Tour Down Under: McCarthy wins stage 2

A bike throw was the difference between Jay McCarthy and Diego Ulissi (Lampre-Merida) on stage 2 of the Tour Down Under with bonus seconds on the line also elevating the Tinkoff rider into the overall race lead. A crash with 500 metres to go brought down Simon Gerrans, among others, as McCarthy, Ulissi and Rohan Dennis (BMC) skipped away to battle for the win having been in the wheels just ahead of the fallers.

Despite knowing the finish courtesy of his 2014 victory, Ulissi couldn’t hold off the fast finishing McCarthy for his first in at WorldTour level.

“It’s always good to start the season here is Australia and to finish it with a victory was really good," McCarthy said. "I am glad the team gave me the chance to go for the stage and I am happy it paid off in the end.”

McCarthy now leads the race by four seconds back to Ulissi, with Gerrans at five seconds, and is looking to hold onto the ochre leader’s jersey for as long as possible.

“I was hoping for a top five overall at this race this year," McCarthy. "I know I had some good training coming in and I felt like I had some good form, so to come out with the victory today, I am not done for the week and hopefully I can keep working hard and go for goal and hopefully even be on the podium at the end of the week.”

While the late fall interrupted the chances for several riders looking for victory, as the crash occurred within the final three kilometres there was no time losses with the bonus seconds for top three contributing to the changes in the top-ten standings.

How it unfolded

A group of Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal), Manuele Boaro (Tinkoff), Yoann Offredo (FDJ) and Patrick Lane (UniSA) attacked inside the opening two kilometres to establish a 30 second lead. At the rear of the peloton, Matteo Pelucchi (IAM Cycling), Wouter Wippert (Cannondale), Brenton Jones (Drapac) and several other sprinters were reported to be struggling in the heat on the climb up the South Eastern Highway before the KOM at Range View Road.

Boaro jumped clear to claim the KOM points ahead of Lane, who was looking to protect his teammate Sean Lake’s lead in the classification. Back in the peloton, Pelucchi called it quits, abandoning the race after less than an hour of racing.

The breakaway had splintered to just Offredo and De Gendt on approach to the 21.4km Stirling circuit with Orica-GreenEdge controlling the race. With bonus seconds on the line at the first of two intermediate sprint points in Heathfield, Simon Gerrans took the points and bonifications ahead of Ewan.

Adam Hansen (Lotto Soudal) then attacked from the bunch to go solo after the 28km mark. After 10km, Hansen had extracted 1:50 minutes from the GreenEdge led peloton, increasing it to 2:30 minutes on approach to the second intermediate sprint.

Hansen took the three seconds, with Gerrans nipping in for two bonus seconds with Ewan third. At the 55km mark, Hansen’s lead dropped back down to a manageable 1:35 minutes. On the third last time though, Hansen’s lead was holding around one-and-a-half minutes seeing him continue as the virtual leader on the road.

Salvatore Puccio became the second Italian to abandon the stage with illness getting the better of the Team Sky rider a little after the halfway mark as the temperature settled on 30 degrees celsuis.

Inside the final 45km and onto the third last circuit of six, Hansen’s lead grew back out over two minutes, with Orica-GreenEdge using Michael Hepburn and Luke Durbridge as the workhorses. With 35km to go, the peloton had Hansen at 1:40 before BMC, with Alessandro De Marchi and Marcus Burghardt, took over to shave 30 seconds off his lead.

With 25km to go, Hansen was within one minute of the chasing peloton and when the bell was rung in Stirling, it was 40 seconds with Orica-GreenEdge resuming position on the front.

At the 18.9km mark, Hansen was absorbed by the peloton as a front trident of Orica-GreenEdge, Katusha and Tinkoff with Astana, Sky and Lampre behind them.

Kiel Reijnen got acquainted with the Australian bush, blowing a rear tyre when he found the road a little narrower than anticipated with 10km to go. At seven kilometres to go, Giant-Alpecin came forward with Trek-Segafredo and Tinkoff. A kilometre later, Team Sky took over the pace as riders dropped off the back, including Caleb Ewan (Orica-GreenEdge), due to the high pace.

Inside the final 5km, there was constant movement with riders moving up and other getting dropped, with Cannondale next to take up the pace. At 3km to race, Simon Geschke sat on the front before Lampre-Merida shuttled forward.

At the flame rouge, Rory Sutherland (Movistar) led though with Peter Kennaugh (Team Sky) and Pim Ligarth (Lotto Soudal) launching an attack before a crash at 500 metres to go brought down Simon Gerrans and Orica-GreenEdge. McCarthy and Ulissi surged forward with Dennis on their wheel but it was the Queenslander nabbing his first win and with it, the leader’s jersey. Last year's winner Juan José Lobato was only good for seventh while Drapac's Brenton Jones crossed the line almost 30 minutes down on McCarthy, outside the time limit which will see 137 riders take to the start line in Glenelg tomorrow.

Watch highlights from stage 2 in the video below:

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Jay McCarthy (Aus) Tinkoff3:26:40
2Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre–MeridaRow 1 - Cell 2
3Rohan Dennis (Aus) BMC Racing TeamRow 2 - Cell 2
4Danilo Wyss (Sui) BMC Racing TeamRow 3 - Cell 2
5Petr Vakoc (Cze) Etixx–Quick-StepRow 4 - Cell 2
6Patrick Bevin (NZl) CannondaleRow 5 - Cell 2
7Juan José Lobato Del Valle (Esp) Team MovistarRow 6 - Cell 2
8Sergio Henao (Col) Team SkyRow 7 - Cell 2
9Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJRow 8 - Cell 2
10Enrico Battaglin (Ita) LottoNL–JumboRow 9 - Cell 2
11Julian Arredondo (Col) Trek–SegafredoRow 10 - Cell 2
12Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) AG2R La MondialeRow 11 - Cell 2
13Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Giant–AlpecinRow 12 - Cell 2
14David Tanner (Aus) IAM CyclingRow 13 - Cell 2
15Cameron Meyer (Aus) Team Dimension DataRow 14 - Cell 2
16Simon Clarke (Aus) CannondaleRow 15 - Cell 2
17Michael Woods (Can) CannondaleRow 16 - Cell 2
18Floris Gerts (Ned) BMC Racing TeamRow 17 - Cell 2
19Patrick Shaw (Aus) UniSA-AustraliaRow 18 - Cell 2
20Georg Preidler (Aut) Giant–AlpecinRow 19 - Cell 2
21Jack Bobridge (Aus) Trek–SegafredoRow 20 - Cell 2
22Jesús Herrada (Esp) Team MovistarRow 21 - Cell 2
23Rein Taaramäe (Est) Team KatushaRow 22 - Cell 2
24Moreno Moser (Ita) CannondaleRow 23 - Cell 2
25George Bennett (NZl) LottoNL–JumboRow 24 - Cell 2
26Tiago Machado (Por) Team KatushaRow 25 - Cell 2
27Ruben Fernandez Andujar (Esp) Team MovistarRow 26 - Cell 2
28Peter Stetina (USA) Trek–SegafredoRow 27 - Cell 2
29David De La Cruz (Esp) Etixx–Quick-StepRow 28 - Cell 2
30Gert Dockx (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 29 - Cell 2
31Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Esp) AstanaRow 30 - Cell 2
32Oscar Gatto (Ita) TinkoffRow 31 - Cell 2
33Primoz Roglic (Slo) LottoNL–JumboRow 32 - Cell 2
34Egor Silin (Rus) Team KatushaRow 33 - Cell 2
35Peter Kennaugh (GBr) Team SkyRow 34 - Cell 2
36Ivan Rovny (Rus) TinkoffRow 35 - Cell 2
37Pieter Serry (Bel) Etixx–Quick-StepRow 36 - Cell 2
38Patrick Lane (Aus) UniSA-AustraliaRow 37 - Cell 2
39Gavin Mannion (USA) Drapac Pro CyclingRow 38 - Cell 2
40Louis Meintjes (Rsa) Lampre–MeridaRow 39 - Cell 2
41Jarlinson Pantano (Col) IAM CyclingRow 40 - Cell 2
42Rafael Valls Ferri (Esp) Lotto SoudalRow 41 - Cell 2
43Steve Morabito (Sui) FDJRow 42 - Cell 2
44Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto SoudalRow 43 - Cell 2
45Carlos Verona (Esp) Etixx–Quick-StepRow 44 - Cell 2
46Anthony Giacoppo (Aus) UniSA-AustraliaRow 45 - Cell 2
47Richie Porte (Aus) BMC Racing TeamRow 46 - Cell 2
48Lucas Hamilton (Aus) UniSA-AustraliaRow 47 - Cell 2
49Samuel Spokes (Aus) Drapac Pro CyclingRow 48 - Cell 2
50Davide Malacarne (Ita) AstanaRow 49 - Cell 2
51Laurens De Vreese (Bel) AstanaRow 50 - Cell 2
52Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (Rsa)Row 51 - Cell 2
53Alexey Tsatevitch (Rus) Team KatushaRow 52 - Cell 2
54Chris Hamilton (Aus) UniSA-AustraliaRow 53 - Cell 2
55Cyril Gautier (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 54 - Cell 2
56Matteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La MondialeRow 55 - Cell 2
57Jascha Sütterlin (Ger) Team MovistarRow 56 - Cell 2
58Ruben Zepuntke (Ger) CannondaleRow 57 - Cell 2
59Sergey Lagutin (Rus) Team KatushaRow 58 - Cell 2
60Tsgabu Gebremaryam Grmay (Eth) Lampre–MeridaRow 59 - Cell 2
61Pim Ligthart (Ned) Lotto SoudalRow 60 - Cell 2
62Lachlan Norris (Aus) Drapac Pro CyclingRow 61 - Cell 2
63Manuele Boaro (Ita) TinkoffRow 62 - Cell 2
64José Joaquin Rojas (Esp) Team MovistarRow 63 - Cell 2
65Jaco Venter (Rsa) Team Dimension DataRow 64 - Cell 2
66Peter Velits (Svk) BMC Racing TeamRow 65 - Cell 2
67Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) BMC Racing TeamRow 66 - Cell 2
68Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing TeamRow 67 - Cell 2
69Martin Velits (Svk) Etixx–Quick-StepRow 68 - Cell 2
70Michael Gogl (Aut) TinkoffRow 69 - Cell 2
71Graeme Brown (Aus) Drapac Pro CyclingRow 70 - Cell 2
72Nelson Oliveira (Por) Team MovistarRow 71 - Cell 2
73Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat) IAM CyclingRow 72 - Cell 2
74Nathan Earle (Aus) Drapac Pro CyclingRow 73 - Cell 2
75Carter Jones (USA) Giant–AlpecinRow 74 - Cell 2
76Rory Sutherland (Aus) Team MovistarRow 75 - Cell 2
77Michael Albasini (Sui) Orica–GreenEdgeRow 76 - Cell 2
78Arman Kamyshev (Kaz) AstanaRow 77 - Cell 2
79Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) AstanaRow 78 - Cell 2
80Johan Le Bon (Fra) FDJRow 79 - Cell 2
81Bram Tankink (Ned) LottoNL–JumboRow 80 - Cell 2
82Bert-Jan Lindeman (Ned) LottoNL–JumboRow 81 - Cell 2
83Steele von Hoff (Aus) UniSA-Australia0:01:24
84Songezo Jim (Rsa) Team Dimension DataRow 83 - Cell 2
85Nathan Haas (Aus) Team Dimension DataRow 84 - Cell 2
86Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team SkyRow 85 - Cell 2
87Yoann Offredo (Fra) FDJRow 86 - Cell 2
88Laurent Pichon (Fra) FDJ0:01:41
89Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre–Merida0:01:51
90Luka Pibernik (Slo) Lampre–MeridaRow 89 - Cell 2
91Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica–GreenEdgeRow 90 - Cell 2
92Mathew Hayman (Aus) Orica–GreenEdgeRow 91 - Cell 2
93Daryl Impey (Rsa) Orica–GreenEdgeRow 92 - Cell 2
94Simon Geschke (Ger) Giant–Alpecin0:02:16
95Greg Henderson (NZl) Lotto Soudal0:02:26
96Alberto Bettiol (Ita) CannondaleRow 95 - Cell 2
97Ian Stannard (GBr) Team SkyRow 96 - Cell 2
98Adam Phelan (Aus) Drapac Pro CyclingRow 97 - Cell 2
99Luke Rowe (GBr) Team Sky0:03:08
100Sean Lake (Aus) UniSA-AustraliaRow 99 - Cell 2
101Boy Van Poppel (Ned) Trek–SegafredoRow 100 - Cell 2
102Lieuwe Westra (Ned) AstanaRow 101 - Cell 2
103Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Trek–Segafredo0:04:16
104Adam Blythe (GBr) TinkoffRow 103 - Cell 2
105Marcel Aregger (Sui) IAM CyclingRow 104 - Cell 2
106Davide Martinelli (Ita) Etixx–Quick-StepRow 105 - Cell 2
107Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) LottoNL–Jumbo0:04:38
108Koen De Kort (Ned) Giant–AlpecinRow 107 - Cell 2
109Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto SoudalRow 108 - Cell 2
110Lars Boom (Ned) AstanaRow 109 - Cell 2
111Jesse Sergent (NZl) AG2R La MondialeRow 110 - Cell 2
112Murilo Fischer (Bra) FDJRow 111 - Cell 2
113Michael Valgren Andersen (Den) TinkoffRow 112 - Cell 2
114Federico Zurlo (Ita) Lampre–MeridaRow 113 - Cell 2
115Bert De Backer (Bel) Giant–Alpecin0:06:01
116Caleb Ewan (Aus) Orica–GreenEdge0:06:21
117Ben Swift (GBr) Team Sky0:06:50
118Tyler Farrar (USA) Team Dimension DataRow 117 - Cell 2
119Mark Renshaw (Aus) Team Dimension DataRow 118 - Cell 2
120Benoit Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJRow 119 - Cell 2
121Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 120 - Cell 2
122Luke Durbridge (Aus) Orica–GreenEdge0:07:59
123Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 122 - Cell 2
124Michael Hepburn (Aus) Orica–GreenEdgeRow 123 - Cell 2
125Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Trek–SegafredoRow 124 - Cell 2
126Martijn Keizer (Ned) LottoNL–JumboRow 125 - Cell 2
127Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Etixx–Quick-StepRow 126 - Cell 2
128Alexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 127 - Cell 2
129Marko Kump (Slo) Lampre–MeridaRow 128 - Cell 2
130Maxim Belkov (Rus) Team KatushaRow 129 - Cell 2
131Roger Kluge (Ger) IAM CyclingRow 130 - Cell 2
132Wouter Wippert (Ned) CannondaleRow 131 - Cell 2
133Kiel Reijnen (USA) Trek–Segafredo0:10:12
134Leigh Howard (Aus) IAM CyclingRow 133 - Cell 2
135Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La Mondiale0:10:38
136Cheng Ji (Chn) Giant–Alpecin0:11:27
137Vladimir Isaychev (Rus) Team Katusha0:15:47
OTLBrenton Jones (Aus) Drapac Pro Cycling0:26:33
DNFSalvatore Puccio (Ita) Team SkyRow 138 - Cell 2
DNFMatteo Pelucchi (Ita) IAM CyclingRow 139 - Cell 2
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Intermediate sprint 1 - Heathfield - km 27.9
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica–GreenEdge5pts
2Caleb Ewan (Aus) Orica–GreenEdge3Row 1 - Cell 3
3Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (Rsa)2Row 2 - Cell 3
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Intermediate sprint 2 - Heathfield - km 49.3
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Soudal5pts
2Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica–GreenEdge3Row 1 - Cell 3
3Caleb Ewan (Aus) Orica–GreenEdge2Row 2 - Cell 3
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Finish
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Jay McCarthy (Aus) Tinkoff15pts
2Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre–Merida14Row 1 - Cell 3
3Rohan Dennis (Aus) BMC Racing Team13Row 2 - Cell 3
4Danilo Wyss (Sui) BMC Racing Team12Row 3 - Cell 3
5Petr Vakoc (Cze) Etixx–Quick-Step11Row 4 - Cell 3
6Patrick Bevin (NZl) Cannondale10Row 5 - Cell 3
7Juan José Lobato Del Valle (Esp) Team Movistar9Row 6 - Cell 3
8Sergio Henao (Col) Team Sky8Row 7 - Cell 3
9Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ7Row 8 - Cell 3
10Enrico Battaglin (Ita) LottoNL–Jumbo6Row 9 - Cell 3
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Mountain 1 - Range View Road - km 13.8
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Manuele Boaro (Ita) Tinkoff10pts
2Patrick Lane (Aus) UniSA-Australia6Row 1 - Cell 3
3Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal4Row 2 - Cell 3
4Yoann Offredo (Fra) FDJ2Row 3 - Cell 3
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Young riders
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Jay McCarthy (Aus) Tinkoff3:26:40
2Petr Vakoc (Cze) Etixx–Quick-StepRow 1 - Cell 2
3Patrick Bevin (NZl) CannondaleRow 2 - Cell 2
4Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Giant–AlpecinRow 3 - Cell 2
5Floris Gerts (Ned) BMC Racing TeamRow 4 - Cell 2
6Ruben Fernandez Andujar (Esp) Team MovistarRow 5 - Cell 2
7Patrick Lane (Aus) UniSA-AustraliaRow 6 - Cell 2
8Gavin Mannion (USA) Drapac Pro CyclingRow 7 - Cell 2
9Louis Meintjes (Rsa) Lampre–MeridaRow 8 - Cell 2
10Carlos Verona (Esp) Etixx–Quick-StepRow 9 - Cell 2
11Lucas Hamilton (Aus) UniSA-AustraliaRow 10 - Cell 2
12Samuel Spokes (Aus) Drapac Pro CyclingRow 11 - Cell 2
13Chris Hamilton (Aus) UniSA-AustraliaRow 12 - Cell 2
14Jascha Sütterlin (Ger) Team MovistarRow 13 - Cell 2
15Ruben Zepuntke (Ger) CannondaleRow 14 - Cell 2
16Tsgabu Gebremaryam Grmay (Eth) Lampre–MeridaRow 15 - Cell 2
17Michael Gogl (Aut) TinkoffRow 16 - Cell 2
18Arman Kamyshev (Kaz) AstanaRow 17 - Cell 2
19Luka Pibernik (Slo) Lampre–Merida0:01:51
20Alberto Bettiol (Ita) Cannondale0:02:26
21Adam Phelan (Aus) Drapac Pro CyclingRow 20 - Cell 2
22Sean Lake (Aus) UniSA-Australia0:03:08
23Davide Martinelli (Ita) Etixx–Quick-Step0:04:16
24Michael Valgren Andersen (Den) Tinkoff0:04:38
25Federico Zurlo (Ita) Lampre–MeridaRow 24 - Cell 2
26Caleb Ewan (Aus) Orica–GreenEdge0:06:21
27Luke Durbridge (Aus) Orica–GreenEdge0:07:59
28Michael Hepburn (Aus) Orica–GreenEdgeRow 27 - Cell 2
29Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Bel) Etixx–Quick-StepRow 28 - Cell 2
30Alexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale26:33:00
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Combativity award
Rider Name (Country) Team
Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Soudal
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Teams
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1BMC Racing Team10:20:00
2Cannondale Pro Cycling TeamRow 1 - Cell 2
3Movistar TeamRow 2 - Cell 2
4Trek - SegafredoRow 3 - Cell 2
5Team Lotto Nl - JumboRow 4 - Cell 2
6TinkoffRow 5 - Cell 2
7Etixx - Quick StepRow 6 - Cell 2
8Team KatushaRow 7 - Cell 2
9Lampre - MeridaRow 8 - Cell 2
10UniSA AustraliaRow 9 - Cell 2
11Team Giant - AlpecinRow 10 - Cell 2
12Lotto SoudalRow 11 - Cell 2
13AG2R La MondialeRow 12 - Cell 2
14IAM CyclingRow 13 - Cell 2
15Team SkyRow 14 - Cell 2
16FDJRow 15 - Cell 2
17Dimension DataRow 16 - Cell 2
18Astana Pro TeamRow 17 - Cell 2
19Drapac Professional CyclingRow 18 - Cell 2
20Orica GreenEdgeRow 19 - Cell 2
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General classification after stage 2
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Jay McCarthy (Aus) Tinkoff6:50:43
2Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre–Merida0:00:04
3Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica–GreenEdge0:00:05
4Rohan Dennis (Aus) BMC Racing Team0:00:06
5Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (Rsa)0:00:09
6Patrick Bevin (NZl) Cannondale0:00:10
7Enrico Battaglin (Ita) LottoNL–JumboRow 6 - Cell 2
8Juan José Lobato Del Valle (Esp) Team MovistarRow 7 - Cell 2
9