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RACE REPORTS: TOUR DOWN UNDER: STAGE FOUR
Road Bike Action and AFP
January 21, 2011
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Cameron Meyer takes if for Garmin.
Photo: Yuzuru Sunada
Australia's Cameron Meyer handed his Garmin-Cervelo team a reason to smile on the Tour Down Under when he took the race leader's ochre jersey after a deserved stage win Friday.
Meyer, a world track cycling champion, worked hard to get into the only successful breakaway of the 124 kilometre fourth stage from Norwood to Strathalbyn in the Adelaide Hills.
And the 23-year-old's efforts paid off as strong headwinds and a lack of collaboration in the chasing pack conspired to allow the break a clear run to the finish.
Meyer beat Belgian Thomas De Gendt, of Vacansoleil, in a two-up sprint with Dutchman Laurens Ten Dam (Rabobank) in third just ahead of former Australian champion Matt Wilson, also of Garmin-Cervelo.
With the chasing pack arriving 24 seconds later, Meyer took the ochre jersey from overnight leader and compatriot Matthew Goss, who rides for HTC-Columbia.
Ten Dam is now second overall at 10secs adrift, with Goss in third at 12 ahead of Saturday's potentially decisive fifth stage which takes in two ascents of the short but steep Willunga Hill.
"It's just great to get a win for the team," Meyer said. "To get the stage win was the first thing I thought about. Yesterday, I missed the split by seven seconds and lost a little bit on GC (general classification), so I thought, 'It's going to be hard to make that back. To get the stage victory, to throw my hands in the air over the finish line, was just a great feeling."
The four leaders worked well together but with their lead hovering around the minute mark with 30km to go they decided to up the pace.
"We had to really play it cool and wait, the peloton can bring it back whenever they want," added Meyer. "So we waited until about 20-30km to go and then we really hit the gas, and when we went, we went strong."
Despite the common interest of being able to contend the stage win, Goss's HTC-Highroad team were left almost to their own devices as they fought to defend his overall jersey.
With strong headwinds hindering the chase, HTC's lead-out man Mark Renshaw complained that other teams were simply hanging off their coat tails.
"It's the same old story, we rode all day and we can't be expected to close the gap and ride all day. Some of the other teams need to have a look at themselves," said Renshaw. "We had one guy from Omega-Pharma and a couple of guys from RadioShack but by then it was too late. With a finish like that, everyone knew it was downhill for the last 10 km. It's a little bit disappointing because we lost the jersey."
The race finishes with a 90 km street race in Adelaide on Sunday, and Goss said he would fight all the way - picking up bonus seconds at the intermediate sprints and at the finish - to get back into the race lead.
"There are sprint seconds, there's bonus seconds on the line as well tomorrow (Saturday) in Willunga. I will try to take some seconds there and, if need be, the last day in Adelaide," said Goss. "There's still plenty of opportunities to get the bonus seconds back, but it's just a bit more stress."
Robbie McEwen Says It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over
Robbie McEwen in his new RadioShack kit.
Photo: Yuzuru Sunada
Veteran sprinter Robbie McEwen expects a fight to the death for the Tour Down Under title as the lead changed hands again Friday two days before the race finale in Adelaide.
Fellow Australian Cameron Meyer, a world track cycling champion in his second elite year with road team Garmin-Cervelo, claimed the ochre jersey after a gutsy stage win in Strathalbyn in the Adelaide Hills.
Meyer now has a 10sec lead over Dutchman Laurens Ten Dam with overnight leader Matt Goss of HTC-Highroad in third at 12 and McEwen fourth at 15.
With two ascensions of Willunga Hill on Saturday, the fifth stage is potentially decisive.
But with bonus seconds on offer at intermediate sprints, and the finish line, on the remaining two stages McEwen believes the race might be decided only at Sunday's 90km circuit race in Adelaide.
"If you count all the bonuses out there on the road over the final two stages, there are still opportunities for the sprinters to come back and take the overall," said McEwen.
McEwen came into the race hoping for a stage win but after wearing the leader's jersey for a day he could now spring a surprise.
Goss has looked the on-form rider in the race so far but he will also be on the hunt for bonus seconds as soon as possible.
"There are sprint seconds, there's bonus seconds on the (finish) line as well tomorrow in Willunga," said the Tasmanian, who won the pre-race criterium and stage one.
"I will try to take some seconds there and if need be, the last day in Adelaide, there's sprints there and also the finish line."
A total of 16 points in bonus seconds is up for grabs on Sunday, three at each intermediate sprint and 10 at the finish.
But McEwen suspects he could be calling on all his stage racing experience during Saturday's 131km ride from McLaren Vale to Willunga.
"Garmin will want to let groups go (on the breakaways) to take the bonuses, they will probably use (Tyler) Farrar to do the sprints and take away the seconds from the sprinters who are in contention for the overall. It's going to get very tactical. It's never over, but realistically the sprinters need to take some seconds tomorrow (Saturday) to set themselves up for Sunday."
RESULTS: Tour Down Under
From the fourth stage of the Tour Down Under, a 124 km race from Norwood to Strathalbyn:
Stage
1. Cameron Meyer (AUS) Garmin-Cervelo 2hr 57min 55sec, 2. Thomas de Gendt (BEL) same time, 3. Laurens Ten Dam (NED) at 03sec, 4. Matt Wilson (AUS) 10, 5. Matthew Goss (AUS) 24, 6. Jose Joaquin Rosas (ESP) s.t., 7. Ben Swift (GBR) s.t., 8. Jurgen Roelandts (BEL) s.t., 9. Nikolay Trusov (RUS) s.t., 10. Romain Feillu (FRA) s.t., 11. Jonathan Cantwell (AUS) s.t., 12. Denis Galimzyanov
(RUS) s.t., 13. Baden Cooke (AUS) s.t., 14. Elia Viviani (ITA) s.t., 15. Andre Greipel (GER) s.t.
Selected: 35. Robbie McEwen (AUS) s.t., 85. Lance Armstrong (USA) 41
General classification
1. Cameron Meyer (AUS) Garmin-Cervelo 12hr 54min 30sec, 2. Laurens Ten Dam (NED) at 10sec, 3. Matthew Goss (AUS) 12, 4. Robbie McEwen (AUS) 15, 5. Andre Greipel (GER) 16, 6. Michael Matthews (AUS) 18, 7. Ben Swift (GBR) s.t., 8. Blel Kadri (FRA) 26, 9. Francisco Ventoso (ESP) 27, 10. Allan Davis (AUS) 28, 11. Manuele Mori (ITA) s.t., 12. Elia Viviani (ITA) s.t., 13. Greg Henderson (NZL) s.t., 14. Luke Roberts (AUS) s.t., 15. Alessandro Ballan (ITA) s.t.
Selected: 81. Lance Armstrong (USA) 3:56
AS FOR THE ACTION ON THE OTHER SIDE OF GLOBE
UnitedHealthcare’s Scott Zwizanski finishes third at the Tour de San Luis Time Trial
The UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team had a strong showing in San Luis, Argentina during today’s Stage Four Time Trial at the Tour de San Luis. Competing against a quality international field assembled by the Tour de San Luis race organizers, UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling’s Scott Zwinzanski finished third behind Movistar’s Xavier Tondó Volpini and Jorge Alberto Giancinti of Argentina.
Zwinzanski averaged 29.9 mph (48.09 km/h) against a fast field on today’s 12-mile/19.5km course. Earning the Team’s first podium of the year, Zwinzanski said, “My teammates and I raced hard this afternoon. Third place isn’t bad for January, especially considering there’s still three inches of snow on the ground where I live! We love racing here in Argentina and looking forward to tomorrow’s fifth stage.”
When discussing the Team’s overall performance throughout the first four stages of the Tour, Directeur Sportif Mike Tamayo said, “I like what I’m seeing from the Team so far. They are riding well and this is a great way to kick off the season.” Tamayo believes the Team will do well in the Tour’s 5th Stage from La Toma to Mirador del Sol. He continued, “We are pleased with Scott’s third place finish today. Rory Sutherland also had a great time trial and we can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.”
The UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team roster for the 2011 Tour de San Luis:
Rory Sutherland
Christian Meier
Charly Wegelius
Scott Zwizanski
Davide Frattini
Andrew Pinfold |
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