Tour Down Under: Final Stage

Another stage win for Andre Greipel as South Africa’s Daryl Impey is crowned the 2018 Santos Tour Down Under champion

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Tour Down Under: Final Stage

Impey scores a win for the workers

South Africa’s Daryl Impey has been crowned the 2018 Santos Tour Down Under champion at the end of 784 kilometres of racing.

Photo: Santos Tour Down Under / Regallo

Impey, whose usual role is in support of his Mitchelton Scott team mates, shone this week in the tough conditions after a solid off season of training. But it took a count back of cumulative stage placings to decide the win after he and last year’s winner Richie Porte (BMC Racing Team) finished deadlocked on a total race time of 20.03.34. 2013 Tour winner Tom-Jelte Slagter (Dimension Data) was 16 seconds back in third place.

“I’m thrilled,” said a jubilant Impey after the race. “Coming to the Santos Tour Down Under, I didn’t expect to win but sometimes the stars line up and everything goes well and according to plan. The final stage was hectic (and) there was a lot at stake,” said Impey. “This is for my family in South Africa, they have sacrificed a lot and I dedicate this to them.”

The Be Safe Be Seen MAC Stage 6 is always a thrilling contest tailor made for the fastest men on two wheels to duke it out in a sprint to the line and today’s finale didn’t disappoint. Germany’s Andre Greipel (Lotto Soudal) book-ended his Tour campaign with a convincing win on the line edging out Australian Caleb Ewan (Mitchelton Scott) by half a wheel with world champion Peter Sagan third.

“It wasn’t an easy one,” said Greipel. “The team has done a great job to deliver me (to the line) in a winning position. “I waited as long as I possibly could (and) Caleb (Ewan) came like a cannonball from the back but I managed to stay up front,” explained Greipel of his record setting win. The two time overall Tour winner has now won the final stage of the Tour six times and holds the record for the most stage wins. “I’m proud of my 18 stage wins at the Santos Tour Down Under. It’s been nice to come back to South Australia.

“With two victories already (including Stage 1), it’s good for my mental state and the team.” Meantime the race winner was enjoying the spoils of being the team star this week. Impey, the six time South African time trial champion, last enjoyed stage race success in 2009 when he won the Tour of Turkey but since signing on with MItchelton Scott in 2012 his main role has been to work for his team mates to help them deliver results.

“I felt more responsibility when I was in this position as a ‘domestique’ (team support worker) than today in the leader’s jersey,” said Impey adding that he was confident but cautious. “Anything can happen so I had to stay focused. While Impey is the first South African to win the event he wasn’t the only one on the podium today with compatriot Nicholas Dlamini taking home the Subaru King of the Mountain jersey.

Impey celebrates – Photo: Santos Tour Down Under / Regallo

“It’s a great feeling to be on stage on the final day and it’s only the beginning of my career,” said the 22 year old from Team Dimension Data. “I’m happy we got what we wanted today. (Impey) has always been inspirational to me. Me being able to compete with him now is an absolutely great feeling. It’s only the start of good things” Three time World Champion, Peter Sagan, won the southaustralia.com Sprint classification after a week that saw the Bora hansgrohe star claim honours on Bupa Stage 4 and be in the mix at the front on several other days.

The #seesouthaustralia Young Rider award was claimed by Egan Bernal Gomez (Team SKY) who placed sixth overall and was the best placed rider under the age of 25. “It feels good to make the final presentation of the first race of the year,” he said. “The Santos Tour Down Under has been good for my confidence and my relationship with my new teammates, I’m very happy with my trip here.” Bahrain Merida won the Wilson Parking Teams classification by a 26 second margin to Dimension Data.

With seven of the 14 past Tour winners in the race and six more in the stands today provided a fitting finale to the twentieth anniversary edition of the race which was contested in hot, sunny conditions with the temperature soaring into the mid-thirties. A crowd of 68 thousand lined the Adelaide City Circuit where the stage kicked off with a flurry of attacks in the opening laps until eventually three riders made an attack stick. Laurent Didier (Trek Segafredo), Truls Korsaeth (Astana Pro Team) and Logan Owen (Education First Drapac) rode clear and set up a handy lead.… continued after advert

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As the first of two southaustralia.com intermediate sprints approached more riders attacked from the bunch to join the leaders including a second Astana rider in 2005 Tour winner Luis Leon Sanchez and a second Trek Segafredo rider, Ruben Guerreiro.

Owen scampered clear to cross first at the end of eight laps with Sanchez and Guerreiro crossing for the minor sprint placings. The next contest on the road was the Subaru King of the Mountain category three climb up Montefiore Hill on lap ten. Ben O’Connor collected the top points on offer even though his team mate Nicholas Dlamini had already cemented the win in the climber’s classification. Owen was second and Maarten Wynants (Team Lotto NL – Jumbo) was third.

Photo: Santos Tour Down Under / Regallo

The lead group splintered as O’Connor and Owen went on with the breakaway. The rest were absorbed by the peloton but FDJ’s Antoine Duchesne set off soon after time trialling in pursuit of the leading pair. At the second sprint O’Connor won from Owen while Duchesne crossed under the arch a minute later to claim third place sprint points with the peloton 2.30 behind the leaders. The peloton was being controlled by Mitchelton Scott who had the race leader safely cocooned and out of danger.

The second Subaru KOM was decided on lap fifteen, 66 kilometres into the race and this time it was Owen who led O’Connor over the line. Duchesne wasn’t able to hold on and was caught by the bunch led by Thomas de Gendt (Lotto Soudal) who claimed third place on the climb to move into fourth overall on the Subaru KOM rankings. Meantime the lead to the two breakaway riders had been halved with the peloton a minute back and chasing in earnest to set up a bunch sprint finish to decide the final stage.

Owen was named the southaustralia.com Most Competitive Rider of the day for his efforts in front. The Tanya Denver Memorial Award was presented to local rider Rohan Dennis who was the best placed South Australian in 30th position overall.

… continued after advert

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STAGE 6
1 GREIPEL Andre LTS GER
2 *EWAN Caleb MTS AUS
3 SAGAN Peter BOH SVK
4 *BAUHAUS Phil SUN GER
5 VIVIANI Elia QST ITA
6 VON HOFF Steele AUS AUS
7 *CONSONNI Simone UAD ITA
8 *PEDERSEN Mads TFS DEN
9 BARBERO CUESTA Carlos MOV ESP
10 *SCHMIDT Mads Wurtz TKA DEN
11 *LATOUR Pierre Roger ALM FRA
12 DEVENYNS Dries QST BEL
13 CHEREL Mikael ALM FRA
14 ULISSI Diego UAD ITA
15 SUTTERLIN Jasha MOV GER
16 IZAGUIRRE Gorka TBM ESP
17 IZAGUIRRE Jon TBM ESP
18 POZZOVIVO Domenico TBM ITA
19 *BERNAL GOMEZ Egan Arley SKY COL
20 BENNETT George TLJ NZL
21 WISNIOWSKI Lukasz SKY POL
22 *GUERREIRO Ruben TFS POR
23 GESINK Robert TLJ NED
24 EARLE Nathan AUS AUS
25 SELIG Rudiger BOH GER
26 MCCARTHY Jay BOH AUS
27 *OOMEN Sam SUN NED
28 *HAMILTON Chris SUN AUS
29 HAAS Nathan TKA AUS
30 BATTAGLIN Enrico TLJ ITA
31 SANCHEZ GIL Luis Leon AST ESP
32 PREIDLER Georg FDJ AUT
33 SLAGTER Tom-Jelte DDD NED
34 RENSHAW Mark DDD AUS
35 *DENZ Nico ALM GER
36 IMPEY Daryl MTS RSA
37 DOCKER Mitchell EFD AUS
38 LAMMERTINK Maurits TKA NED
39 PUCCIO Salvatore SKY ITA
40 SABATINI Fabio QST ITA
41 *SOLER Marc MOV ESP
42 PORTE Richie BMC AUS
43 HANSEN Adam LTS AUS
44 BAK Lars Ytting LTS DEN
45 CANTY Brendan EFD AUS
46 OSS Daniel BOH ITA
47 MONTAGUTI Matteo ALM ITA
48 OLIVEIRA Nelson MOV POR
49 ARASHIRO Yukiya TBM JPN
50 DEBUSSCHERE Jens LTS BEL
51 WYSS Danilo BMC SUI
52 MORI Manuele UAD ITA
53 BEVIN Patrick BMC NZL
54 VALGREN Michael AST DEN
55 *FRAME Alex TFS NZL
56 *O CONNOR Ben DDD AUS
57 BOARO Manuele TBM ITA
58 MARCATO Marco UAD ITA
59 BEPPU Fumiyuki TFS JPN
60 CAPECCHI Eros QST ITA
61 KOCHETKOV Pavel TKA RUS
62 HAYMAN Mathew MTS AUS
63 GASTAUER Ben ALM LUX
64 *EG Niklas TFS DEN
65 MACHADO Tiago TKA POR
66 SCULLY Thomas EFD NZL
67 *BOHLI Tom BMC SUI
68 GERRANS Simon BMC AUS
69 *DAVIES Scott DDD GBR
70 WYNANTS Maarten TLJ BEL
71 *PETERS Nans ALM FRA
72 *DOULL Owain SKY GBR
73 MEYER Cameron MTS AUS
74 *MAS Enric QST ESP
75 FERNANDEZ Ruben MOV ESP
76 MORKOV Michael QST DEN
77 LADAGNOUS Matthieu FDJ FRA
78 DE KORT Koen TFS NED
79 *PORTER Alexander AUS AUS
80 DIDIER Laurent TFS LUX
81 *MINALI Riccardo AST ITA
82 MORENO Daniel EFD ESP
83 SIEBERG Marcel LTS GER
84 VENTER Jaco DDD RSA
85 *DLAMINI Nicholas DDD RSA
86 *EDMONDSON Alexander MTS AUS
87 GONÇALVES Jose TKA POR
88 TEUNISSEN Mike SUN NED
89 MORTON Lachlan DDD AUS
90 CLARKE William EFD AUS
91 AGNOLI Valerio TBM ITA
92 *MATOS Nuno MOV POR
93 HAGA Chad SUN USA
94 DUCHESNE Antoine FDJ CAN
95 *SENECHAL Florian QST FRA
96 DENNIS Rohan BMC AUS
97 CLARKE Simon EFD AUS
98 *SCOTSON Miles BMC AUS
99 ROE Timothy AUS AUS
100 DE VREESE Laurens AST BEL
101 *STORER Michael SUN AUS
102 VANDENBERGH Stijn ALM BEL
103 LEEZER Tom TLJ NED
104 ARNDT Nikias SUN GER
105 *RESTREPO VALENCIA Jhonatan TKA COL
106 FARIA DA COSTA Rui UAD POR
107 NAVARDAUSKAS Ramunas TBM LTU
108 ZAKHAROV Artyom AST KAZ
109 DE GENDT Thomas LTS BEL
110 *CASTRILLO ZAPATER Jaime MOV ESP
111 CIMOLAI Davide FDJ ITA
112 *BOWDEN Scott AUS AUS
113 BODNAR Maciej BOH POL
114 *WELSFORD Sam AUS AUS
115 BONO Matteo UAD ITA
116 WAGNER Robert TLJ GER
117 OLIVIER Daan TLJ NED
118 DEMPSTER Zakkari AUS AUS
119 KENNAUGH Peter BOH GBR
120 BENNETT Sam BOH IRL
121 GATTO Oscar AST ITA
122 *KORSAETH Truls AST NOR
123 *LAWLESS Christopher SKY GBR
124 *OWEN Logan EFD USA
125 HOWSON Damien MTS AUS

OVERALL
1 IMPEY Daryl MTS 00″
2 PORTE Richie BMC ‘ ‘
3 SLAGTER Tom-Jelte DDD 16″
4 ULISSI Diego UAD 20″
5 DEVENYNS Dries QST ‘ ‘
6 BERNAL GOMEZ Egan Arley SKY ‘ ‘
7 IZAGUIRRE Gorka TBM ‘ ‘
8 SANCHEZ GIL Luis Leon AST 23″
9 GUERREIRO Ruben TFS ‘ ‘
10 GESINK Robert TLJ 24″
11 BENNETT George TLJ ‘ ‘
12 IZAGUIRRE Jon TBM ‘ ‘
13 LATOUR Pierre Roger ALM ‘ ‘
14 POZZOVIVO Domenico TBM ‘ ‘
15 OOMEN Sam SUN ‘ ‘
16 HAMILTON Chris SUN ‘ ‘
17 MAS Enric QST ‘ ‘
18 O CONNOR Ben DDD 26″
19 MCCARTHY Jay BOH 29″
20 CHEREL Mikael ALM ‘ ‘
21 EARLE Nathan AUS ‘ ‘
22 CANTY Brendan EFD ‘ ‘
23 DAVIES Scott DDD 45″
24 MORENO Daniel EFD 57″
25 MEYER Cameron MTS 01’01”
26 VALGREN Michael AST 01’12”
27 BAK Lars Ytting LTS 01’22”
28 PREIDLER Georg FDJ 01’26”
29 CAPECCHI Eros QST 01’28”
30 DENNIS Rohan BMC 01’46”
31 DIDIER Laurent TFS 01’57”
32 SAGAN Peter BOH 02’25”
33 HANSEN Adam LTS 03’04”
34 SOLER Marc MOV 03’09”
35 FARIA DA COSTA Rui UAD 03’11”
36 EG Niklas TFS 05’24”
37 LAMMERTINK Maurits TKA 06’16”
38 CLARKE Simon EFD 06’28”
39 MORI Manuele UAD 06’34”
40 VANDENBERGH Stijn ALM 06’53”
41 GERRANS Simon BMC 07’06”
42 ROE Timothy AUS 07’42”
43 ARASHIRO Yukiya TBM 09’00”
44 MARCATO Marco UAD 09’57”
45 DOULL Owain SKY 10’30”
46 AGNOLI Valerio TBM 10’34”
47 MORTON Lachlan DDD 11’01”
48 STORER Michael SUN 11’02”
49 GASTAUER Ben ALM 11’20”
50 FERNANDEZ Ruben MOV 11’24”
51 BATTAGLIN Enrico TLJ 11’43”
52 DE KORT Koen TFS 12’00”
53 DE VREESE Laurens AST 12’41”
54 TEUNISSEN Mike SUN 12’47”
55 HAAS Nathan TKA 13’45”
56 ARNDT Nikias SUN 13’46”
57 WYSS Danilo BMC 13’47”
58 MACHADO Tiago TKA 13’50”
59 OLIVEIRA Nelson MOV 14’18”
60 HAYMAN Mathew MTS 15’30”
61 OSS Daniel BOH 15’43”
62 SCOTSON Miles BMC 16’09”
63 BEPPU Fumiyuki TFS 16’22”
64 PUCCIO Salvatore SKY 16’32”
65 CLARKE William EFD 16’34”
66 RESTREPO VALENCIA Jhonatan TKA 17’02”
67 MATOS Nuno MOV 17’15”
68 WYNANTS Maarten TLJ 17’19”
69 OLIVIER Daan TLJ 17’46”
70 VON HOFF Steele AUS 18’32”
71 ZAKHAROV Artyom AST 18’36”
72 SUTTERLIN Jasha MOV 19’55”
73 LEEZER Tom TLJ 20’18”
74 BOHLI Tom BMC 20’20”
75 MORKOV Michael QST 21’05”
76 EDMONDSON Alexander MTS 22’55”
77 EWAN Caleb MTS 23’01”
78 BARBERO CUESTA Carlos MOV 23’27”
79 MONTAGUTI Matteo ALM 23’34”
80 LADAGNOUS Matthieu FDJ 23’46”
81 SCULLY Thomas EFD 24’01”
82 VIVIANI Elia QST 24’12”
83 DOCKER Mitchell EFD 24’22”
84 PETERS Nans ALM 24’45”
85 GONÇALVES Jose TKA 24’58”
86 VENTER Jaco DDD 25’27”
87 BEVIN Patrick BMC 27’13”
88 DEMPSTER Zakkari AUS 28’13”
89 CONSONNI Simone UAD 28’20”
90 BONO Matteo UAD 28’25”
91 KENNAUGH Peter BOH 28’40”
92 BOARO Manuele TBM 29’06”
93 KOCHETKOV Pavel TKA 29’24”
94 HAGA Chad SUN 30’35”
95 RENSHAW Mark DDD 30’48”
96 GREIPEL Andre LTS 31’08”
97 DE GENDT Thomas LTS 31’21”
98 DUCHESNE Antoine FDJ 33’18”
99 DLAMINI Nicholas DDD 33’40”
100 WISNIOWSKI Lukasz SKY 33’55”
101 PORTER Alexander AUS 34’27”
102 DENZ Nico ALM 35’10”
103 GATTO Oscar AST 35’45”
104 MINALI Riccardo AST 35’46”
105 SABATINI Fabio QST 36’12”
106 SENECHAL Florian QST 36’16”
107 CASTRILLO ZAPATER Jaime MOV 37’01”
108 SELIG Rudiger BOH 38’14”
109 SIEBERG Marcel LTS 39’07”
110 KORSAETH Truls AST 39’09”
111 HOWSON Damien MTS 39’39”
112 BODNAR Maciej BOH 39’51”
113 WAGNER Robert TLJ 41’09”
114 SCHMIDT Mads Wurtz TKA 41’24”
115 LAWLESS Christopher SKY 41’25”
116 PEDERSEN Mads TFS 41’33”
117 OWEN Logan EFD 41’46”
118 DEBUSSCHERE Jens LTS 41’49”
119 BOWDEN Scott AUS 43’13”
120 BAUHAUS Phil SUN 45’21”
121 FRAME Alex TFS 47’29”
122 BENNETT Sam BOH 53’09”
123 NAVARDAUSKAS Ramunas TBM 55’28”
124 WELSFORD Sam AUS 56’34”
125 CIMOLAI Davide FDJ 59’55”

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