Team UniSA's hard hitout sets the pace
The
sun, sand and vines of the Fleurieu Peninsula took a backseat today as a
119,000 strong crowd stood awestruck in what was arguably the most
exciting stage of the Santos Tour Down Under so far.
Some familiar names from Team UniSA-Australia hit out hard from the
Snapper Point start line, showing an early aggression that has become a
talking point for the team.
The boy from SA, Rohan Dennis and the young gun from the ACT, Michael
Matthews both made early attacks, which challenged the peloton and
encouraged the tough international field to give it all they had.
A breakaway took a while to form in this stage, but when it did, UniSA
star rider Michael Matthews was there to set the pace, riding alongside
a truly global field, among them Ludovic Turpin from Team Ag2R La
Mondiale and the breakaway standout from stage two, Mickael Delage from
Team Omega Pharma-Lotto.
Meanwhile, back in the peloton, Team HTC-Columbia controlled the pack
early, showing the unforgiving stronghold and tactical prowess that has
become their trademark.
Matthews, a 19 year old who was the 2008 Junior Male Cyclist of the
Year, was a fixture at the head of the breakaway, jockeying for position
as the group quickly gained a few minutes lead on the peloton.
As the foreboding Willunga Hill loomed, and with it the gruelling King
of the Mountain jersey up for grabs, the field started to close in and
the ‘big climbers’ as they’re known, really started to get into gear.
It’s where a fatigued Matthews found himself back in the peloton and
ready to watch the big boys make their mark.
Team UniSA-Australia Team Manager Dave Sanders said that this was all
part of the game plan for the team.
“From the start of the day the plan was clear – take a chance, hit out
hard and then see if we can be in the mix when they let a group go,” he
said.
“With Matthews up there we managed to do that, and if people remember
this is how we won this stage a few years ago.
“We always try to put a couple of the boys out there and then watch the
big climber let loose in the final laps. It was a good effort and the
team can hold their heads high.”
The crowd was whipped into a frenzy as Australian golden boy Cadel Evans
powered up the 4km of pain that is the second climb of Willunga Hill,
managing to stay with the awesome breakaway as they powered over the
King of the Mountain.
But it was the sprint finish that had the crowd in overdrive and showed
what the Santos Tour Down Under is all about. For a while, it seemed
like the rainbow jersey wearer might go for a win, but in the end it was
Tour Down Under Winner from 2005 Luis Leon Sanchez from Team Caisse
d’Epargne was to take the glory.
Second was Luke Roberts from Team Milram, with a notable effort by
Team-UniSA Australia’s Peter McDonald who managed to finish in the top
15 of this unforgettable race.