Tour Down Under
Team UniSA-Australia Supporters Club
Team UniSA-Australia Supporters Club
Thursday, January 18, 2005
Stage 3 - Glenelg to Victor Harbor (139km)
Gene Bates confirmed his front-runner status in Stage Three of the
2005 Tour Down Under, taking home the King of the Mountain jersey and
crossing the finish line third – with a little help from his team mates.
It was a defining day in the tour, with the field divided into two – the
26 riders who went out ahead early and finished almost half an hour
ahead of the remaining 66. Those in the latter category now have no
chance now at winning the tour’s ultimate trophy, top of General
Classification.
Team UniSA was well represented in the breakaway of 26, by Steve
Cunningham and Chris Jongerwaard as well as Bates, who paid testament to
the team work that helped get him over the line third in the windy
Glenelg to Victor Harbour leg.
“I’m pretty small so I don’t like the wind much,” said Bates after the
race. “I did have a couple of wobbly moments near the back but Corey
Sweet helped me get to the front – and I also had some fantastic help
from Steve and Chris – they were real professionals.”
Team manager Michele Primaro’s prediction that Stage Three would sort
out the leaders from the pack proved true.
“As soon as we saw the group divide we knew the winner was going to come
from that break,” he said.
“Gene is clearly the star of the team this year, but it was also really
great to see Chris up there as well.”
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