Bahrain Victorious rider Phil Bauhaus held off a late cost from Schwalbe Basic winner Caleb Ewan (Australia Nationwide Group) and Jayco Alula’s Michael Matthews to take prime honors on stage 1 of the Santos Tour Down Beneath. The German rose to the event after being concerned in an early crash, considered one of a handful that passed off throughout the second longest stage round Tanunda.
The ultimate crash occurred simply metres from the end line after a disorganised finale and early season nerves noticed a contact of wheels mid pack carry down nearly half the peloton, together with greatest younger rider Magnus Sheffield (Ineos). Ewan, who had no teammates left within the closing kilometres, was pressured to surf wheels and began his dash from a couple of bike lengths again. When he obtained on top of things, nonetheless, Ewan nearly robbed Bauhaus from his first victory of the season, however a determined bike throw wasn’t sufficient to take the win from the German sprinter. Matthews additionally confirmed his type, ending a detailed third.
Alessandro Covi (UAE) took fourth and 21-year-old Paul Penhoët (Groupama FDJ) claimed fifth after a 149.9km race round Tanunda.
Winner of yesterday’s prologue, Alberto Bettiol (EF Training First) stays within the ochre leaders jersey after a nervous day of racing, six seconds forward of Matthews, who moved up eight locations on GC after gathering some mid race bonus seconds. Sheffield, regardless of being caught within the pile up earlier than the road, completed the race and at the moment sits third general, eight seconds behind.
How It Unfolded
The 149.9km stage heading out from Tanunda within the coronary heart of the Barossa wine area began in situations fairly overseas for the Australian summer season tour, with temperatures sitting round a gentle 20°C.
It was a thick lining of crowds alongside the beginning line ready to look at stage 1, making up for the 2 misplaced years when the WorldTour race couldn’t run due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There have been early assaults as the sector rolled out alongside the palm-lined Seppeltsfield Street, with views of the vineyards stretching out, but it surely was when Nans Peters (AG2R Citroën) jumped out alone that there was a transfer that basically caught, with the hole stretching to succeed in 4 and a half minutes by the 110km mark.
It wasn’t lengthy earlier than the Tanunda crowds once more switched their consideration from the festivities and meals of the South Australian city to assemble alongside the limitations and watch the riders come by way of the beginning/end line as they completed a primary giant lap – which took them out to Greenrock, Nurioopta and Angaston – and began on the smaller loop.
It was Peters that got here by way of the Tanunda to assert the primary dash factors of the stage however with just one rider out the entrance that meant the battle was on throughout the peloton to comb up the remaining. Within the tightest of sprints, Michael Matthews (Jayco AlUla) prevailed to take the 2 second time bonus forward of Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers) who needed to accept one.
The remainder of the sector was stretched out by the wind up of the tempo for the dash level because it got here by way of to go into the primary of the smaller loops, which additionally included Menglers Hill – the most important contributor to the stage’s greater than 2000m of vertical ascent. The impression of an earlier crash involving Gerben Thisjssen (Intermarche-Circus-Wanty) may very well be seen.
The rider had made his method again into the sector however was now sitting within the peloton with blood on his legs and a ripped up jersey on his again.
Within the meantime the information had additionally come by way of that one of many general contenders, Patrick Bevin (Group DSM) had been pressured to retire, affected by the accidents sustained in a crash on Saturday’s Schwalbe Basic.
The second time by way of the road in Tanunda and the hole had now shrunk to nearer to one-and-a-half minutes, with the staff of tour chief Alberto Bettiol (EF Training-EasyPost) setting the tempo on the entrance of the sector, with the Australian Nationwide Group additionally on watch to ensure there was no break to break a dash likelihood for Caleb Ewan.
At simply over 55km to go, Peters was caught however there was additionally a crash throughout the peloton. Embroiled had been two riders from UAE Group Emirates, Sjoerd Bax and Finn Fisher-Black, James Knox (Soudal Quickstep) and Hermann Pernsteiner (Bahrain Victorious), together with riders from the Australian Nationwide staff, Graeme Frislie, a helpful set of quick legs for Ewan’s lead out, amongst them.
There was additionally a break up within the peloton, catching with some potential gamers in a dash end, akin to Kaden Groves caught out but it surely wasn’t lengthy after the third run by way of Tanunda that there was a regrouping, with Groves lucky sufficient to have Alpecin-Deceuninck teammates and others who had been motivated to chase for firm.
The ultimate KOM factors at beneath 40km to go on the second final run up Menglers Hill had been arduous fought between Lucas Plapp (Ineos Grenadiers) and Alessandro Covi (UAE Group Emirates), with Covi hitting the road first.
About 25km to go, with the sector on their closing circuit, there was a crash on the entrance of the sector with three Jumbo-Visma riders, Timo Roosen, Tim van Dijke and Robert Gesink, who was the worst of these concerned.
The ultimate Menglers Hill climb by way of and simply ten kilometres to go to get set for the dash, riders who had been dropped on the ascent had been scrambling to get again on whereas others had been positioning to arrange their lead out, with the important thing groups combating for management however none massing with dominant numbers.
In the long run, Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious) got here out on prime forward of dash favourites, Caleb Ewan and Michael Matthews. Ewan was developing quick on the German sprinter, however he left it simply moments to late and was overwhelmed in a photograph end.
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