tuesday 20 January 2015 at 09h26

The first stage of the Santos Tour Down Under 2015 took place between Tanunda and Campbelltown today. Today's breakaway didn't even need the climb of Checkers Hill to get away from the peloton and manage to stay ahead of the peloton which came rather close at the finish, thus allowing Jack Bobridge (UniSA Australia), the fastest rider of the four leading riders, to win this first stage. Bobridge also took the ochre leader's jersey of the South-Australian race.

The summary of the first stage of the Santos Tour Down Under 2015: Tanunda > Campbelltown - 132.5 km

Almost immediately after the start three riders broke away and Luke Durbridge (Orica-GreenEDGE), Lieuwe Westra (Astana) and Maxim Belkov (Katusha) rapidly got company from Jack Bobridge (UniSA Australia).

While their gap came close to 3 minutes, Jack Bobridge won the first intermediate sprint in the first lap of the circuit around the start stage (see the race route of the stage).

The gap of the 4 leading riders then starts to drop following the efforts of Team Sky, Giant-Alpecin and BMC leading the peloton and at the second intermediate sprint, won by Luke Durbridge this time, it was down to 1'45". While the gap dropped way below one minute, they manage to increase it up to one full minute on top of Checkers Hill, where Jack Bobridge gave everything to take the first points of the King of the Mountains classification.

In the descent towards the finish, the peloton comes dangerously close but never manages to get back on the breakaway because even though the peloton sees the 4 breakaway riders approach the finish line quite closely, they won't manage to prevent Jack Bobridge to continue his success story and from winning the sprint of this stage!

Jack Bobridge, who actually planned to use the Santos Tour Down Under 2015 as a training for his hour record attempt thus starts off the season in a veery good way, not only for training but also to win some additional prizes!

The classifications of the first stage of the Santos Tour Down Under 2015

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The stage classification of the first stage Tanunda > Campbelltown

Here's the top 10 of this stage:

1/ Jack Bobridge (UniSA Australia) - 2h59'44"
2/ Lieuwe Westra (Astana Pro Team)
3/ Luke Durbridge (Orica-GreenEDGE)
4/ Maxim Belkov (Team Katusha)
5/ Niccolò Bonifazio (Lampre-Merida)
6/ Gianni Meersman (Etixx-QuickStep)
7/ Juan Jose Lobato (Movistar Team)
8/ Heinrich Haussler (IAM Cycling)
9/ Steele von Hoff (UniSA Australia)
10/ Daryl Impey (Orica-GreenEDGE)

The general classification

In the general classification, the stage win and the first intermediate premier allow Jack Bobridge to take the first seconds on his breakaway companions:

1/ Jack Bobridge (UniSA Australia) - 2h59'31"
2/ Lieuwe Westra (Astana Pro Team) - +0'04"
3/ Luke Durbridge (Orica-GreenEDGE) - +0'06"
4/ Maxim Belkov (Team Katusha) - +0'10"
5/ Niccolò Bonifazio (Lampre-Merida) - +0'13"
6/ Gianni Meersman (Etixx-QuickStep)
7/ Juan Jose Lobato (Movistar Team)
8/ Heinrich Haussler (IAM Cycling)
9/ Steele von Hoff (UniSA Australia)
10/ Daryl Impey (Orica-GreenEDGE)

Video summary of the first stage of the Tour Down Under 2015

The second stage tomorrow: Unley > Stirling made for sprinters?

Tomorrow the second stage of the Santos Tour Down Under 2015 will take place between Unley and Stirling, over a distance of 150.5 kilometers. Based on the profile of the stage and its set up based on two circuits, it's highly probable that it will end in a sprint tomorrow: check out the race route of the second stage of the Santos Tour Down Under 2015.

door Thomas Vergouwen
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this publication is published in: Tour Down Under | Tour Down Under 2015

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