46pm
Tristan Rayner said | 1:46pm | Report comment
61km/66km: 11:15 from the breakaway group on the rest of the peleton
1:40pm
Tristan Rayner said | 1:40pm | Report comment
The domestiques (water bottle collectors) are working hard, going back to team cars and collecting water for the teams.
2:29pm
Kasey said | 2:29pm | Report comment
Domestiques should qualify for a super bonus on a day like today. I love that in cycling there are guys who sacrifice theimselves for the good of the team(the GC rider)
1:38pm
Rob McLean said | 1:38pm | Report comment
Nasty day out there, my sports journo just got back from taking pics just outside of Gawler and he’s drenched in sweat.
A good crowd out, despite the heat.
Slow race – heat and wind taking its toll. It’s all been flat terrain ’til now so it’ll be interesting to see if the race falls further behind schedule.
Also worth noting that while riding to Gawler, the cyclists were ‘racing’ alongside the Stuart O’Grady cycle path. That runs between Gawler and Port Wakefield Highway.
Tristan, I may be able to supply some pics later today if you want them….
1:46pm
Tristan Rayner said | 1:46pm | Report comment
Interesting Rob – and that’d be great re:pics! Look forward to it if you can.
1:31pm
Tristan Rayner said | 1:31pm | Report comment
It’s a (very) slow race at the moment – some 45 minutes behind schedule – which means a 4:15pm race finish at best. 51 kms completed – the break is 11m 5s in front. Long dayu – and 41 degrees Celsius (106F)
1:24pm
Tristan Rayner said | 1:24pm | Report comment
No abandons, and race radio chatter has died down as the race continues without a lot of drama.
1:20pm
Tristan Rayner said | 1:20pm | Report comment
44km gone | 105km to go: The time gap holds steady at 11:40.
1:06pm
Tristan Rayner said | 1:06pm | Report comment
38kms gone: 11:38s in front – break riders are still Rohan Dennis (AUS-SA) – UniSA Australia, Marcello Pavarin (ITA) – Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team, Eduard Vorganov (RUS) – Katusha Team and Martin Kohler (SUI) – BMC Racing Team.
Dennis is a local and will get some cheers.
1:03pm
Tristan Rayner said | 1:03pm | Report comment
Gap is 11.40 as the break riders work hard to get away.
12:48pm
Tristan Rayner said | 12:48pm | Report comment
28kms now gone – The peleton is back together, with the breakaway currently at 9:30. The 30 or so riders in the chase group are in between the two.
12:45pm
Tristan Rayner said | 12:45pm | Report comment
Some 29 riders are in a lead pack that have split from the peleton and are chasing the breakaway.
12:43pm
Tristan Rayner said | 12:43pm | Report comment
Crash: Romain Feillu (FRA) – Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
12:47pm
Tristan Rayner said | 12:47pm | Report comment
He’s ok, back up – not sure of the damage.
12:34pm
Tristan Rayner said | 12:34pm | Report comment
Here we go – with 131km – the peloton seems to have woken up now that the time gap has breached 10 minutes. We wait for the next time gap.
12:36pm
Tristan Rayner said | 12:36pm | Report comment
Race radio says the peleton are now cranking on the pace.
12:40pm
Tristan Rayner said | 12:40pm | Report comment
The peleton are now in five groups as they start – the deep dish wheels are acting as a bit of a sail on crosswinds. Could be a crazy part of the race. We’re looking at a dangerous situation for a lot of riders.
12:32pm
Tristan Rayner said | 12:32pm | Report comment
16km have now gone – 133km to go: The time gap continues to build. It is now 10m 20s and still rising.
12:37pm
Tristan Rayner said | 12:37pm | Report comment
Got out to 11m
12:26pm
Tristan Rayner said | 12:26pm | Report comment
Looking at the long list of riders (there’s more than 120) Alejando Valverde is the probably the only Grand Tour rider in the Tour Down Under.
He’s coming off a, ahem, doping suspension, so he needs some kilometres in the legs, no doubt.
12:23pm
Tristan Rayner said | 12:23pm | Report comment
135kms to go: Peleton have let the breakaway get out to some nine minutes.
12:29pm
Tristan Rayner said | 12:29pm | Report comment
Gert Steegmans (BEL) – Omega Pharma-Quickstep has had an early rear flat tyre.
12:21pm
Tristan Rayner said | 12:21pm | Report comment
Lots of riders taking early opportunities to go back to their team cars and feed – finished their drinks already
12:15pm
Tristan Rayner said | 12:15pm | Report comment
138km to go: The breakaway has a nearly five minute lead on the peleton.
12:09pm
Tristan Rayner said | 12:09pm | Report comment
140km to go: the time gap is increasing quickly and currently stands at 2.10s. No movement to cover from the peleton.
12:08pm
Tristan Rayner said | 12:08pm | Report comment
It’s all strategy… the tactics from a team that has good miles in their legs early in season (such as GreenEDGE) might be to try and hurt the other teams.
They’re used to the heat, and it’ll burn, but it might hurt the other teams more, giving them an advantage over the coming days.
12:03pm
Tristan Rayner said | 12:03pm | Report comment
An attack is underway – 6km in – still 143 to go.
Rohan Dennis (AUS-SA) – UniSA Australia, Marcello Pavarin (ITA) – Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team and Martin Kohler (SUI) – BMC Racing Team have a gap of 1m:10s.
12:04pm
Tristan Rayner said | 12:04pm | Report comment
Eduard Vorganov (RUS) – Katusha Team has bridged the gap to join.
11:57am
Tristan Rayner said | 11:57am | Report comment
It’s all about the conditions today – the Europeans have come from their deep winter.
We may not see many breakaways – traditionally windy conditions bring accidents and the lads might be taking it slightly easier than in past years. It is an absolute headwind at the moment.
Lots of deep dish wheels have been chosen by the riders.
12:18pm
Kasey said | 12:18pm | Report comment
I’ve just been top pick up my lunch, bushfire weather was how I describe the condition, hot and very windy. Still I believe the heat is the reason the race is well supported by the peloton, better than freezing your nuts off in Europe eh? the wind should string the riders out, the DS’s will have to be right on their games to get their GC boys up front at the right time for the finish.
12:20pm
Tristan Rayner said | 12:20pm | Report comment
Thanks Kasey – you’re in Adelaide right? Good thoughts.
12:50pm
Kasey said | 12:50pm | Report comment
yes I’m in Adelaide and I ‘ve manged to score corporate tickets for both stage 5 and 6 of the TDU, screw you Ch9, I will see some live cycling this year! It’ll be a nice way to rest up after the Bupa challenge tour on Friday(stage 4), us mug punters are going to be in struggle-town on Menglers hill if the weather is the same as today:(
http://www.change.org/petitions/channel-nine-australia-return-the-rights-for-the-2013-tour-down-under-to-sbs-australia
11:53am
Tristan Rayner said | 11:53am | Report comment
An interesting way to follow the race – via GPS:
http://www.mapmytracks.com/events/tour-down-under-2012/race/stage-12
The lack of live updates means you’ll need to stick with me here
12:01pm
BLP said | 12:01pm | Report comment
Can’t believe Channel 9 pinched this event from SBS only to provide substandard coverage. Same thing happened with the 2002 World Cup. They only care about the ratings and not about providing quality coverage – that eminent cycling expert (lol) Andrew Voss will be hosting apparently!
SBS has done so much to raise the profile of cycling in this country, and had improved their TDU coverage over the last few years. I remember speaking to Mike Tomalaris in Adelaide a few years back when they were still doing the half hour highlights and he was talking about how hard SBS were working to get the live coverage up and running.
We can only pray that 9 don’t try to steal the TDF as well!
12:37pm
Tristan Rayner said | 12:37pm | Report comment
SBS do such a magnificent job with the TDF. It’d be terrible.
11:51am
Tristan Rayner said | 11:51am | Report comment
The riders are out of the neutral zone and racing is underway.
The northerly winds have picked up and are now blowing at 33km/h. Current temp in Adelaide is 36.3 degrees.
11:48am
Tristan Rayner said | 11:48am | Report comment
Lots of discussion around the TV coverage – Channel Nine have the rights, but are only showing highlights at, er, 11pm.
There’s the good and the bad – mainstream TV but no live coverage. Not many are happy about that.
11:41am
Tristan Rayner said | 11:41am | Report comment
We’ll see some cramping and dehydration today – the riders can’t replenish their liquids fast enough and it’s brutally hot. On the opening day, the riders won’t be looking to break too many records.
11:33am
Tristan Rayner said | 11:33am | Report comment
Eddy Merckx fires the start gun – and they’re off! Weather conditions playing on everyone’s minds, a hot northerly wind blowing and being on the road there’s little respite for riders. Big advantage to be hiding in the peleton today.