The Cycling Disciple

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. Andre Greipel takes his 18th Tour Down Under stage victory Picture credit: VeloNews.com 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, ...

Richie Porte won on Willunga Hill for the fifth consecutive year but Daryl Impey takes the overall lead of the Tour Down Under on countback. Richie Porte battles up Willunga Hill surrounded by fanatical Aussies Picture credit: cyclingnews.com Porte (BMC) was the indisputable favourite to win the Queen stage with no likely riders capable of matching his climbing credentials, however sprinter, Impey (Mitchelton-Scott) held on eight seconds behind Porte to take the leaders ochre jersey on countback. 2013 Tour Down Under winner, Tom-Jelte Slagter (Dimension Data), claimed third, 10-seconds in arrears.  "First of all, I must give credit to my team," said Porte, "they were fantastic today, as per always. Rohan Dennis really laid it all on the line for me." Impey only holds the ochre jersey by countback on bonus seconds gained going into the criterium stage in Adelaide city centre tomorrow, which Porte was disappointed about: "Look, for me that's unf...

Peter Sagan managed to stay with the general classification contenders over Norton Summit and beat Daryl Impey in the sprint to the line to claim his first win of the season and the ochre jersey on stage four of the Tour Down Under. Peter Sagan shows his strength to beat the climbers to victory on stage four Picture credit: VeloNews.com Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) used Impey (Mitchelton-Scott) as a lead-out man in the final few hundred metres, before powering past the South African for the stage win and the overall race lead. Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) and Diego Ulissi (UAE Team Emirates) came third and fourth. Sagan was pleased to get his first win of the season: "For sure it's very nice. I already won the criterium. Everyday it's a different winner which is good for the race and also good for the organisation." Sagan effectively ruled him out going for the overall victory tomorrow, with McCarthy being more suited to the decisive climb of Willunga Hill: "...

Elia Viviani took advantage of a poorly judged sprint from Caleb Ewan to claim his first ever win for Quick-Step Floors at the Tour Down Under on stage three. Elia Viviani moved to new team Quick-Step Floors from Team Sky Picture credit: cyclingnews.com Ewan and Australian National Champion Alex Edmondson (Mitchelton-Scott) appeared to have the sprint under control but failed to anticipate the charge of Viviani (Quick-Step Floors) allowing the Italian to jump the race leader and take the stage win. Phil Bauhaus (Team Sunweb) also capitalised on Ewan's poor sprint to come second with Simone Consonni (UAE Team Emirates) in fourth. Viviani was pleased with his win, given the extreme temperatures on the stage: "It's the fourth sprint [of the week] and it's not easy to come [to Australia] in January with these conditions. I never win in the hilly season like that so that's a good thing and means I've had a good winter. I feel lucky to be here and take...

Caleb Ewan claimed the leader's ochre jersey with a surprise victory on stage two of the Tour Down Under that he admitted "didn't really suit" him.  Caleb Ewan has won seven of the last 14 Tour Down Under stages Picture credit: cyclingnews.com Ewan (Mitchelton-Scott) and Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) attacked the pack on the crest of the hill into Stirling to surprise the general classification riders and change the assumed outcome of a stage earmarked for the climbers. Ewan's Mitchelton-Scott teammate, Daryl Impey, finished strongly to come second behind his leader, while Jay McCarthy (Bora-Hansgrohe) came in third, just ahead of Sagan. Ewan, who'd finish second in the People's Choice Classic and stage one on Sunday and Tuesday respectively, was very grateful to his teammates: "For them to back me on a stage that doesn't really suit me means a lot." "I'm so out of breath right now. It was a super tough finish and it was o...

Andre Greipel beat Caleb Ewan to win the first stage of the 2018 Tour Down Under and take his tally of wins in the race to 17. Andre Greipel celebrates his 17th Tour Down Under stage win in the ochre jersey with Jens Voigt Picture credit: Yuzuru Sunada Greipel (Lotto Soudal) came from behind to beat  Ewan (Mitchelton-Scott), world champion Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors) in Lyndoch. This win marks the German's  his first Tour Down Under stage win since 2014 and his  first win since March 2017 at Paris-Nice - the only highlight of a somewhat disappointing season for the veteran sprinter. "It was a nice one", said Greipel, who finished second to Sagan in the People's Choice Classic warm-up race on Sunday night, "It was a pretty fast sprint and I could wait as long as possible." Greipel has been away from the Tour Down Under for two years, but explained what appeals to him about the race: "It's always nic...

It's that time of the year again. The cycling season has woken from three months of winter slumber, and while the rest of us are trying to fit into last summer's kit and promising unfulfillable New Years Resolutions, the pros are setting off for six scorching stages around Adelaide.  While Geraint Thomas, Simon Gerrans, Rohan Dennis and Richie Porte comprise a short list of A list riders to go for the ochre jersey since it joined the WorldTour calendar, the TDU has become particularly popular with young riders (Aussie or otherwise) with a point to prove to their new paymasters. It's also a good guideline of who's trained well over the winter and who's self-indulged slightly too much on Christmas pudding. Richie Porte wins the 2017 TDU after consecutive second places in 2016 and 2015 2018 will be the 20th edition of Australia's premier bike race and it sticks fervently to the tried and tested formula: there'll be plenty of exciting sprinting and an a...