Tour Down Under 2018: Stage 2

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January 1 - January 21, Unley, Adelaide, Road - WorldTour

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Hello and welcome to the Cyclingnews Live Report for stage 2 of the UCI WorldTour-opening Santos Tour Down Under.

 

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:

General Classification after stage 1:

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.

Hansen said Greipel's win on stage 1 was all the more impressive because of how messy the finale turned out to be.

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.

Mitchelton-Scott DS Matt White is expecting another sprint today - kind of - but he says this stage isn't as straightforward as Tuesday's.

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!

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Nathan Haas (Katusha-Alpecin) also spoke to Cyclingnews this morning about the Stirling circuits and finish.

127km remaining from 148km

121km remaining from 148km

If you missed yesterday's opening stage. You can catch up with our video highlights HERE.

118km remaining from 148km

117km remaining from 148km

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.

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:

Bahrain-Merida have sent Ramunas Navardauskas to the front to help Lotto with the chase.

Reports say temps are now over 37 degrees.

90km remaining from 148km

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).

86km remaining from 148km

Navarduaskas is getting help from his teammates as Bahrain-Merida mass on the front of the peloton.

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. 

Sprint 2 Results:

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

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.

Our Josh Evans snapped a photo of Castrillo passing under the finish arch in Stirling. The young man looks strong.

Under 50km to go now and Castrillo's gap is 3:30

Navardauskas has had enough. He's dropped off the front and is sliding back in the peloton. The Lithuanian put in a monster day.

47km remaining from 148km

The gap is coming down fast now. Castrillo has 2:30 over the field.

The gap is below two minutes. Castrillo's time in the lead is quickly coming to an end.

Meanwhile, in the field riders are starting to get get spit out the back on the climbs.

The field is in full flight toward the finish. They'll get the sign for two laps to go soon.

The field are under the finish banner. 42km to go.

World champion Peter Sagan leads the field through the feed zone.

40km remaining from 148km

35km remaining from 148km

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

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

15km remaining from 148km

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. 

10km remaining from 148km

EF Education First-Drapac are still controlling the front of the peloton. Sunweb are moving up on the other side of the road.

6km remaining from 148km

Sagan is there, of course, moving up onto the wheel of Ewan.

Greipel has been dropped. He'll lose the ochre jersey today.

5km remaining from 148km

Mitchelton-Scott are a big presence on the front. Ewan must be feeling good.

The pace is high and no one seems able to attack. Katusha getting the job done.

Riders are pushing big watts now trying to stay in contention.

3km remaining from 148km

Gaps are opening in the back of the field.

A Mitchelton-Scott rider decided to hop up on the sidewalk as he faded back through the peloton.

1km remaining from 148km

It's 1km all uphill to the line!!

LottoNL-Jumbo on the front.

Sagan is up there waiting.

Gesink drilling the pace for LottoNL

Sagan takes the lead

Ewan pops past Sagan, as does Daryl Impey for a MItchelton-Scott 1-2 finish.

Stage 2 Top 10:

GC top 10 after stage 2:

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