Deja Vu, Greipel Takes Opener – 2010 Santos Tour Down Under Stage 1
It wasn't Mark Cavendish at the end of the HTC-Columbia train, but you could scarcely tell the difference as the most winning team from 2009 delivered their intended package, German Andre Greipel, to the line in Tanunda in Jimmy John's like fashion, which is to say, fast.
The victory for Greipel, overall winner of the 2008 edition of the Tour Down Under, mirrored last year's Stage 1 finish in which he beat a pair of Aussies, Baden Cooke and Stuart O'Grady, to the finish. This year, Greipel would out-kick a Belgian duo in Gert Steegmans (Team RadioShack) and Jurgen Roelandts (Omega Pharma-Lotto) and take the first leader's jersey of the 2010 season.
The 141km stage from Clare to Tanunda was highlighted by a three man break, consisting of Blel Kadri (Ag2r-La Mondiale), Martin Kohler (BMC Racing) and Tim Roe (UniSA Australia), which stayed away for the majority of the day. Their lead would burgeon out to 9:45 at one point, but the "cat-and-mouse" game of peloton-to-breakaway would go by way of the cat on this day as the sprinters' teams shared the load to pull back the trio at the end.
Greg Henderson (Team Sky), who won the precursor to the Tour Down Under, the Cancer Council Helpline Classic, would finish in 5th.
Results - Stage 1
1. Andre Greipel (Ger) HTC-Columbia
2. Gert Steegmans (Bel) Team RadioShack
3. Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto
General Classification After Stage 1
1. Andre Greipel (HTC-Columbia)
2. Gert Steegmans (Team RadioShack)
3. Martin Kohler (BMC Racing Team)
4. Jurgen Roelandts (Omega Pharma-Lotto)
5. Biel Kadri (Ag2r-La Mondiale)
6. Timothy Roe (Team UniSA-Australia)
7. Danilo Wyss (BMC Racing Team)
8. Greg Henderson (Team Sky)
9. Baden Cooke (Team Saxo Bank)
10. Graeme Brown (Rabobank)
More:
Greipel, Armstrong survive pile-up Down Under
Lance lauds Roe's Tour 'monster break'
Next: Stage 2 - Gawler to Hahndorf (133.5km)
Photo: CJFoto.com
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