Daryl Impey claims first Tour Down Under title as Andre Greipel wins stage six
Daryl Impey won his first stage race since 2014 as Andre Greipel beat Caleb Ewan in a maniacally unorganised sprint on the sixth and final stage of the 20th edition of the Tour Down Under.
33-year-old Impey (Mitchelton-Scott) was without a general classification victory since the 2014 Tour of Alberta, and despite being tasked with looking after Caleb Ewan and not winning a stage, took the 2018 Tour Down Under on countback. Richie Porte (BMC), the favourite to win overall before the race, came second on the same time, with 2013 Tour Down Under winner, Tom-Jelte Slagter (Dimension Data) in third.
An elated Impey, who becomes the first South African to win the Tour Down Under, said: "I'm thrilled. Coming into the race I didn't expect to win but sometimes the stars line up.
"It was pretty hectic [over the final few laps] and you know a lot's at stake," said Impey, "I've been in this position before with Simon [Gerrans], trying to defend the jersey for him so I was prepared for that but it's definitely more nerve-racking when you've got the jersey yourself."
The final kilometre of the last lap of the Adelaide circuit was total disarray. No team had a full lead-out, meaning a mass of team colours were riding completely on instinct. Ewan shot for the line first but Greipel (Lotto Soudal) followed him and used his size and power advantage to power past the diminutive Aussie in the final few metres. Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Phil Bauhaus (Team Sunweb) came in third and fourth.
Greipel, the only rider to win two stages at the 2018 Tour Down Under, said: "It wasn't an easy one. Towards the finish it was a headwind so we had to wait as long as possible. Caleb came like a cannon-ball from the back and I could lay off him and pass him at the last minute which was good timing.
"Experience helps a lot", explained the German, "When you've done 20 laps and you can see the final you can always adapt. We didn't want a full lead-out, we just wanted to keep the position and it worked out perfectly."
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| Andre Greipel takes his 18th Tour Down Under stage victory Picture credit: VeloNews.com |
An elated Impey, who becomes the first South African to win the Tour Down Under, said: "I'm thrilled. Coming into the race I didn't expect to win but sometimes the stars line up.
"It was pretty hectic [over the final few laps] and you know a lot's at stake," said Impey, "I've been in this position before with Simon [Gerrans], trying to defend the jersey for him so I was prepared for that but it's definitely more nerve-racking when you've got the jersey yourself."
The final kilometre of the last lap of the Adelaide circuit was total disarray. No team had a full lead-out, meaning a mass of team colours were riding completely on instinct. Ewan shot for the line first but Greipel (Lotto Soudal) followed him and used his size and power advantage to power past the diminutive Aussie in the final few metres. Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Phil Bauhaus (Team Sunweb) came in third and fourth.
Greipel, the only rider to win two stages at the 2018 Tour Down Under, said: "It wasn't an easy one. Towards the finish it was a headwind so we had to wait as long as possible. Caleb came like a cannon-ball from the back and I could lay off him and pass him at the last minute which was good timing.
"Experience helps a lot", explained the German, "When you've done 20 laps and you can see the final you can always adapt. We didn't want a full lead-out, we just wanted to keep the position and it worked out perfectly."
The Race
The final stage of the 20th edition of the Tour Down Under consisted of 20 laps of a 4.5km circuit round Adelaide, totaling 90km.
It was a very rapid start and no breakaway could establish itself early on. Finally a trio did get clear; Logan Owen (EF Education First-Drapac), Laurent Didier (Trek Segafredo) and Truls Korsaeth (Astana).
The break imploded when Korsaeth stopped for a mechanical and Didier was caught, leaving the solitary Owen to claim the points and bonus seconds at the intermediate sprint. Second and third places in the sprint when to Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) and Ruben Guerriero (Trek Segafredo), who were fighting for seconds in the top ten general classification battle.
At the end of lap eight a second break formed, with Owen being joined by Ben O'Connor (Dimension Data), the latter picking up the King of the Mountains points.
Cameron Meyer (Mitchelton-Scott) was driving the pace up Montefiore Hill and shredding the front of the peloton apart. So much so that any previously organised lead-out trains were ineffective and it was almost every man for himself.
Elia Viviani's Quick-Step Floors teammates rounded the final bend at the front and down the final straight were flanked by Bora-Hansgrohe and Katusha-Alpecin.
But it was the lone figure of Ewan tearing up the outside that posed the biggest threat, producing more velocity than the two-man lead-outs.
Greipel had the move covered however and just as he'd done on stage one, came from behind the Australian to take the stage victory.
Stage Result
1. André Greipel (Lotto Soudal)
2. Caleb Ewan (Mitchelton-Scott)
3. Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe)
4. Phil Bauhaus (Team Sunweb)
5. Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors)
6. Steele von Hoff (University of South Australia)
7. Simone Consonni (UAE Team Emirates)
8. Mads Pedersen (Trek Segafredo)
9. Carlos Barbero (Movistar)
10. Mads Würtz Schmidt (Katusha-Alpecin)
General Classification
1. Daryl Impey (Mitchelton-Scott) in 20:03:34
2. Richie Porte (BMC Racing) at 0"
3. Tom-Jelte Slagter (Dimension Data) at 16"
4. Diego Ulissi (UAE Team Emirates) at 20"
5. Dries Devenyns (Quick-Step Floors) at 20"
6. Egan Bernal (Team Sky) at 20"
7. Gorka Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida) at 20"
8. Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) at 23"
9. Ruben Guerreiro (Trek Segafredo) at 23"
10. Robert Gesink (LottoNL-Jumbo) at 24"
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