Hey, race fans, we're about 45 minutes from the start of stage 2 at the Santos Tour Down Under.
Today's 148.6km second stage will take the peloton from Unley to Stirling. The peloton will travel to the Adelaide Hills, making three laps of the Stirling suburb before the race finishes on Mount Barker Road.
The peloton will first traverse a lengthy 14km neutral roll out before the race begins in earnest.
The day's only KOM comes just 12.8km into the race when the peloton will climbs up Tea Tree Gully, a 2.5km category 2 climb that averages 6.3 per cent grade.
Stage 1 top 10: # Rider Name (Country) Team Result 1 Andre Greipel (Ger) Lotto Soudal 3:50:21 2 Caleb Ewan (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott 3 Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe 4 Elia Viviani (Ita) Quick-Step Floors 5 Simone Consonni (Ita) UAE Team Emirates 6 Phil Bauhaus (Ger) Team Sunweb 7 Nathan Haas (Aus) Katusha-Alpecin 8 Matteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 9 Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Bahrain-Merida 10 Riccardo Minali (Ita) Astana Pro Team
Stage 1 Top 10:
1 Andre Greipel (Ger) Lotto Soudal 3:50:21 2 Caleb Ewan (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott 3 Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe 4 Elia Viviani (Ita) Quick-Step Floors 5 Simone Consonni (Ita) UAE Team Emirates 6 Phil Bauhaus (Ger) Team Sunweb 7 Nathan Haas (Aus) Katusha-Alpecin 8 Matteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 9 Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Bahrain-Merida 10 Riccardo Minali (Ita) Astana Pro Team
General Classification after stage 1:
1 Andre Greipel (Ger) Lotto Soudal 3:50:11 2 Caleb Ewan (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott 0:00:04 3 William Clarke (Aus) EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale 4 Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:06 5 Nicholas Dlamini (RSA) Dimension Data 6 Nathan Haas (Aus) Katusha-Alpecin 0:00:09 7 Jhonatan Restrepo (Col) Katusha-Alpecin 8 Elia Viviani (Ita) Quick-Step Floors 0:00:10 9 Simone Consonni (Ita) UAE Team Emirates 10 Phil Bauhaus (Ger) Team Sunweb
There are two intermediate sprints in today's stage. The first comes on Main Street in Oakbank 45.9km into the day. The second is on Strathalbyn Road in Mylor at 77.3km.
Andre Greipel won yesterday's opener, relying on his experience and savvy to get the best of his younger competition. You can read about Greipel's win HERE.
Lotto Soudal's Adam Hansen says Greipel has saved the team "so many times." Read what Hansen had to say HERE.
Speaking of Hansen, Cyclingnews' Daniel Benson talked with I'm after yesterday's stage. Asked if Greipel can be the dominant rider in the race with our winning the overall, Hansen didn't hesitate.
"Yeah, I hope he wins tomorrow and then Stirling is a tough one. He’s never one Stirling but he’s come second once. I’m sure he’ll giveit a go and he’ll try again on the last stage, but hopefully he can get three wins here, which is half the stages."
Hansen said Greipel's win on stage 1 was all the more impressive because of how messy the finale turned out to be.
"Its not like we’ve got second rate sprinters here, especially when you’ve got the world champion, Caleb and Viviani on a new team. Every sprint is different also and today was extra special because it was very messy in the final and that’s not Andre's forte. To get through all of that and then to sprint for the win is even better."
We'e just abut ready for the neutral roll out to start.
And they're rolling. It's warm out there today. One of the Sunweb riders started the stage wearing an ice vest.
14.5km of neutral prior to the commencement of Stage 2. Currently 34 degrees. #tdu
Mitchelton-Scott DS Matt White is expecting another sprint today - kind of - but he says this stage isn't as straightforward as Tuesday's.
"It is a sprint where you really have to get your timing right because a lot of the pure sprinters don't make it to the final. It is a stage that [Andre] Greipel, for example, has never got a result. He'll get around there but normally is too fatigued to win. Caleb [Ewan] has raced it once before and he didn't t get around either, so the moral of the story is this ain't a normal sprint stage."
Read the rest of White's comments in our stage preview HERE.
Our roving reporters say it appeared that Simon Gerrans was wearing an ice vest/camelback at the start as well. It's going to be a hot one today!
Great morning at @SwissWellness1 watching the #TDU stage start! @Bennelongfunds @BennelongSwissW https://t.co/NxcPtKcwiT
There will be three 21km finishing circuits in Stirling. The circuit has been used many times in the race. Bora-Hansgrohe's Jay McCarthy won the stage last time the Tour Down Under came to Stirling.
A 14km neutral is going to make a while, which will give you time to read about Nicholas Dlamini's WorldTour debut yesterday with Dimension Data. The 22-year-old South African spent a day in the breakaway and earned the mountains jersey. Read about Dlamini HERE.
Movistar have some custom shoes for the race. Read about their new kicks HERE.
We've got a trio of stories about Chris Froome's ongoing salbutamol case.
Floyd Landis says the case could doom Team Sky. Read more HERE.
Romain Bardet said he doesn't see how Chris Froome can race like nothing is going on. Read more HERE.
Giro d'Italia head Mauro Vegni said that the UCI must "sort out" Froome's case before the start of the Italian Grand Tour. Read more HERE.
Got stopped by a bike race on my way to osteo. The audacity. #TDU
The neutral roll out is almost over. Expect some immediate fireworks as riders try to establish the breakaway. They've certainly gotten their warm-up in.
Caleb Ewan, second yesterday, was ready to go this morning in his white Jersey.
Racing is underway for stage 2 of the Tour Down Under!!
Will Nicholas Dlamini, pictured below in his polka dot jersey, try to get in another breakaway? We'll know soon.
Daniel Hoelgaard, who crashed in the final kilometres yesterday, has abandoned the race.
146km remaining from 148km
Dlamini is going for it again today. He's made move with two others. Would you believe it's Will Clarke and Scott Bowden again? Same three as yesterday. They have 35 seconds 2km into the race.
The gap has quickly gone up to 1:20
Dlamini's teammate Tom Helte Slagter won this stage in 2013 and is happy to be back. He spoke with Zeb Woodpower before the start.
"It is a good stage here and I won here in ’13 so only good memories.
"I think it was exactly like we said. We had our neo-pro Nic Dlamini in the break and he took the climbers jersey so really nice for him and good for the team. The rest of the guys just tried to stay out of trouble and rolled to the finish.
"I hope it is fast enough to drop some real fast guys and then we see if it comes down to a tough sprint."
New gap is 3:10
Italian Manuele Boaro (Bahrain-Merida) is riding the TDU with a little koala attached to his helmet. Boaro explained why to Cyclingnews on the start line in Unley and also discussed the team plans for the finish in Stirling.
“My mum is Australian and I like to stay here. Half my heart is in Australia and also because it is funny. It is a special koala for Australia.
“We are here with three strong leaders and focus on trying to win the Tour Down Under. We see if there is a chance, why not?
“The problem today is that is very hot. Normally we see 20-30 guys in the final do the sprint. We try to do the best to get the guys into position.”
Kiwi George Bennett is riding the Tour Down Under on the Bianchi Oltre XR4. Read more about his bike and check out the details HERE.
Jaime Castrillo (Movistar) also made today's breakaway. It's a group of four escapees today.
#TDU After just 6km the same three breakaway riders from yesterday are away once again joined by one other and now have a 3”10 lead.
Castrillo is a 21-year-old Spaniard in his first year with Movistar.
The new gap is 4:05 as the leaders close in on the first KOM at 12.8km.
The day's only KOM will climbs up Tea Tree Gully, a 2.5km category 2 climb that averages 6.3 per cent grade.
Dlamini has taken the KOM and will stay in the jersey again tomorrow. Bowden punctured.
Our Zeb Woodpower spoke with Richie Porte aged of the stage. Here's what the defending champion had to say about today.
"Today is an uphill but some of the fast guys and it is one those stages you don’t want to get caught out napping. You really have to get across the line before you and take a breath.
"Today is one of the rare stages that Simon Gerrans hasn’t won. I think it really suits him and hopefully Simon can get amongst it there. For guys like Rohan Dennis and myself it is about no silly time gaps on the run in."
Bowden has not regained contact with the break. His day out front could be over.
Dlamini's work in the break his done. He added another 10 points to his lead in the mountains classification, and now he's dropped back to the peloton. Bowden made it back to the breakaway, so now we have Bowden, Clarke and Castrillo up front with a gap of 4:15.
Mitchelton-Scott's Daryl Impey has his eyes on today's stage. The 33-year-old South African says he's targeting a win if he can be up there in the finale.
"It does suit me but there are some good guys here. Obviously if Caleb shows he has good form he can win on stages like this. We will try and protect him first and see how he is going. I will be plan B, but in the back of my mind I know it will be a race to the line.
"I think we have one of the best trains here. Yesterday it was unfortunate that my chain dropped with out one K to go, so we got a little bit muddled there. But we have one of the best trains here, most experienced and the faster sprinter.
"We know the sprint competition is obviously better this year so we are not going to win that much but we are close enough.
"There are quite a few guys and McCarthy and Sagan are the standouts. Nathan Haas is also someone who can be up there today. There is always a surprise winner on Stirling. A guy like Peter Sagan is a stand out. It will be hard to beat him today."
Nathan Haas (Katusha-Alpecin) also spoke to Cyclingnews this morning about the Stirling circuits and finish.
"It has been a year away from Stirling with the finish, so a few of us are pretty hungry to try and contest the final again. My team yesterday was incredible. We were on pint from kilometre one to the end. It is a super professional outfit and it is really nice to work with guys who really understand their roles, take pride in what they do and also have these huge engines.
"Yesterday gave me a lot of confidence. Not just only in my own legs but in how my team is going to help to deliver me today. I think I can relax a lot more in the stage today and really just trust our process. If other teams are better than us then that is fine. If guys are better than us, that is fine but I think I am quietly confident for a good finish today."
127km remaining from 148km
Gap has gone up to 4:35 to the three leaders as Lotto Soudal controls the front of the peloton.
121km remaining from 148km
The gap has gone up to 4:40 to Bowden, Clarke and Castrillo.
If you missed yesterday's opening stage. You can catch up with our video highlights HERE.
118km remaining from 148km
The lead has gone up yet again. The trio up front now have 5:30 over the peloton led by Lotto Soudal.
Take note - Wing Mirror in when servicing his riders. #tdu https://t.co/xWVgnVjgdC
The gap continues to go out, but when the race reaches the Stirling circuits the pace will pick up and the bunch will start taking big bites out of the leaders' advantage.
The leaders are about 5km from the first intermediate sprint of the day at 45.9km.
Ice socks were very much needed today @tourdownunder #TDU2018 @koendekort @TrekSegafredo https://t.co/6fNNiu4MxA
Clarke takes the first intermediate sprint and the three-second time bonus. Clarke has won all the intermediate sprints so far, but Greipel got the big points yesterday at the finish.
Lotto Soudal continue to pound out the kilometres on the front of the peloton. The gap is "down" to 6:20
Sprint 1 result:
1. Clarke 2. Castrillo 3. Bowden
Bahrain-Merida have sent Ramunas Navardauskas to the front to help Lotto with the chase.
Up front, Bowden is getting feed from the team car.
Reports say temps are now over 37 degrees.
#TDU 100km to go and the leading trio has a 6’20” advantage. It’s been a slow day so far with a 23km/hr average.
Navardauskas has the gap down below six minutes at 5:45.
Katusha's Nathan Haas, who is hoping for a top result today in Stirling, commented to Cyclingnews at the start about yesterday's stage and what it will take to beat stage favourite Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe).
"I think the dark horse could be a little bit of miscommunication between bora today. It was a bit weird yesterday. They didn’t have a full-fledged lead out for the intermediate time bonus. Sam Bennett didn’t quite do the role without the rest of the team for Jay in that final sprint. Then Sagan sort of sprinting, I don’t know if Bennett is sprinting. I don’t really know what is going on there.
"They are obviously formidable riders. Sagan is probably the best rider of all time now and that is always pretty hard to come up against. Jay has also won this stage before. There are also guys like Slagter, Ulissi that have won it before.
"Gerrans, no one is talking about Gerro yet. I am sure he is taking a pretty quiet backseat at the moment and enjoying that. Maybe we need to start putting his name out so he doesn’t get to hide and surprise us."
86km remaining from 148km
Well Navardauskas must be working hard. The gap to the leaders is now just 4:30
Navarduaskas is getting help from his teammates as Bahrain-Merida mass on the front of the peloton.
⚡️ HUGE power from @Ride_Argyle's @clarkeywilbur on the first and only categorised climb of @tourdownunder Stage 2… https://t.co/MrKZWW2qMg
The leaders are on a slight uphill on a sunny road. There's little shade for them to hide from the heat.
22km until the second intermediate sprint in Mylor.
The gap is down to 3:30 now as the leaders are about 4km from the sprint.
As the leaders approach the sprint, Bowden calls up his team car for some advice. They had him a gel and he's off to the front.
Clarke can pull himself equal on time with Greipel with attired place in this sprint and a one-second bonus.
Clarke takes the sprint and the max bonus, making him the virtual leader on the road even without his current breakaway gap.
Sprint 2 Results:
1. Clarke 2. Bowden 3. Castrillo
Race radio is saying Clarke has sat up and is waiting for the peloton. He's currently taking on food from neutral support. Bowden has also sat up, leaving Castrillo solo up front.
The young Spaniard's gap to the field is down to three minutes.
Bahrain-Merida continues on the front of the bunch. Navardauskas has put in the yeoman's work today.
64km remaining from 148km
Crastrillo will soon be in Stirling for the first of three closing circuits.
Castrillo grabs a musette in the feed zone while Bahrain-Merida press the pace in the bunch.
Castrillo grabs a musette in the feed zone while Bahrain-Merida press the pace in the bunch.
Castrillo grabs a musette in the feed zone while Bahrain-Merida press the pace in the bunch.
The peloton have Bowden and Clarke in their sights. The duo will be back in the fold soon.
And the catch is made. It's just one rider out front now.
Big, enthusiastic crowds in Stirling. The heat hasn't inhibited the fans.
Each of these three circuits is 21.1km. There's plenty of racing to go.
Castrillo is on a downhill, and his gap has gone up to 3:50. It's a big ask that he should stay away until the finish, but the first-year pro is putting in an impressive ride.
Bahrain-Merida are still setting the pace on the front, but Lotto Soudal's Thomas De Gendt is third wheel.
35km remaining from 148km
The pace in the peloton appears to have slowed a bit as they're feathering the effort so as not to bring Castrillo back too soon.
Castrillo is nearly on the clmb to the finish line. He'll get the bell for one to go and another 21.1km lap when he gets there.
The bunch is flying up the climb, noticeably faster than Castrillo. Will he make it to the bell lap in the lead?
Steve Morabito (FDJ) has hit the deck and appears to have injured his elbow or shoulder. He's not getting up very fast.
Doctors on scene are popping Morabito's shoulder back into place. This may be the end of his race.
Morabito is still on the side of the road with medical staff.
25km remaining from 148km
Castrillo's gap is holding steady at 1:05.
Morabito has amazingly climbed back on his bike. But he's riding pretty gingerly. Doctors put his dislocated shoulder back in place alongside the road.
Castrillo's gap has gone back up to 1:15.
19km remaining from 148km
The gap is at a minute even now with less than 20km remaining. Castrillo and the field are on the final lap.
15km remaining from 148km
Castrillo is just 35 seconds ahead the field now. The catch is imminent.
The peloton is almost on Castrillo now. The battle for position will be full-on once the catch is made.
EF Education First-Drapac have moved to the front for Clarke. There's a chance he can take the overall lead if the finish plays out right. If Greipel finishes on the podium he'll keep the lead. If Ewan finishes second and Greipel is off the podium he'll take the lead. But if Sagan gets the win, he could be the new leader.
Stay Tuned!
10km remaining from 148km
Castrillo's day out front is done. Everyone is all in for the finish now.
#TDU Into the final tricky 10kms of stage 2 and keeping our young climbers safe with no time loss is crucial today.… https://t.co/ryOkmISLws
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