2019 Tour Down Under: A rider to watch for each stage
New year, new season, new stages, new rosters. In its 21st year, the Tour Down Under opens the WorldTour calendar for the 12th time, but for the first time will finish with the double ascent of Willunga Hill - scrapping the final stage criterium.
Also, the uphill sprint into Angaston returns - last seen when Australian champion Simon Gerrans beat Andre Greipel on stage one in 2014 - while the steep Montacute climb will prelude a downhill battle into Campbelltown. There's also a tricky circuit to navigate on stage three; a completely new addition by the race organisers, which is reported to contain 3500 metres of climbing.
With those changes in mind, here's a guide to each of the six stages of the 2019 Tour Down Under and a rider with fresh targets to who could thrive on the parcours.
Stage One - North Adelaide to Port Adelaide, 132.4km
Caleb Ewan, Lotto Soudal
Ewan is among a clutch of three world class sprinters at the 2019 Tour Down Under - in the company of Peter Sagan and Elia Viviani - giving him a good chance to win at least one of the three earmarked sprint stages. Perhaps he could replicate 2016 and 2017 by taking the ochre jersey the very first stage.
The only factor that creates slight doubt is this will be his first competitive contest with his new Lotto Soudal lead-out train: which includes new recruits Adam Blythe and Roger Kluge - Ewan's principle lead-out man at Mitchelton-Scott. Sprint trains are perhaps the most difficult aspect of cycling to get exactly right, so to see where they are with only a few weeks of winter training under their belt will be intriguing.
The diminutive Aussie left Mitchelton-Scott at the end of last season, when he was somewhat controversially left out of the squad that ultimately delivered Simon Yates to Vuelta glory. In hindsight his exclusion was a great decision - it saved Yates' domestiques a lot of energy by not having to work for any sprints - but it would've proved deeply frustrating for the sprinter who's yet to leave a significant stamp on a Grand Tour.
2018, in general, was a bad year for Ewan. Only three wins - two of which weren't at WorldTour level - marred an incredibly unproductive campaign. Viviani changed up his own fortunes moving from Sky to Quick-Step, and with fresh vigour, Ewan could do the same.
Stage Two - Norwood to Angaston, 149km
Davide Ballerini, Astana
Stage two revisits the scene of 2014's opening stage when Australian champion Simon Gerrans beat the Gorilla, Andre Greipel. The hilly classics specialist went on to win the race overall.
Astana are themselves growing a neat collection of fast men with climbing capabilities.
Not content with nurturing the increasing stock of Magnus Cort Nielsen, Astana have snapped up Ballerini from Androni Giocatolli-Sidermec: who finished 3rd in the 2018 Giro points classification from intermediate sprints alone (he only finished higher than 15th on three occasions).
This kind of stage will suit him quite well. He was prolific in the Italian classics last season and has a knack for getting results when the parcours gets hilly.
"We're going back to a stage finish in Angaston that we have had in the past," says race organiser, Mike Turtur.
"The most famous finish we had there would probably have been when Simon Gerrans beat Andre Greipel in the sprint in 2014. It's a bit tricky coming into Angaston: it's a little bit uphill, and if you go too early, which I think Andre did that day, it makes it hard, with Gerrans getting him right on the line.
Stage Three - Lobethal to Uraidla, 146.2km
Michael Valgren, Dimension Data
This stage is extremely unpredictable. Firstly, because it's not quite a sprint stage and not quite a hilly stage, but secondly because it's a brand new course.
Turtur himself was curious what kind of racing his 14km circuit would create: "It's going to be a really interesting scenario: whether it's a small group or a big group, and whether they hit it hard. There are multiple opportunities for attacks, and it's a terrifically challenging circuit that the riders will do seven times, with six laps to go as they first come through the finish line. I'm keen to see how it all pans out."
Its profile is similar enough to the hilly classics to suggest a rider of Valgren's ilk could thrive on it - with a reported 3500 metres of climbing it may be too hard for Sagan and other punchy sprinters.
The 26-year-old Dane has never ridden Tour Down Under with an eye on the ochre jersey, but as the leader of Dimension Data for this race - after his move from Astana - a result isn't out of the question.
Stage Four - Unley to Campbelltown, 129.2km
Michael Woods, EF Education First
Stage three also looks like it suits Woods, but stage four could well be the one to provide a platform for the Canadian to win the race overall.
The final Montacute climb - otherwise known as the 'Corkscrew' - averages 8.9 per cent over 2.1km and will prove decisive in arranging what the top 10 will look like before the general classification is finalised on Willunga Hill.
Turtur says: "The big challenge on this stage is the Corkscrew climb, coming in the last seven kilometres.
"It's hard, and it will break the field up, and when you get to the top, there's still a six kilometre descent to the finish. So it's a stage where you can gain some time, and set yourself up for the overall, or you can lose time."
Of all the general classification contenders at the Tour Down Under, this climb most suits Woods - even more so than race favourite Richie Porte - especially given his heroics on the 'hell climb' at the end of the 2018 World Championships road race in Innsbruck, Austria.
Stage Five - Glenegl to Strathalbyn, 149.5km
Jasper Philipsen, UAE-Team Emirates
Philipsen is one of four new additions to the UAE-Team Emirates roster from Axel Merckx's Hagens Berman Axeon pro-continental outfit.
While a total unknown to almost everyone other than the most ardent followers of the sport, he showed enough last season to suggest he could be Belgium's next big thing; the 20-year-old registered 15 top 10s in the previous campaign, most notably coming 3rd behind Pascal Ackermann and Elia Viviani at demoted Belgian one-day race De Panne and 4th at Paris-Roubaix Espoirs.
Diego Ulissi will be UAE's man for the overall, and in leaving Alexander Kristoff and new signing from Quick-Step, Fernando Gaviria, out of their start list, Philipsen has an early season chance to compete against a handful of the best sprinters in the world.
Stage Six - McClaren Vale to Willunga Hill, 151.5km
Patrick Bevin, CCC Team
The profile of this sixth and final stage of the 2019 Tour Down Under is very similar to that of the Whinlatter Pass road stage of the 2018 Tour of Britain - a stage in which Bevin came 5th.
Bevin is perhaps the closest cross-section between a Peter Sagan-esque sprinter and Julian Alaphilippe-esque climber. Those characteristics make him the perfect candidate to win Tour Down Under.
Turtur said of the final, decisive stage: "We know that even if riders are equal on time in the overall classification, or perhaps only a second or two apart, not much is going to change in the GC when you have a circuit race for the final day.
"But in this case, we'll wake up on Sunday morning and still not know who's going to win the race. I think that'll be great for not only the riders - because the feedback we've had from the teams about the change has been very positive - but I think also for the fans and the media, who'll be even more interested than ever because it'll come right down to the wire.
 |
| Caleb Ewan won the 2019 Down Under Classic criterium on Sunday evening after a crash on the last corner took down many of his rivals Photo credit: cyclingtips.com |
Also, the uphill sprint into Angaston returns - last seen when Australian champion Simon Gerrans beat Andre Greipel on stage one in 2014 - while the steep Montacute climb will prelude a downhill battle into Campbelltown. There's also a tricky circuit to navigate on stage three; a completely new addition by the race organisers, which is reported to contain 3500 metres of climbing.
With those changes in mind, here's a guide to each of the six stages of the 2019 Tour Down Under and a rider with fresh targets to who could thrive on the parcours.
Stage One - North Adelaide to Port Adelaide, 132.4km
 |
| Ewan won stage 3 in 2017 while wearing the leader's ochre jersey Photo credit: cyclingtips.com |
The only factor that creates slight doubt is this will be his first competitive contest with his new Lotto Soudal lead-out train: which includes new recruits Adam Blythe and Roger Kluge - Ewan's principle lead-out man at Mitchelton-Scott. Sprint trains are perhaps the most difficult aspect of cycling to get exactly right, so to see where they are with only a few weeks of winter training under their belt will be intriguing.
The diminutive Aussie left Mitchelton-Scott at the end of last season, when he was somewhat controversially left out of the squad that ultimately delivered Simon Yates to Vuelta glory. In hindsight his exclusion was a great decision - it saved Yates' domestiques a lot of energy by not having to work for any sprints - but it would've proved deeply frustrating for the sprinter who's yet to leave a significant stamp on a Grand Tour.
2018, in general, was a bad year for Ewan. Only three wins - two of which weren't at WorldTour level - marred an incredibly unproductive campaign. Viviani changed up his own fortunes moving from Sky to Quick-Step, and with fresh vigour, Ewan could do the same.
Stage Two - Norwood to Angaston, 149km
 |
| Ballerini won the Trofeo Matteotti (above) and Marco Pantani Memorial in 2018 Photo credit: bicitv.it |
Astana are themselves growing a neat collection of fast men with climbing capabilities.
Not content with nurturing the increasing stock of Magnus Cort Nielsen, Astana have snapped up Ballerini from Androni Giocatolli-Sidermec: who finished 3rd in the 2018 Giro points classification from intermediate sprints alone (he only finished higher than 15th on three occasions).
This kind of stage will suit him quite well. He was prolific in the Italian classics last season and has a knack for getting results when the parcours gets hilly.
"We're going back to a stage finish in Angaston that we have had in the past," says race organiser, Mike Turtur.
"The most famous finish we had there would probably have been when Simon Gerrans beat Andre Greipel in the sprint in 2014. It's a bit tricky coming into Angaston: it's a little bit uphill, and if you go too early, which I think Andre did that day, it makes it hard, with Gerrans getting him right on the line.
Stage Three - Lobethal to Uraidla, 146.2km
 |
| A breakout star of hilly classics in 2018, Valgren won Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Amstel Gold Race Photo credit: cyclingweekly.com |
Turtur himself was curious what kind of racing his 14km circuit would create: "It's going to be a really interesting scenario: whether it's a small group or a big group, and whether they hit it hard. There are multiple opportunities for attacks, and it's a terrifically challenging circuit that the riders will do seven times, with six laps to go as they first come through the finish line. I'm keen to see how it all pans out."
Its profile is similar enough to the hilly classics to suggest a rider of Valgren's ilk could thrive on it - with a reported 3500 metres of climbing it may be too hard for Sagan and other punchy sprinters.
The 26-year-old Dane has never ridden Tour Down Under with an eye on the ochre jersey, but as the leader of Dimension Data for this race - after his move from Astana - a result isn't out of the question.
Stage Four - Unley to Campbelltown, 129.2km
 |
| Woods led a select group of three up the 'hell climb' at the 2018 World Championships Photo credit: cyclingweekly.com |
The final Montacute climb - otherwise known as the 'Corkscrew' - averages 8.9 per cent over 2.1km and will prove decisive in arranging what the top 10 will look like before the general classification is finalised on Willunga Hill.
Turtur says: "The big challenge on this stage is the Corkscrew climb, coming in the last seven kilometres.
"It's hard, and it will break the field up, and when you get to the top, there's still a six kilometre descent to the finish. So it's a stage where you can gain some time, and set yourself up for the overall, or you can lose time."
Of all the general classification contenders at the Tour Down Under, this climb most suits Woods - even more so than race favourite Richie Porte - especially given his heroics on the 'hell climb' at the end of the 2018 World Championships road race in Innsbruck, Austria.
Stage Five - Glenegl to Strathalbyn, 149.5km
Jasper Philipsen, UAE-Team Emirates
 |
| Philipsen (right) beat McCabe by millimetres to win stage 4 of the 2018 Tour of Utah Photo credit: grandfondoguide.com |
While a total unknown to almost everyone other than the most ardent followers of the sport, he showed enough last season to suggest he could be Belgium's next big thing; the 20-year-old registered 15 top 10s in the previous campaign, most notably coming 3rd behind Pascal Ackermann and Elia Viviani at demoted Belgian one-day race De Panne and 4th at Paris-Roubaix Espoirs.
Diego Ulissi will be UAE's man for the overall, and in leaving Alexander Kristoff and new signing from Quick-Step, Fernando Gaviria, out of their start list, Philipsen has an early season chance to compete against a handful of the best sprinters in the world.
Stage Six - McClaren Vale to Willunga Hill, 151.5km
Patrick Bevin, CCC Team
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| Bevin (far left) came 2nd behind Alaphilippe on stage 2 of the 2018 Tour of Britain into Bristol Photo credit: tourofbritain.co.uk |
Bevin is perhaps the closest cross-section between a Peter Sagan-esque sprinter and Julian Alaphilippe-esque climber. Those characteristics make him the perfect candidate to win Tour Down Under.
Turtur said of the final, decisive stage: "We know that even if riders are equal on time in the overall classification, or perhaps only a second or two apart, not much is going to change in the GC when you have a circuit race for the final day.
"But in this case, we'll wake up on Sunday morning and still not know who's going to win the race. I think that'll be great for not only the riders - because the feedback we've had from the teams about the change has been very positive - but I think also for the fans and the media, who'll be even more interested than ever because it'll come right down to the wire.
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