Ochre snatched but I'm betting not for long
20 January 2007
Well you wouldn’t think you could get two consecutive years with such
different weather conditions as 2006 and 2007. Last year at the Willunga to
Willunga stage of the Tour it was 43C, still and searing and today the
heavens opened more than once during the race and the wind was up in various
stages aiding and hindering the riders. This only added to what was a
gripping stage four of the tour.
The plan today was to defend Karl Menzies but it was always going to be a test for this strapping rider, whose real strength is sprinting, to get up Willunga Hill. Robbie McLachlan (pictured) did a trojan job in keeping in the main breakaway but that group was slowly caught and towards the end of the race Karl was going to face his biggest challenge. In what has been a very dramatic day for Team UniSA-Australia we have lost the ochre leader’s jersey but essentially on points. Menzies tore back a breakaway lead of 58 seconds during the hill climb and joined the group that served up the winners of the stage. This showed his pure grit and strength but he was not able to place in the race. The problem for Team UniSA-Australia was that rival rider on points, Martin Elmiger AG2r Prevoyance, placed third. This gave him bonus points effectively reversing the order of things. So now Elmiger holds the ochre with a one second lead on Menzies.
If you want tension and thrills be there tomorrow track side. This is still very winable for UniSA. If we can get our sprinters out strong and hard, the win is not beyond our reach. If I were a betting man I would put my money on Karl.