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Tour Down Under Report |
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Stage 2
An uphill start saw attacks from the gun with climbers wanting
to take advantage of the roads and get a gap. Early attempts
were unsuccessful but 19-year-old Robert Power (UniSA) was
active on more than one occasion.
The first big move of day contained Peter Stetina (BMC),
Cameron Meyer (Orica-GreenEDGE), Thomas De Gendt
(Lotto-Soudal), Alex Howes (Cannondale-Garmin), Oliver Zaugg
(Tinkoff-Saxo), Jose Herrada (Movistar) and Yves Lampaert
(Etixx-QuickStep). The group was quickly down to give as
Lampaert and Zaugg we dropped but the peloton was unhappy
anyway bringing it back together.
A combination of the fast and uphill start saw the peloton
split in to three groups as Cam Meyer went on the attack
again. De Gendt was the first to bridge across with Campbell
Flakemore (BMC) making it three up the road after about 15
kilometres. Initially Sky was unhappy but the three were
eventually allowed to go away building an advantage of one and
a half minutes five kilometres later.
Meyer the overall winner in 2011 won the race off the back of
a stage win from a break that also included De Gendt who was
runner up on the stage.
KoM Basket Range (29.8km)
1 Thomas De Gendt 10
2 Campbell Flakemore 6
3 Cameron Meyer 4
4 Miles Scotson 2
Despite the considerable firepower in the break with Flakemore
the reigning under 23 time trial World Champion and Cameron
Meyer a two time Australian Time Trial Champion and bronze
medallist in the world under 23 time trial in 2008 the gap
grew to over three minutes after 40 kilometres.
Sprint 1 (49.4km)
1 Thomas De Gendt -3"
2 Cameron Meyer -2"
3 Campbell Flakemore -1"
De Gendt takes the sprint ahead of Meyer and Flakemore. © Non
Pro Cycling
With 50.5km of 150.5km completes the breakaway trio has
3minutes and 25 seconds on the peloton being lead by Jack
Bobridge's UniSA squad and Team Sky. As the kilometres ticked
along Team Sky did most of the pace making with IAM Cycling
also adding a rider to the front thinking of a stage win with
newly crowned Australian Champion Heinrich Haussler.
Despite the work being done at the front of the peloton, the
break managed to add another 20 seconds to their advantage
taking it to 3minute and 55seconds.
IAM and UniSA doing the chasing. © Non Pro Cycling
As the gap continued to rise a renewed pressure in the peloton
with another rider from IAM on the front the gap quickly
dropped to just under three minutes. With 62.5km remaining the
gap was hovering around 3 minutes after it jumped back to 3:25
with IAM, Sky and UniSA visible at the front of the peloton.
After a brief respite the pressure came back to the front of
the peloton with UniSA and IAM the most active with the gap
dropping to two minutes ahead of the second sprint.
Sprint 2 (100.1m)
1 Thomas De Gendt -3"
2 Cameron Meyer -2"
3 Campbell Flakemore -1"
Newly crowned Australian under 23 time trial and road race
champion Miles Scotson was responsible for a lot of the
chasing along side Stef Clement of IAM. Despite the chase the
strong break was able to keep the gap hovering around two to
two and a half minutes. Not wanting a break to stay away for
the second day in a row the peloton really put the pressure on
during the laps of the finishing circuit in Stirling. With
29km to go the gap was down to just one minute. Clement and
Neil Van der Ploeg (UniSA) were on the front of the peloton.
Break on a descent of the finishing circuit. © Non Pro Cycling
With the peloton closing in De Gendt sat up and returned to
the peloton with Meyer and Flakemore continuing on. The
peloton was all back together with 24.2km remaining. As the
peloton started the final lap Calvin Watson (Trek) and Danilo
Wyss (BMC) went off the front and quickly gained a small
advantage.
The peloton was happy to allow them to sit off the front while
keeping them in sight. An unfortunate wheel change for Robert
Power (UniSA) saw him off the back with a fast moving peloton.
As the peloton went through the 10km to go mark Wyss and
Watson were back in the peloton.
With 5 kilometres remaining Cannondale-Garmin took over on the
front as Richie Porte's Sky team has all disappeared other
than British Champion Peter Kennaugh who was doing the pace
making. BMC and Orica-GreenEDGE made a surge to the front with
just over 3km to go. Cannondale-Garmin took control, leading
things out with two kilometres remaining.
Nathan Haas (Cannondale-Garmin) was the first to open his
sprint with around 400m to go only to be swamped as Daryl
Impey (Orica-GreenEDGE) took the lead. With the finish in
sight Juan-Jose Lobato (Movistar) surged past from a long way
back to take the win ahead of Impey and teammate Gorga
Izaguirre.
Juan Jose Lobato Del Valle takes out the southaustralia.com
Stage 2. © Regallo
Stage 2 Results
1 Juan Jose LOBATO 3:42:24
2 Daryl IMPEY +0
3 Gorka IZAGUIRRE +0
4 Tom DUMOULIN +0
5 Cadel EVANS +0
6 Luis Leon SANCHEZ +0
7 Richie PORTE +0
8 Niccolo BONIFAZIO +0
9 Nathan HAAS +0
10 Samuel DUMOULIN +0
General Classification After Stage 2
1 Jack BOBRIDGE 6:41:55
2 Juan Jose LOBATO +3
3 Lieuwe WESTRA +4
4 Daryl IMPEY +7
5 Gorka IZAGUIRRE +9
6 Niccolo BONIFAZIO +13
7 Gianni MEERSMAN +13
8 Samuel DUMOULIN +13
9 Nathan HAAS +13
10 Cadel EVANS +13
Full Results available
here
Points Classification: Juan Jose Lobato
Mountains Classification: Jack Bobridge
Young Rider Classification: Niccolo Bonifazio
Team Classification: Movistar
Most Aggressive: Thomas De Gendt |
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