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STAGE 1
Well I previewed the last 40km of yesterday’s stage and predicted a bunch sprint finish. The 25km to the line from Menglers was always going to be too far for a breakaway with no technical decent to aid the breakaway. Menglers was never going to phase any of the pro's as it rates as a bump for them! The finish was set to be a fast one with a long straight approach to the line from Nuriootpa all the way to Tanunda.
The stage did see a courageous break away involving Timothy Roe, a young SA rider who has been signed by Lance for he team trek under 23 development squad. He was part of a three man breakaway that formed in the 17km of the race and attacked them going up Menglers. Tim stayed off the front till Angaston where he was reeled in and the late attacks came thick and fast.
The sprint teams held it together with Columbia doing most of the work and as they lifted the pace in the final kilometres there where clearly two defined lead out lines of Sky and Columbia. Lance was in the mix too trying to get his man Steegmans. The sprint was a free for all in the end with the lead outs breaking down early as the long straight finish forced them to go to early. Greipel showed all his class in smashing the field in an explosive sprint. The sky lead out was not fast enough with Greipel launching from behind Brown and Robbie and simply too much power great positioning, well won. Of not is the effort of Steegmans who claimed second while weaving his way through the pack a great effort and a good sign for Radio Shack for the rest of the week.
ALLAN DAVIS – OUT OF GC!!
The stage did see a courageous break away involving Timothy Roe, a young SA rider who has been signed by Lance for he team trek under 23 development squad. He was part of a three man breakaway that formed in the 17km of the race and attacked them going up Menglers. Tim stayed off the front till Angaston where he was reeled in and the late attacks came thick and fast.
The sprint teams held it together with Columbia doing most of the work and as they lifted the pace in the final kilometres there where clearly two defined lead out lines of Sky and Columbia. Lance was in the mix too trying to get his man Steegmans. The sprint was a free for all in the end with the lead outs breaking down early as the long straight finish forced them to go to early. Greipel showed all his class in smashing the field in an explosive sprint. The sky lead out was not fast enough with Greipel launching from behind Brown and Robbie and simply too much power great positioning, well won. Of not is the effort of Steegmans who claimed second while weaving his way through the pack a great effort and a good sign for Radio Shack for the rest of the week.
ALLAN DAVIS – OUT OF GC!!
Big news is that Davis is out of GC contention crossing the line 8min behind the pack. I bumped in to Davis after slipping the barriers and getting into the media scrum for Greipel. There was no media scrum for Davis, and he didn’t look happy soon after crossing the line. He blamed his team according to the Advertiser (my poo is a more reliable source) but if he is blaming his team – Davis you’re an idiot. In Stage one there was one task for a sprinter – climb a bump and stay with the pack! The Pelton where going easy on menglers and it was all together Davis obviously wasn’t fit enough to stay with the pack into Tanunda. Davis you lose!!!
Well it is early days but it does look like it is up to the rest of the sprinters to prove they are better than Greipel as it looks as though he is in top form, and backed by an impressive team capable of controlling the race.
-FS
