The racing moves up a notch - and so does Team UniSA
January 25 2008
The
30C+ temperature may have taken its toll on the mere mortals who took
part in today’s Mutual Community Challenge Tour. But the ProTour riders
seemed to relish the 139km Mannum to Strathalbyn Stage 4 of the Tour
Down Under that included the 250m King of the Mountain climb from
Palmer.
At the finish, it was Team High Road rider, the German Andre Greipel – winner of the TDU Classic at Glenelg and Wednesday’s Stage 2 – who clinched this stage from Mark Renshaw who retains the Ochre Leader’s jersey.
Greipel is now in second place in the general classification, edging out Team UniSA’s Allan Davis who was a serious contender today. He finished sixth.
Davis won the day’s first SA Lotteries sprint into Mount Torrens, making him tour leader temporarily.
Despite excellent support from his team mates, Davis didn’t manage to take out the second sprint into Woodside.
“I
took the first bonus sprint but I hesitated a bit in the second sprint
and stuffed it up,” a muted Davis said. “Hopefully I can fix up on that
tomorrow.
“It will be a big sprint up that [Willunga] mountain. I’ve been over it before in the front group. We’re optimistic.”
Luke Roberts, celebrating his 31st birthday today, and Simon Clarke were regular fixutres in the many breakaways.
Today’s racing moved up a notch, with plenty of attacking, a cracking pace for much of the stage and a chaotic scramble to the finish line which saw Australian Rabobank rider Matthew Hayman have a nasty tumble on metres from the finish line.
Team
director Dave Sanders said tomorrow’s climb at Willunga will play a
decisive role in the outcome of the Tour, throwing down the gauntlet to
the European riders.
“The guys were fantastic today with everything they had to do,” he said. “We’ve just got to have the legs in the last corner.
“This race means a lot to us and certainly the incentive is there. The
guys who have just come out of a European winter probably weren’t
expecting to be smacked like they have been. That suits us – often we’re
at a disadvantage. Come and play on our turf, and we’ll see what
happens.”