Santos Tour Down Under 2014: Stage 2
January 1 - January 26, Prospect, AUS, Road - WorldTour
Hello and welcome to Cyclingnews live coverage of the Tour Down Under's Stage 2
Today's stage is a 150km jaunt from Prospect to Stirling, a town which has seen its share of Tour Down Under finishes. Tom-Jelte Slagter won here last year on his way to winning the overall and Simon Gerrans would have to be a favourite for another victory today.
There will be one less rider today with Belkin's David Tanner having broken his right collarbone yesterday. Read more about what happened here
Having encountered the steep incline of Menglers Hill the day before, the peloton leaves Prospect, heading north to One Tree Hill before turning East and then making its way South to Stirling for three laps of the finishing town. A break is likely to form from the gun with UniSA a regular contributor to breaks on stages that have finished in the hilly town. In 2012 Will Clarke, then riding for UniSA team, won the stage having been in a two-man break with Martin Kohler as the chase finished over one minute behind. Last year saw Tom-Jelte Slagter launch a successful attack and steal the win.
A Drapac appearance in a break is likely as the wild card entrants to the race will want to impress on their debut at WorldTour level. Whoever takes the win on Stage 2 is likely to finish high-up overall and those with aspirations for the Ochre jersey may just play some of their cards late in the stage.
There are two KOM's today with the points on offer after 34.8km at Seaview Road. The second point is at Checker Hill Rd after 56.3km
Having seen the back of the heatwave that was around last week, Adelaide is experiencing some nicer weather now. What will it be like for the riders today?
Mostly cloudy with some sunshine peeking through the high cloud at times. SE winds will average 18-23km/h and gust 25-30km/h at times, potentially gusting to 40-50km/h towards the end of the stage, adding to the difficulty of the Checker Hill climb.
The Checker climb will test the rider today and here are the specifics of what they will encounter.
3km of climbing, from 330 metres altitude to 480 metres altitude (average gradient about 5%). The steepest section is a 600 metre stretch in the middle with an average gradient of 14%, peaking at 18%.
Yesterday saw a break get away immediately, will Drapac and UniSA try again today or will we see some WorldTour teams try to get off the front?
Maxime Bouet had a top ten finish yesterday and spoke to Cyclingnews about the upcoming season. read about it here
Just before we start racing here, catch up in the race from yesterday with Simon Gerrans post- race. Click here for the video.
The neutral start is a fair bit longer today with the riders to cover 6km before the the gun is fired
Making news last night was serial doper Danilo di Luca who made some suggestions that riders' bikes have engines in them. You can read his comments here and why he thinks doping should be legal
Meanwhile over in San Luis we have some exclusive video interviews with riders. You can subscribe to our youtube channel and watch the videos, right here.
150km remaining from 150km
David Tanner (Belkin) is the only rider not to start today and the peloton has reached Gepps Cross so we are underway for Stage 2
150km remaining from 150km
David Tanner (Belkin) and Jose Joaquin Rojas (Movistar)are the riders not to start today and the peloton has reached Gepps Cross so we are underway for Stage 2
150km remaining from 150km
David Tanner (Belkin) and Jose Joaquin Rojas (Movistar)are the riders not to start today and the peloton has reached Gepps Cross so we are underway for Stage 2
Having been in the break yesterday, Will Clarke (Drapac) has tried his luck again today. Alberto Bettiol (Cannondale) and Bradley Linfield (UniSA) are also along for the ride
147km remaining from 150km
While a handful of riders tried to get away, there are four riders now who have opened a gap. They are Matteo Trentin (Omega Pharma-Qquick Step), Cameron Wurf (Cannondale), William Clarke (Drapac) and Campbell Flakemore (UniSA)
145km remaining from 150km
The group of four have been caught but Will Clarke (Drapac) and Campbell Flakemore (UniSA) are still a little way ahead of the main bunch
140km remaining from 150km
The group of three, Flakemore, Clarke and van Poppel have built a lead of 1:20 over the peloton
136km remaining from 150km
That lead is getting bigger again as its now at 2:10 and van Poppel is edging his way into the virtual lead
Over in San Luis, Adam Yates is making his debut for Orica-GreenEdge. He caught up with Cyclingnews to talk about racing at the top level, read about it here
Clarke won this stage back in 2012 when riding with the UniSA team and being over eight minutes back in gc, he may be able to ride away and try again for the stage
Cadel Evans
It's coming along, we're into the first day with five more to go. Will it be close, down to seconds and time bonuses? Or will it be a hard, selective race? I'm hoping for the latter, and that's not just up to me. This race fits into my goals later this season. These shorter stages are not my strength but I will give it everything I've got.
Simon Gerrans
We're off to a good start but we've got a heap of a long way to go. It's a nice stage for us today. There are some crucial bonuses up for grabs on the line hopefully we'll take some more seconds to protect the lead.
The break is going to go through the sprint point very soon to claim the first bonus seconds of the day
Elia Viviani (Cannondale)
I'm here to try to win a stage. The condition is good. It's a hard race and the Australian riders are in good condition. Stages 4 and 6 are good for sprinters, but we have a young team here. We don't have the sprint trains like Giant or Lotto.
126km remaining from 150km
The gap is getting close to 3:00 as the break is getting close to contesting the sprint
120km remaining from 150km
Having contested the sprint, the break will soon tackled the first KOM of the day. The three leaders are holding a 2:05 buffer between themselves and the bunch
118km remaining from 150km
1. Boy Van Poppel (Trek Factory Racing) 5 pts
2. Campbell Flakemore (UniSA) 3 pts
3. Will Clarke (Drapac) 2 pts
115km remaining from 150km
The breakaway trio are about to start the climb for the KOM points on offer at One Tree Hill
Caleb Ewan
My chances of getting a result today completely depend on the position I can get at the bottom of the climb before the finish. That’s what I missed yesterday. I was not well positioned before the climb.
115km remaining from 150km
Golden Grove KOM points were taken out by Will Clarke ahead of Flakemore and then it was van Poppel
Björn Thurau
I had good legs yesterday so I told ‘flick’ [DS Andy Flickinger] that I’d do something in the finale, so we did together with Yukiya Arashiro who did a great job for me. I’m just sorry I didn’t cap it off. Maybe I’ll try again today. I need to try anyway because we have no chance to get a result from a sprint, and if it comes down to a sprint again, I believe Simon Gerrans will win again. He’s so used to the weather here and the roads.
114km remaining from 150km
The leaders gap is at 2:50 and van Poppel again becomes the virtual leader of the race
The KOM points were;
1 - Will Clarke (Drapac): 10 pts
2 - Campbell Flakemore (UniSA): 6
3 - Boy van Poppel (Trek) 4
Maxime Bouet (Ag2r-La Mondiale)
Yesterday it was my first time being the captain at a WorldTour race and I’m quite happy with how it went [5th]. Maybe I could have finished 4th but the top three riders [Simon Gerrans, André Greipel, Steele von Hoff] were unbeatable. Today, the most important will be to avoid gaps like the four seconds lost by Richie Porte yesterday. I’ll be very attentive in the finale because I want to get a good GC result to start the season on a high note. I was very frustrated last year after I crashed at the Tour de France and I had an appendix operation in August
Back in the bunch Adam Hansen (Lotto-Belisol) gobbled up the last 2 points on offer to remain in the KOM lead
Daryl Impey (Orica-GreenEdge)
We have come here with a very strong team. We start as the favorites and we can carry the pressure of the race. We are looking forward to protecting the jersey. Today’s finish is good for Gerro. He should be at the front and perhaps he can win again. He obviously has the legs to win the overall.
The chasing peloton are only 1km behind the break on the road as they start to make their up Checkers Hill which will be slightly blustery
Hansen leads the peloton over the line to pick some more points as it was Flakemore who picked up maximum points
90km remaining from 150km
The break has a lead of 2:20 after Checkers and now will make their way to Stirling with the feedzone in Woodside
1: Campbell Flakemore (UniSA) 10pts
2: William Clarke (Drapac) 6pts
3: Boy Van Poppel (Trek) 4pts
4: Adam Hansen (Lotto) 2pts
Cameron Wurf (Caanondale) is enjoying the Tour Down Under and spoke to Cyclingnews about the race. Read what he had to say here
1: Will Clarke (Drapac) 10pts
2: Campbell Flakemore (UniSA) 6pts
3: Boy Van Poppel (Trek) 4pts
4: Adam Hansen (Lotto) 2pts
Andre Greipel (Lotto) has almost been the face of the Tour Down Under in recent years and spoke to Cyclingnews this morning about the race so far. Read what he had to say here
Just like he did yesterday, Luke Durbidge (Orica-GreenEdge) is once again on the front controlling the pace
80km remaining from 150km
The gap is hovering around 1:45 now with Orica-GreenEdge at the front of the grupetto
The gap is hovering around 1:45 now with Orica-GreenEdge at the front of the main group
The break is picking up supplies from the feedzone now with the second sprint point a little way up ahead in Balhannah
69km remaining from 150km
The lead is at 2:20 as Lotto send a rider to the front of the bunch to control the pace while GreenEdge are sitting in behind him
66km remaining from 150km
Behind Orica-GreenEdge its Movistar and Team Sky at the head of the peloton with an average 36km/h speed
Movistar are not having the best race so far after Giovanni Visconti crashing out and this morning JJ Rojas withdrew with a broken scaphoid
Driving the bunch is Matt Goss who will be on hand to help teammate Simon Gerrans maintain his overall lead and possibly another stage win
Confirming the order for the sprint;
1 Will Clarke (Drapac)
2 Boy Van Poppel (Trek)
3 Campbell Flakemore (UniSA)
Oliver Kaisen is doing his thing for Lotto as the team is surely hoping to get up today and grab the stage win
52km remaining from 150km
GreenEdge are back on the front driving the chase with Lotto happy to sit back and let them control the race
51km remaining from 150km
The lead has gone under 2:00 once again with the riders getting close to entering Stirling
48km remaining from 150km
Ag2R are moving forward and Maxime Bouet is their man. He spoke to Cyclingnews yesterday about the race and you can read what ge said by clicking here
The gap is falling down to 1:34 now and Lotto are back on the front and Ag2r are all over the right hand side of the road
In town is the UCI president Brian Cookson and he had some words to say about the state of the sport. Read his comments here
45km remaining from 150km
The break are about to cross the finishline and begin the circuit of Stirling with a lead of 1:55 which has grown again
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In just over three hours of racing the peloton has covered 108km and will now race around Stirling twice
The question over the next 20km will be whether Clarke decides to go solo and try to record his second Tour Down Under stage win or sticks with his breakaway companions but wont want to test the speed of van Poppel who has the legs for the sprint
The three leaders gap is down to 1:05 and looks like the catch is going to happen soon with the peloton keen the end the trio's day out
33km remaining from 150km
The lead has dipped under 1:00 now with the riders on the descent before the small climb back around into Stirling where the crowds have gathered
31km remaining from 150km
The pace has proven to be too high for Flakemore who has been dropped by his companions in the break
The average speed has increased to 42km/h but the leading duo have increased their lead to back over a minute. Its now 1:20
Flakemore is yet to be picked up the peloton as he holds around a 30 second gap. He'll be swallowed up pretty soon though
23km remaining from 150km
GreenEdge are still controlling the chase but Omega Pharma-Quick Step and Belkin are making their move foraward now with 26 seconds the gap
22km remaining from 150km
The break is going to be caught quite soon here so teams are getting their riders forward
Its all over for van Poppel and Clarke but it was a good ride by them
17km remaining from 150km
Jack Bauer (Garmin-Sharp), Simon Clarke (Orica-GreenEdge) along with representation from BMC, Sky, FDJ, Trek and Omega Pharma-Quick Step in that group but its all back together again
2km remaining from 150km
Ian Stannard (Sky) has gone off the front while a touch of wheels has brought down several riders
Ulissi takes the win ahead of a fast finishing Gerrans but the Italian timed his sprint to perfection and takes the win
Results Stage 1 result#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult 1Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre-Merida3:02:14 2Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge 3Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC 4Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Astana 5Robert Gesink (NED) Belkin 6Richie Porte (Aus) Team Sky 7Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC 8Fabio Felline (Ita) Trek Factory Racing 9Javier Moreno (Esp) Movistar 10Daryl Impey (Rsa) Orica-GreenEdge
Results General Classification after Stage 2#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult 1Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge7:12:31 2Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre-Merida0:00:07 3Andre Greipel (Ger) Lotto-Belisol0:00:11 4Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC0:00:13 5Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Astana0:00:17 6Robert Gesink (NED) Belkin 7Daryl Impey (Rsa) Orica-GreenEdge0:00:21 8Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC 9Nathan Haas (Aus) Garmin-Sharp 10Rory Sutherland (Aus) Tinkoff-Saxobank
Thanks for joining us today. Click back on the Tour Down Under page to read the race report, check results and see the pictures from the day's action
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