The Santos Tour Down Under sprint stages may have been billed as a showdown between former team-mates André Greipel and Mark Cavendish, but thus far it is another HTC-Highroad rider, Matt Goss, who has been Greipel’s biggest headache.
The Australian rider followed up his victory in Sunday’s Adelaide Cancer Council Classic with more sprint success today, beating Greipel by two bike lengths and Robbie McEwen (Team RadioShack) by four. He was delivered perfectly to the finish of the IMG Markets stage one by his team-mates, with Mark Renshaw once again leading him out to victory.
“Mark gave me the perfect lead out once again and dropped me off at 250m to go,” a smiling Goss said in Angaston. “It was a long uphill sprint and I could see Andre on my wheel so I was a little worried for a moment there. But I managed to hold them off so I'm happy about that.”
When time bonuses were calculated, Goss ends the day four seconds clear of Greipel and six up on McEwen. Mitchell Docker (UNI SA - Australia) and Mathieu Perget (AG2R La Mondiale), two riders who were part of the break of the day, are fourth and fifth respectively, seven seconds back.
“It's a great start for us and I'd love to be able to hold this lead for the whole week but there's a long way to go,” said Goss. “We'll just have to see how it goes. We also have a very strong team and we have other riders who can also win here, so we'll take it each day at a time. Hopefully we can have the jersey at the end of the week."
McEwen said afterwards that he lost position in the manoeuvring before the sprint, but that Robbie Hunter helped him to try to move up again. That pre-sprint effort sapped his strength somewhat, something he also said after getting third on Sunday, but he’s happy with his form and hoping to do better in the remaining stages.
Early attacks:
The 138 kilometre stage from Mawson Lakes to Angaston was run off in front of an estimated 100 thousand fans, who gathered to see the top teams in world cycling contest the first World Tour event of the new season. Basque rider Gorka Izagirre (Euskaltel-Euskadi) was the first to throw down the gauntlet, surging clear approximately ten kilometres into the stage to try to take the Skoda King of the Mountain climb at Hillbank.
His kick was answered by South Australian Luke Roberts (Uni-SA) and the Frenchman Julien Loubet (AG2R la Mondiale), with Roberts beating Izagirre to the summit. They were hauled back but soon afterwards Izagirre’s brother Jon clipped away with four others, namely his Euskaltel Euskadi team-mate Miguel Minguez plus the Australians Simon Clarke (Astana) and Mitch Docker (UniSA-Australia).
They build a decent lead and raced on to the Jayco intermediate sprints at Sandy Creek and Lyndoch, where Docker and then Perget were first to the line. The gap continued to grow and increased to four minutes, before the tide turned and the peloton started driving the pace. Under the impetus of HTC-Highroad and then Omega Pharma-Lotto and Team Sky, the break was hauled back with ten kilometres to go.
From there it was simply a question of keeping things together, then each team setting their sprinter up for the finish. There was some tussling and rubbing shoulders in the peloton, but Goss, Greipel, McEwen, Chris Sutton (Team Sky), Elia Viviani (Liquigas-Cannondale) and Romain Feillu (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team) got into good enough position to take the top six placings.
Further back, 2009 winner Allan Davis (Astana, 15th), Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Cervélo, 59th) and Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad, 62nd) missed out on the chance to fight for the stage win. Others who finished in the same time as Goss were Stuart O'Grady (Leopard Trek, 14th), Geraint Thomas (Team Sky, 74th), Richie Porte (Saxo Bank-Sungard, 75th), Lance Armstrong (Team Radio Shack, 81st) and Jack Bobridge (Team Garmin-Cervélo, 98th).
They will all resume battle in tomorrow’s 146 kilometre race from Tailem Bend to Mannum. It’s lumpy early on but the flatter second half points once again to a sprint finish, and another Goss-Greipel-McEwen duel.
Goss is two wins up on his rivals this week, but isn’t taking anything for granted. “It is an ideal start but there is a lot of days left of racing. I am in a good position now but it isn't just me in the team,” he said.
“Cav is still one of the fastest guys here (and) I am sure we will see him, if not in the next couple of days (then) before the end of the race.”
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Santos Tour Down Under, Australia (World Tour), January 18-23:
Stage 1, Mawson Lakes – Angaston:
1, Matt Goss (HTC-Highroad) at 3 hours 17 mins 8 secs
2, André Greipel (Omega Pharma-Lotto)
3, Robbie McEwen (Team Radio Shack)
4, Chris Sutton (Team Sky)
5, Elia Viviani (Liquigas-Cannondale)
6, Romain Feillu (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team)
7, Alessandro Ballan (BMC Racing Team)
8, Inaki Isasi (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
9, Jose Joaquin Rojas (Team Movistar)
10, Greg Henderson (Team Sky)
11, Manuele Mori (Lampre - ISD)
12, Baden Cooke (Saxo Bank-Sungard)
13, Mirko Selvaggi (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team)
14, Stuart O'Grady (Leopard Trek)
15, Allan Davis (Astana)
16, Denis Galimzyanov (Katusha Team)
17, Simon Gerrans (Team Sky)
18, Eduard Vorganov (Katusha Team)
19, John Murphy (BMC Racing Team)
20, Francisco Ventoso (Team Movistar)
21, Pieter Weening (Rabobank Cycling Team)
22, Julien Loubet (AG2R La Mondiale)
23, Ben Hermans (Team Radio Shack)
24, Luke Roberts (UNI SA - Australia)
25, Fabio Sabatini (Liquigas-Cannondale)
26, Bernard Sulzberger (UNI SA - Australia)
27, Julian Dean (Team Garmin-Cervelo)
28, Kristof Goddaert (AG2R La Mondiale)
29, Sergey Lagutin (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team)
30, Blel Kadri (AG2R La Mondiale)
31, Laurens ten Dam (Rabobank Cycling Team)
32, Simone Ponzi (Liquigas-Cannondale)
33, Francesco Reda (Quick Step Cycling Team)
34, Michael Matthews (Rabobank Cycling Team)
35, Aleksandr Kuschynski (Katusha Team)
36, Mitchell Docker (UNI SA - Australia)
37, Jonathan Cantwell (UNI SA - Australia)
38, Ruben Perez (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
39, Luis Pasamontes (Team Movistar)
40, Wesley Sulzberger (UNI SA - Australia)
41, Amaël Moinard (BMC Racing Team)
42, Davide Malacarne (Quick Step Cycling Team)
43, Alberto Ongarato (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team)
44, Rob Ruijgh (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team)
45, Manuel Cardoso (Team Radio Shack)
46, Gerald Ciolek (Quick Step Cycling Team)
47, Stefan Denifl (Leopard Trek)
48, Juan Horrach (Katusha Team)
49, Cameron Meyer (Team Garmin-Cervelo)
50, Davide Vigano (Leopard Trek)
51, Martin Kohler (BMC Racing Team)
52, David Lopez (Team Movistar)
53, Yuriy Krivtsov (AG2R La Mondiale)
54, Addy Engels (Quick Step Cycling Team)
55, Valentin Iglinskiy (Astana)
56, Andriy Grivko (Astana)
57, Jurgen Roelandts (Omega Pharma-Lotto)
58, Jose Ivan Gutierrez (Team Movistar)
59, Tyler Farrar (Team Garmin-Cervelo)
60, Cameron Wurf (Liquigas-Cannondale)
61, Gorka Izagirre (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
62, Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad)
63, Tanel Kangert (Astana)
64, Ben Swift (Team Sky)
65, Aitor Perez Arrieta (Lampre - ISD)
66, Nicki Sörensen (Saxo Bank-Sungard)
67, Ivan Velasco (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
68, Vitaliy Buts (Lampre - ISD)
69, Mathieu Perget (AG2R La Mondiale)
70, Travis Meyer (Team Garmin-Cervelo)
71, Serguei Ivanov (Katusha Team)
72, Steve Houanard (AG2R La Mondiale)
73, William Clarke (Leopard Trek)
74, Geraint Thomas (Team Sky)
75, Richie Porte (Saxo Bank-Sungard)
76, Jon Izaguirre (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
77, David Tanner (Saxo Bank-Sungard)
78, Marco Bandiera (Quick Step Cycling Team)
79, Luke Durbridge (UNI SA - Australia)
80, Hayden Roulston (HTC-Highroad)
81, Lance Armstrong (Team Radio Shack)
82, Markel Irizar (Team Radio Shack)
83, Kristijan Koren (Liquigas-Cannondale)
84, Mark Renshaw (HTC-Highroad)
85, Angel Madrazo (Team Movistar)
86, Alexander Kristoff (BMC Racing Team)
87, Simon Zahner (BMC Racing Team)
88, Julien Vermote (Quick Step Cycling Team)
89, Daniel Sesma (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
90, Michael Hepburn (UNI SA - Australia)
91, Simon Clarke (Astana)
92, Graeme Brown (Rabobank Cycling Team)
93, Martin Pedersen (Leopard Trek)
94, Timothy Roe (BMC Racing Team)
95, Francesco Chicchi (Quick Step Cycling Team)
96, Dimitri Champion (AG2R La Mondiale)
97, Jurgen Van De Walle (Omega Pharma-Lotto)
98, Jack Bobridge (Team Garmin-Cervelo)
99, Tom Leezer (Rabobank Cycling Team)
100, Matthew Wilson (Team Garmin-Cervelo)
101, Joost Van Leijen (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team)
102, Alfredo Balloni (Lampre - ISD)
103, Bruno Pires (Leopard Trek)
104, Yevgeniy Nepomnyachshiy (Astana)
105, Mathew Hayman (Team Sky)
106, Nikolay Trusov (Katusha Team)
107, Robbie Hunter (Team Radio Shack)
108, Martin Mortensen (Leopard Trek)
109, José Vicente Garcia (Team Movistar)
110, Brian Vandborg (Saxo Bank-Sungard)
111, Stijn Vandenbergh (Katusha Team)
112, Miguel Minguez (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
113, Alessandro Spezialetti (Lampre - ISD)
114, Danny Pate (HTC-Highroad)
115, Brett Lancaster (Team Garmin-Cervelo)
116, Davide Cimolai (Liquigas-Cannondale) at 17 secs
117, Marcel Sieberg (Omega Pharma-Lotto) at 18 secs
118, Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team) at 28 secs
119, Alan Marangoni (Liquigas-Cannondale)
120, Daniele Righi (Lampre - ISD) at 39 secs
121, Matteo Bono (Lampre - ISD)
122, Coen Vermeltfoort (Rabobank Cycling Team) at 45 secs
123, Maxim Gourov (Astana)
124, Michael Rogers (Team Sky) at mins 53 secs
125, Bert Grabsch (HTC-Highroad) at 1 min 11 secs
126, Jos van Emden (Rabobank Cycling Team) at 1 min 25 secs
127, Bernhard Eisel (HTC-Highroad) at 1 min 28 secs
128, Sebastian Haedo (Saxo Bank-Sungard) at 1 min 33 secs
129, Juan José Haedo (Saxo Bank-Sungard)
130, Olivier Kaisen (Omega Pharma-Lotto) at 1 min 37 secs
131, Adam Hansen (Omega Pharma-Lotto)
132, Vicente Reynes (Omega Pharma-Lotto)
133, Gregory Rast (Team Radio Shack)
Teams :
1, Team Sky, 9 hours 51 mins 24 secs
2, Vacansoleil-DCM
3, Liquigas-Cannondale
4, BMC
5, Movistar
6, Katusha
7, Radio Shack
8, AG2R La Mondiale
9, Rabobank
10, UNI SA - Australia
11, Euskaltel-Euskadi
12, Leopard Trek
13, Quickstep
14, Astana
15, Garmin-Cervelo
16, HTC-Highroad
17, Lampre - ISD
18, Saxo Bank-Sungard
19, Omega Pharma-Lotto
Jayco Sprints - stage finish:
1, Matt Goss (HTC-Highroad) 8 pts
2, André Greipel (Omega Pharma-Lotto) 6
3, Robbie McEwen (Team Radio Shack) 4
Sandy Creek:
1, Mitchell Docker (UNI SA - Australia) 6 pts
2, Miguel Minguez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) 4
3, Simon Clarke (Astana) 2
Lyndoch:
1, Mathieu Perget (AG2R La Mondiale) 6 pts
2, Simon Clarke (Astana) 4
3, Miguel Minguez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) 2
Skoda King of the Mountains - Black Top Road:
1, Luke Roberts (UNI SA - Australia) 16 pts
2, Gorka Izagirre (Euskaltel-Euskadi) 12
3, Julien Loubet (AG2R La Mondiale) 8
4, Blel Kadri (AG2R La Mondiale) 6
5, David Tanner (Saxo Bank-Sungard) 4
Hindmarsh Most Aggressive Rider: Simon Clarke (Astana)
Overall classification after stage one:
1, Matt Goss (HTC-Highroad) 3 hours 16 mins 58 secs
2, André Greipel (Omega Pharma-Lotto) at 4 secs
3, Robbie McEwen (Team Radio Shack) at 6 secs
4, Mitchell Docker (UNI SA - Australia) at 7 secs
5, Mathieu Perget (AG2R La Mondiale)
6, Simon Clarke (Astana)
7, Miguel Minguez (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
8, Chris Sutton (Team Sky) at 10 secs
9, Elia Viviani (Liquigas-Cannondale)
10, Romain Feillu (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team)
11, Alessandro Ballan (BMC Racing Team)
12, Inaki Isasi (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
13, Jose Joaquin Rojas (Team Movistar)
14, Greg Henderson (Team Sky)
15, Manuele Mori (Lampre - ISD)
16, Baden Cooke (Saxo Bank-Sungard)
17, Mirko Selvaggi (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team)
18, Stuart O'Grady (Leopard Trek)
19, Allan Davis (Astana)
20, Denis Galimzyanov (Katusha Team)
21, Simon Gerrans (Team Sky)
22, Eduard Vorganov (Katusha Team)
23, John Murphy (BMC Racing Team)
24, Francisco Ventoso (Team Movistar)
25, Pieter Weening (Rabobank Cycling Team)
26, Julien Loubet (AG2R La Mondiale)
27, Ben Hermans (Team Radio Shack)
28, Luke Roberts (UNI SA - Australia)
29, Fabio Sabatini (Liquigas-Cannondale)
30, Bernard Sulzberger (UNI SA - Australia)
31, Julian Dean (Team Garmin-Cervelo)
32, Kristof Goddaert (AG2R La Mondiale)
33, Sergey Lagutin (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team)
34, Blel Kadri (AG2R La Mondiale)
35, Laurens ten Dam (Rabobank Cycling Team)
36, Simone Ponzi (Liquigas-Cannondale)
37, Francesco Reda (Quick Step Cycling Team)
38, Michael Matthews (Rabobank Cycling Team)
39, Aleksandr Kuschynski (Katusha Team)
40, Jonathan Cantwell (UNI SA - Australia)
41, Ruben Perez (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
42, Luis Pasamontes (Team Movistar)
43, Wesley Sulzberger (UNI SA - Australia)
44, Amaël Moinard (BMC Racing Team)
45, Davide Malacarne (Quick Step Cycling Team)
46, Alberto Ongarato (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team)
47, Rob Ruijgh (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team)
48, Manuel Cardoso (Team Radio Shack)
49, Gerald Ciolek (Quick Step Cycling Team)
50, Stefan Denifl (Leopard Trek)
51, Juan Horrach (Katusha Team)
52, Cameron Meyer (Team Garmin-Cervelo)
53, Davide Vigano (Leopard Trek)
54, Martin Kohler (BMC Racing Team)
55, David Lopez (Team Movistar)
56, Yuriy Krivtsov (AG2R La Mondiale)
57, Addy Engels (Quick Step Cycling Team)
58, Valentin Iglinskiy (Astana)
59, Andriy Grivko (Astana)
60, Jurgen Roelandts (Omega Pharma-Lotto)
61, Jose Ivan Gutierrez (Team Movistar)
62, Tyler Farrar (Team Garmin-Cervelo)
63, Cameron Wurf (Liquigas-Cannondale)
64, Gorka Izagirre (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
65, Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad)
66, Tanel Kangert (Astana)
67, Ben Swift (Team Sky)
68, Aitor Perez Arrieta (Lampre - ISD)
69, Nicki Sörensen (Saxo Bank-Sungard)
70, Ivan Velasco (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
71, Vitaliy Buts (Lampre - ISD)
72, Travis Meyer (Team Garmin-Cervelo)
73, Serguei Ivanov (Katusha Team)
74, Steve Houanard (AG2R La Mondiale)
75, William Clarke (Leopard Trek)
76, Geraint Thomas (Team Sky)
77, Richie Porte (Saxo Bank-Sungard)
78, Jon Izaguirre (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
79, David Tanner (Saxo Bank-Sungard)
80, Marco Bandiera (Quick Step Cycling Team)
81, Luke Durbridge (UNI SA - Australia)
82, Hayden Roulston (HTC-Highroad)
83, Lance Armstrong (Team Radio Shack)
84, Markel Irizar (Team Radio Shack)
85, Kristijan Koren (Liquigas-Cannondale)
86, Mark Renshaw (HTC-Highroad)
87, Angel Madrazo (Team Movistar)
88, Alexander Kristoff (BMC Racing Team)
89, Simon Zahner (BMC Racing Team)
90, Julien Vermote (Quick Step Cycling Team)
91, Daniel Sesma (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
92, Michael Hepburn (UNI SA - Australia)
93, Graeme Brown (Rabobank Cycling Team)
94, Martin Pedersen (Leopard Trek)
95, Timothy Roe (BMC Racing Team)
96, Francesco Chicchi (Quick Step Cycling Team)
97, Dimitri Champion (AG2R La Mondiale)
98, Jurgen Van De Walle (Omega Pharma-Lotto)
99, Jack Bobridge (Team Garmin-Cervelo)
100, Tom Leezer (Rabobank Cycling Team)
101, Matthew Wilson (Team Garmin-Cervelo)
102, Joost Van Leijen (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team)
103, Alfredo Balloni (Lampre - ISD)
104, Bruno Pires (Leopard Trek)
105, Yevgeniy Nepomnyachshiy (Astana)
106, Mathew Hayman (Team Sky)
107, Nikolay Trusov (Katusha Team)
108, Robbie Hunter (Team Radio Shack)
109, Martin Mortensen (Leopard Trek)
110, José Vicente Garcia (Team Movistar)
111, Brian Vandborg (Saxo Bank-Sungard)
112, Stijn Vandenbergh (Katusha Team)
113, Alessandro Spezialetti (Lampre - ISD)
114, Danny Pate (HTC-Highroad)
115, Brett Lancaster (Team Garmin-Cervelo)
116, Gregory Rast (Team Radio Shack)
117, Davide Cimolai (Liquigas-Cannondale) at 27 secs
118, Marcel Sieberg (Omega Pharma-Lotto) at 28 secs
119, Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team) at 38 secs
120, Alan Marangoni (Liquigas-Cannondale)
121, Daniele Righi (Lampre - ISD) at 49 secs
122, Matteo Bono (Lampre - ISD)
123, Coen Vermeltfoort (Rabobank Cycling Team) at 55 secs
124, Maxim Gourov (Astana)
125, Michael Rogers (Team Sky) at 1 min 3 secs
126, Bert Grabsch (HTC-Highroad) at 1 min 21 secs
127, Jos van Emden (Rabobank Cycling Team) at 1 min 35 secs
128, Bernhard Eisel (HTC-Highroad) at 1 min 38 secs
129, Sebastian Haedo (Saxo Bank-Sungard) at 1 min 43 secs
130, Juan José Haedo (Saxo Bank-Sungard)
131, Olivier Kaisen (Omega Pharma-Lotto) at 1 min 47 secs
132, Adam Hansen (Omega Pharma-Lotto)
133, Vicente Reynes (Omega Pharma-Lotto)
Teams classification after 1 stage:
1, Team Sky at 9 hours 51 mins 24 secs
2, Vacansoleil-DCM
3, Liquigas-Cannondale
4, BMC
5, Movistar
6, Katusha
7, Radio Shack
8, AG2R La Mondiale
9, Rabobank
10, UNI SA - Australia
11, Euskaltel-Euskadi
12, Leopard Trek
13, Quickstep
14, Astana
15, Garmin-Cervelo
16, HTC-Highroad
17, Lampre - ISD
18, Saxo Bank-Sungard
19, Omega Pharma-Lotto
Sprint classification:
1, Matt Goss (HTC-Highroad) 8 pts
2, Mitchell Docker (UNI SA - Australia) 6
3, Mathieu Perget (AG2R La Mondiale) 6
4, André Greipel (Omega Pharma-Lotto) 6
5, Simon Clarke (Astana) 6
6, Miguel Minguez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) 6
7, Robbie McEwen (Team Radio Shack) 4
King of the mountains classification:
1, Luke Roberts (UNI SA - Australia) 16 pts
2, Gorka Izagirre (Euskaltel-Euskadi) 12
3, Julien Loubet (AG2R La Mondiale) 8
4, Blel Kadri (AG2R La Mondiale) 6
5, David Tanner (Saxo Bank-Sungard) 4