The word was Represent
16 January 2007
by
Michele Nardelli
And the UniSA-Australia Team did just that. For team manager Dave Sanders the
TDU Classic was not about the win as much as it was about letting everyone know
UniSA was there for the racing. The aim was to represent in every breakaway and
to be "in that number" when the finish line loomed. With Allan Davis running in
fifth and just split seconds between the final placings, the mission was
accomplished.
And true to form the team used the classic to build a strong focused team approach that will hold them in good stead for the rest of the tour.
The first small breakaway from Olman (SA.com/AIS), Sinner (Agrtubel, France), Hunt (Unibet.com, Sweden) and Cheula (Barloworld, Sth Africa) of about 20 seconds, had Robbie McLachlan (UniSA-Australia) on its tail and before long he was in the thick of the group.
"McLachlan did a phenomenal job and the communication in the team was outstanding," Sanders said.
As the pelaton drew closer to the leaders new riders struck out to keep the break going and this time SA's own Chris Jongewaard stepped up to the plate with strong encouragement from the crowd. Jongewaard remained in the breakaway group for about five laps and just missed winning the fourth Prime when world class sprinter Robbie Hunter (Barloworld) pushed past.
In the third to last lap the leaders were swallowed up by the pelaton in a rumble for position with the teams supporting the big names like O'Grady(CSC) and McEwen (Predictor-Lotto) pushing forward in a thick and fraught finale.
Team UniSA Australia had four riders forward Menzies, McLachlan, Aitken and Davis but with the real racing still to come, Sanders was not keen for anyone to risk injury.
The final placings were Mark Renshaw, Crédit Agricole, Hilton Clarke, Navigators Insurance, Simon Clarke, SouthAustralia.com-AIS, Robbie McEwen Predictor- Lotto, and Allan Davis UniSA-Australia.
"We were there, all through the race in every break, at every stage - the team did what I asked of them but I think the best is yet to come with team UniSA-Australia."