Comeback complete for Valverde as Spaniard out sprints Gerrans on Willunga

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Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) has taken his first win since his return from suspension, with the Spaniard out sprinting Australian Simon Gerrans (GreenEdge) in a two-man dash to the line at the top of Old Willunga Hill.

Valverde's Movistar teammates rode with supreme confidence in their leader, taking to the front before the base of the first climb up Old Willunga before timing their run perfectly in the final two kilometres to bring back the at one point dangerous escape of Rohan Dennis (UniSA-Australia) and Tiago Machado (RadioShack-Nissan).

Gerrans, who looked the most comfortable in the elite front group, was the first to open up the sprint, but tired in the final 50 metres allowing Valverde to pin him back. The two rode side-by-side with the finish beckoning - both unwilling to relent - but it was Valverde who pulled through in the end, ultimately winning by half a wheel over the Australian.

"I'm super happy," said Valverde at the stage finish. "My team has been perfect today. I couldn't have won without them. It's a really emotional moment for me. This win is for all those who have supported me during my time off the bike.

"The stage suited me - we put the team at the front, and to finish it off - it's a perfect comeback for me."

Gerrans was consoled with taking the ochre jersey on countback, though both riders are on equal time going into the final stage, setting up a thrilling finish to the 14th Santos Tour Down Under on Sunday.

"I gave it absolutely everything I had, but unfortunately Valverde had that inside line and he caught up," said Gerrans. "I’m rapt to have the lead going into the last stage.

"It’s such a big deal for GreenEdge to take the lead into the last stage in their first world tour outing so I’m thrilled and really rapt with the whole team’s performance, they have really supported me all week so I really can’t thank the guys enough."

The points classification battle is also tight with Boasson Hagen and Greipel both with it all to ride for tomorrow.

Rohan Dennis did enough to secure himself the King of the Mountain classification courtesy of picking up third over the first time up Willunga and fifth on round two. Dennis also wrapped up the young rider jersey.

"I’m a little bit stuffed now but it was all worth it in the end," said Dennis. "I guess sometimes you need a little bit of form as well to have that confidence to actually go up the front but sometimes it’s just sort of a gut feeling, you just sort of hope for the best."

How it unfolded

130 riders lined the start in McLaren Vale for the longest and hardest day in the Tour Down Under's 14-year history. The race had never finished atop Old Willunga Hill, and with 45 riders within 12 seconds of the race lead today it was always set for fireworks.

After a flurry of early attacks, the first escape formed without much fuss. The break was; Stuart O'Grady (GreenEdge Cycling Team), Takashi Miyazawa (Team Saxo Bank), Nathan Haas (Garmin-Barracuda), Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team), Andrew Fenn (Omega Pharma - QuickStep) and Kristof Goddaert (AG2R La Mondiale) with the sextet quiclkly building an advantage of more than 3 minutes.

The peloton, led by Martin Kohler's team BMC seemed content to let other teams take control, with their false tempo at the front very early replaced by a rider from Movistar. De Gendt was the highest placed rider in the break, some 7:51 down on Kohler but even with the advantage of the escape approaching 8 minutes there was very little reaction from the main field.

The gap did eventually stabilise around that mark however with BMC finally deciding that enough was enough. Burghardt was prevalent at the front for his team as were RadioShack-Nissan and Movistar. The break meanwhile looked smooth, with each of the day's intermediate sprints at Snapper Point uncontested in favour of keeping the best part of their advantage in tact.

Crosswind Drama

Going into the final 75 kilometres Lotto-Belisol, RadioShack-Nissan and BMC made an attempt at splitting the peloton in the gusty cross that had been barraging the peloton in the valley behind McLaren Vale.

Their efforts were rewarded with Matthew Lloyd (Lampre-ISD) the biggest name to be caught out, off the back with another 30 riders. Though he eventually re-joined the peloton, the pace at the front had brough the break's gap down from 8 to just over 3 minutes.

Movistar and RadioShack-Nissan retained control at the front, while GreenEdge and BMC were also making their presence known.

As the peloton left the McLaren Vale circuit and entered the section of the course up Old Willunga Hill the drama really began.

Haas makes his presence known

Going into the Tour Down Under Nathan Haas (Garmin-Barracuda) had explained that he didn't want to just be in Adelaide to make up the numbers. His performance today had similarities to WIll Clarke's gutsy solo victory on stage 2, with a determined ride additionally fuelled by the massive crowds on Willunga.

Haas decided to go on his own as the climb hit it's first 500 metres of difficulty, leaving De Gendt scrambling behind.

The peloton meanwhile which had motored along the flat leading into Willunga was going at break neck speed when it hit the bottom of the climb some 90 seconds in arrears.

Haas however was giving it everything at the front of the race, holding a little over 40 seconds as he crossed the top of the climb he took the maximum 16 points and began the descent. De Gendt picked up second, while Rohan Dennis jumped out of the peloton to grab third, and seal himself the king of the mountain classification.

All down to once up Willunga

Haas descended like a man possessed but the 130 plus kilometres behind him had taken their toll - and the chase behind were hardly slowing up. Jens Voigt (RadioShack-Nissan) and Jose Joaquin Rojas (Movistar) were monstering on the front behind. Their efforts had whittled the select front group to less than 20 riders, and notably there was no Cameron Meyer (GreenEdge) nor Matthew Lloyd (Lampre-ISD).

The selection did include - Dennis (UniSA-Australia), Machado (RadioShack-Nissan), Angel Madrazo Ruiz (Movistar Team), Simon Gerrans (GreenEdge Cycling Team), Jan Bakelants (RadioShack-Nissan), Michael Rogers (Sky Procycling), Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Movistar Team), Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky Procycling), Bernard Sulzberger (Team UniSA-Australia), Danny Pate (Sky Procycling),
José Ivan Gutierrez Palacios (Movistar Team), Michael Matthews (Rabobank Cycling Team), Martin Kohler (BMC Racing Team), Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Movistar Team), Alessandro Ballan (BMC Racing Team), Geraint Thomas, Moreno (Movistar), and Bauer (Garmin-Barracuda), Ciolek (Omega Pharma-Quickstep), Gerdemann (Radioshack-Nissan).

Coming onto McMurtie Road Haas was finally swallowed up, trying his best to tag on the speeding front group though inevitably with his fatigue unable to.

That left it coming all down to the final climb with an isolated Simon Gerrrans up against no less than four Movistar riders along with Valverde himself. A puncture put an in-form Bernard Sulzberger out of contention at the bottom of the climb.

It was Dennis, Machado, Pate and Gutierrez who opened proceedings quickly gapping the leaders on the early grippier part of the climb. Though Pate started things, Dennis and Machado quickly showed they were going to be among the strongest and went it out alone in front.

Behind, Movistar was shelling riders to keep Valverde in touch, with the team counting on the possibility of small sprint finish at the top that would favour the Spaniard's kick.

Dennis and Machado both looked really strong, but inside the final kilometre they were caught prompting Michael Rogers (Sky) to launch an attack.

Movistar's Moreno kept the Australian within Valverde's reach as Gerrans decided that finally he was going to make his move.

His acceleration initially had Valverde in trouble, but he couldn't sustain it and Valverde clawed himself back into range of the the GreenEdge rider. The sprint was almost in slow motion with both Gerrans and Valverde eyeing eachother off as they slogged it out over the final 200 metres. Valverde triumphed - just - by a little over half a wheel setting up an interesting final stage tomorrow with both riders equal on time.