Tour Down Under 2018: Stage 2 preview

Mitchelton-Scott DS Matt White says:

"Not as straightforward as stage 1 and it is a circuit we have used many, many times before. 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.

"When you have a look at the guys who have won there before you can certainly get some surprises because it does flatten out before kicking up towards the line. It has been won before by guys jumping and catching whoever is left by surprise. Out of any of the sprinters who can make it around the Stirling circuit, we all know one that won't have any issues unleashing his sprint, it's our triple world champion Mr Peter Sagan, who I see as the clear favourite.

"Sagan's teammate Aussie Jay McCarthy won the stage last time we came to Stirling a couple of years ago and he will be one of few genuine GC threats also capable of a stage result here if given the chance. It is also a stage that suits Simon Gerrans. He has proven that many times in the past and if he is given the opportunity will be another favourite for the stage win."