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The first World Tour race of the 2015 cycling season, the Tour Down Under is finally upon us after what seems like an eternity for the off season!
Join The Roar from 12:30pm (AEDT) for a live blog of Stage 1 of this year’s Tour Down Under from Tanuda to Campbelltown which stretches a distance of 132.6km.
Already this season we have seen a thrilling Australian National Championships race which was won by Heinrich Haussler (IAM) and on Sunday night we saw the opening or the unofficial prologue if you like to the Tour Down Under, the People’s Choice Classic which was raced around the streets of Adelaide and taken out by Marcel Kittel (Giant) which reaffirmed what most already knew or believed, that he is the fastest man in the Tour Down Under this year.
The Tour Down Under is often separated at the end by two factors – bonus seconds and Willunga Hill. But it creates a very exciting week of racing and this year’s edition promises to be no different. Add that to the fact it is Cadel Evans (BMC) last stage race and we have a mix for huge crowds and exciting racing.
Stage 1 from Tanuda to Campbelltown is relatively short by world tour standards, but then so is most of the Tour Down Under. Nonetheless this stage is still the shortest apart from the final circuit race around Adelaide during Stage 6 on Sunday.
The stage is mostly flat, however does have some lumps in it throughout. These lumps are most evident early in stage when the riders will be on a circuit which has a length of 32km, however there is nothing serious in the way of climbs.
There are two intermediate sprints on route, and both of these fall in the same place, near the end of the circuit on Bethany Road. The first at the 28.4km mark and the second at the 60.4km mark. It points towards a sprint finish, unless there’s an opportunistic attack either up or indeed down Checker Hill.
After leaving the circuit the riders will have about a 40km ride to Checker Hill passing through the feed zone at Williamstown. The summit of Checker Hill appears at 104.1 km raced. This leaves about 30 km to the line and most of that is downhill. If a breakaway is allowed to go, an opportunist attacks over the climb, or the sprinters get distanced it could allow an attacker to win the stage.
If the stage does end in a sprint, as expected, then the favourite must be Kittel on the back of his Giant team. Other riders in the pack that can put in a very good sprint and could be in the top three and get some bonus seconds include Daryl Impey (Orica), Chris Sutton (Sky), Greg Henderson (Lotto – Soudal), Haussler (IAM) and Mark Renshaw (Quickstep).
If the race was to unfold in an attack on Checker Hill for the win, riders that could be expected to be at the forefront would include Matthew Hayman (Orica), Michael Rogers (Saxo), Christophe Riblon (AG2R), Dario Cataldo (Astana), Jeremy Roy (FDJ), Pablo Lastras (Movistar), William Clarke and Travis Meyer (both Drapac), Jack Bobridge and Steele Van Hoff (Uni SA).
Either way it should be a great way to start the 2015 Tour Down Under. Join The Roar for our live blog from 12:30pm (AEDT) and feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section throughout the entirety of the stage!