Sky proves the goods with Henderson win
British team debuts with one-two
Last year Greg Henderson entered the Tour Down Under week as a support rider for André Greipel. A year later, as part of Team Sky's lineup, the kiwi sprinter is the Cancer Council Helpline Classic champion.
The 33-year-old from Dunedin went into the race the team's go to man in the anticipated sprint finish according to directeur sportif Sean Yates and he delivered, taking a one-two with in-form Australian Chris Sutton as Greipel finished third after hitting out for the line a long way from home.
Team Sky put on a two-lap masterclass in how to execute the perfect leadout train at the right time - the final couple of times around the Adelaide East End circuit - to make good on the hype that has surrounded the recent launch of the British squad.
"The lead out was so fast, I've never been on the back of anything faster," said Henderson after the finish. And over the final 200 metres nobodyw as faster than Henderson and Sutton, the Antipodean connection crushing the opposition in a finale dominated by the boys in black (and blue).
One of those riders contributing the most to the team's finishing flourish was Russell Downing, the British stalwart finally proving to the world that he has what it takes to transport the world's best sprinters to the line in the best way possible.
"We were there from two to go," he explained after the finish. "Then Columbia got it organised on the left hander down the back; we were still in formation so I lead it round the outside and straight out of the corner and took the Columbia train off. The boys were yelling behind and I took it all the way down the straight and into the corner.
Downing and Mat Hayman - whose services were sorely missed today by former team Rabobank - continued to drive the Sky train despite the attempts of HTC-Columbia to negate the effects of the British team's dominance. "We had at least five guys there - it was an amazing team effort," continued Downing. "We had a plan, and it worked. That was the first race of the year and it's a dream come true."
"We said that was the deal - if we could stick to the plan and it worked, then we were a possible chance of winning, and it did," said Downing.
Runner up Sutton looked like a possible winner until the final metres, when Henderson surged forward and confirmed his status as the team's captain for the race. While the pair rode well during the recent Jayco Bay Classic, today's performance was an appetiser for season 2010.
"We were just doing our own thing," said and elated Sutton, who celebrated with uncle Shane after the stellar performance. "There's been a lot of hype in the media about Columbia versus Sky; we weren't having much to do with it, really... just concentrating on ourselves and trying to get it all right.
"It's always difficult doing one thing out training and then getting to a race - we knew that if we could put it together today it would pay off. I can't believe it - it's a dream start.
As for the squad's plans heading into the Santos Tour Down Under, Sutton reiterated team manager Dave Brailsford's comments that it won't be going for an overall victory: "We're going to take it one day at a time and just keep cool and level-headed. It's just a matter of staying calm; we've had our first win and as I said before the start, there's no pressure on us - the only pressure we feel is that which we put on ourselves," he said.
Two Tour champions make a break
The race was animated by two unlikely characters to find in a criterium breakaway, Lance Armstrong and Oscar Pereiro, the pair joined by Mathieu Perget (Caisse d'Epargne), Mikael Cherel (Française des Jeux) and Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Doimo) to establish a healthy lead off the front of the peloton with approximately two-thirds of the race distance covered.
The move was initiated following the third prime sprint, with the star-studded quintet quickly forming and stamping its authority on the front of the race. "I had a small desire to be in a group like that, but that one stayed away longer than we all expected and longer than I saw last year," said Armstrong, who proved he's here in much better condition that last January.
"Everybody was completely going for it, no talking and only a little bit of looking around after the corners to see how close they [the peloton] were," he added. "In terms of the mix, it was a nice balance, everybody did their work. Some guys started to taper off at the end, but that's to be expected, we get out there and don't expect to be out there that long."
And while the break remained at the head of proceedings for a lot longer than expected, the final three laps belonged to the sprinters' teams and in particular Team Sky, which blanketed the front of the field with precision and pace, resulting in the dominant finale that netted the team a 100 percent strike rate in its first outing.
Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Gregory Hederson (NZl) Team Sky | 1:04:33 |
2 | Christopher Sutton (Aus) Team Sky | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Andre Greipel (Ger) HTC-Columbia | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Robbie McEwen (Aus) Katusha | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Baden Cooke (Aus) Team Saxo Bank | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Allan Davis (Aus) Astana | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Jose Rojas (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Anthony Ravard (Fra) Ag2R La Mondiale | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Manuel Cardoso (Ita) Footon-Servetto | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Mathew Goss (Aus) HTC-Columbia | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Daryl Impey (RSA) Team RadioShack | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) UniSA-Australian National Team | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing Team | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Tomas Vaitkus (Ltu) Team RadioShack | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Denis Galimzyanov (Rus) Katusha | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Gert Steegmans (Bel) Team RadioShack | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Française des Jeux | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | René Mandri (Est) Ag2R La Mondiale | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Robbie Hunter (RSA) Garmin-Transitions | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Omega Pharma – Lotto | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Wim Stroetinga (Ned) Team Milram | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Robert Foester (Ger) Team Milram | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Yuriy Krivtsov (Ukr) Ag2R La Mondiale | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Ivan Velasco (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Peter Sagan (Skv) Liquigas | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Gorka Izaguirre (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
29 | Maciej Paterski (Pol) Liquigas | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | Sebastien Rosseler (Bel) Team RadioShack | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Benjamin Swift (GBr) Team Sky | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Valeriy Dmitriyev (Kaz) Astana | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) BMC Racing Team | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Liquigas | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Jonas Ljungblad (Swe) Omega Pharma – Lotto | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Mathieu Drujon (Fra) Caisse d’Epargne | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Stuart O'grady (Aus) Team Saxo Bank | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Bernard Eisel (Aut) HTC-Columbia | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
39 | Cameron Meyer (Aus) Garmin-Transitions | 0:00:08 |
40 | Josep Jufre Pou (Spa) Astana | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
41 | David Gutierrez (Spa) Footon-Servetto | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
42 | Ivan Gutierrez (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
43 | Bert Grabsch (Ger) HTC-Columbia | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
44 | Michael Rogers (Aus) HTC-Columbia | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
45 | Pierre Cazaux (Fra) Française des Jeux | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
46 | Frank Hoj (Den) Team Saxo Bank | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
47 | Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Katusha | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
48 | Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) Astana | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Team RadioShack | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
50 | Mickael Delage (Fra) Omega Pharma – Lotto | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | Rick Flens (Ned) Rabobank | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Romain Sicard (Fra) Euskaltel – Euskadi | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Eduard Vorganov (RSA) Katusha | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
54 | Mikel Nieve (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Gerben Lowik (Ned) Omega Pharma – Lotto | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Française des Jeux | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
59 | Nikolas Maes (Bel) Quick Step | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Aitor Perez Arrieta (Spa) Footon-Servetto | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Peter Mcdonald (Aus) UniSA-Australian National Team | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Lance Armstrong (USA) Team RadioShack | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | Jose Alberto Benitez Roman (Spa) Footon-Servetto | Row 62 - Cell 2 |
64 | Martin Kohler (Swi) BMC Racing Team | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Olivier Kaisen (Bel) Omega Pharma – Lotto | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
66 | Kristjan Koren (Slo) Liquigas | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
67 | Christian Meier (Can) Garmin-Transitions | Row 66 - Cell 2 |
68 | Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
69 | Thomas Vedel Kvist (Den) Quick Step | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
70 | Kasper Klostergaard (Den) Team Saxo Bank | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
71 | Ludovic Turpin (Fra) Ag2R La Mondiale | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
72 | Mauro Finetto (Ita) Liquigas | 0:00:16 |
73 | Anthony Roux (Fra) Française des Jeux | 0:00:17 |
74 | Michele Merlo (Ita) Footon-Servetto | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
75 | Marcel Sieberg (Ger) HTC-Columbia | Row 74 - Cell 2 |
76 | Luke Roberts (Aus) Team Milram | Row 75 - Cell 2 |
77 | Thomas Frei (Swi) BMC Racing Team | 0:00:23 |
78 | Evans Cadel (Aus) BMC Racing Team | Row 77 - Cell 2 |
79 | Thibaut Pinot (Fra) Française des Jeux | Row 78 - Cell 2 |
80 | Matthew Wilson (Aus) Garmin-Transitions | Row 79 - Cell 2 |
81 | Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team | Row 80 - Cell 2 |
82 | Michael Matthews (Aus) UniSA-Australian National Team | Row 81 - Cell 2 |
83 | Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank | Row 82 - Cell 2 |
84 | Alexander Pliuschin (Mda) Katusha | Row 83 - Cell 2 |
85 | Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi | Row 84 - Cell 2 |
86 | Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Omega Pharma – Lotto | Row 85 - Cell 2 |
87 | Miguel Minguez (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi | Row 86 - Cell 2 |
88 | Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Liquigas | Row 87 - Cell 2 |
89 | Daniel Sesma (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi | Row 88 - Cell 2 |
90 | Thomas Rohregger (Ger) Team Milram | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
91 | Trent Lowe (Aus) Garmin-Transitions | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
92 | Tiziano Dall'Antionia (Ita) Liquigas | Row 91 - Cell 2 |
93 | Timothy Roe (Aus) UniSA-Australian National Team | Row 92 - Cell 2 |
94 | Arthur Vichot (Fra) Française des Jeux | Row 93 - Cell 2 |
95 | David Kemp (Aus) UniSA-Australian National Team | Row 94 - Cell 2 |
96 | Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
97 | Jesus Hernandez Blazquez (Spa) Astana | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
98 | Davide Vigano (Ita) Team Sky | Row 97 - Cell 2 |
99 | Oscar Pereiro (Spa) Astana | Row 98 - Cell 2 |
100 | Anders Lund (Den) Team Saxo Bank | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
101 | Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank | Row 100 - Cell 2 |
102 | Simon Clarke (Aus) UniSA-Australian National Team | Row 101 - Cell 2 |
103 | Cyril Dessel (Fra) Ag2R La Mondiale | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
104 | Julian Dean (NZl) Garmin-Transitions | Row 103 - Cell 2 |
105 | Sergey Klimov (Rus) Katusha | Row 104 - Cell 2 |
106 | Joan Ripoll Horrach (Spa) Katusha | Row 105 - Cell 2 |
107 | Biel Kadri (Fra) Ag2R La Mondiale | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
108 | Martin Elmiger (Swi) Ag2R La Mondiale | Row 107 - Cell 2 |
109 | Jos Van Emden (Ned) Rabobank | Row 108 - Cell 2 |
110 | Mauro Facci (Ita) Quick Step | Row 109 - Cell 2 |
111 | Markus Fothen (Ger) Team Milram | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
112 | Jack Bobridge (Aus) Garmin-Transitions | Row 111 - Cell 2 |
113 | Rohan Dennis (Aus) UniSA-Australian National Team | Row 112 - Cell 2 |
114 | Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Quick Step | Row 113 - Cell 2 |
115 | Mikael Cherel (Fra) Française des Jeux | Row 114 - Cell 2 |
116 | Dominik Roels (Ger) Team Milram | Row 115 - Cell 2 |
117 | Hayden Roulston (NZl) HTC-Columbia | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
118 | Jason Mccartney (USA) Team RadioShack | Row 117 - Cell 2 |
119 | Karsten Kroon (Ned) BMC Racing Team | Row 118 - Cell 2 |
120 | Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank | Row 119 - Cell 2 |
121 | Matthew Lloyd (Aus) Omega Pharma – Lotto | Row 120 - Cell 2 |
122 | Jose Garcia (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne | Row 121 - Cell 2 |
123 | Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Rabobank | Row 122 - Cell 2 |
124 | Kevin Van Impe (Bel) Quick Step | Row 123 - Cell 2 |
125 | Addy Engels (Ned) Quick Step | Row 124 - Cell 2 |
126 | Tom Leezer (Ned) Rabobank | 0:00:35 |
127 | Mathew Hayman (Aus) Team Sky | 0:00:55 |
128 | David Vitoria (Spa) Footon-Servetto | 0:01:16 |
129 | Perget Mathieu (Fra) Caisse d’Epargne | Row 128 - Cell 2 |
130 | Russell Downing (GBr) Team Sky | Row 129 - Cell 2 |
131 | Björn Schroder (Ger) Team Milram | 0:01:34 |
DNS | Martin Pedersen (Den) Footon-Servetto | Row 131 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Andreas Stauff (Ger) Quick Step | Row 132 - Cell 2 |
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