Tour Down Under 2018 Preview - World Champion Peter Sagan Amongst The Field

Tour Down Under 2018 Preview - World Champion Peter Sagan Amongst The Field
21:22, 15 Jan 2018

After a break that feels as if it has continued for eternity, cycling fans can rejoice – the World Tour is once again back, and we can see the world’s best on two wheels once again.

How do I watch? - In previous years this used to be on Sky Sports, but it has now been picked up by Free Sports.

How do I view FreeSports? - FreeSports is available on Freeview HD channel 95, Sky channel 424, FreeSat 252, TalkTalk 95 and BT Vision channel 95.

Tour Overview - The Tour Down Under is the traditional season starter for the men’s World Tour – indeed the women’s Tour Down Under was a sensible move to give female riders their own time in the sunlight – and it is a stage race with a little bit of everything over a varied route. Here’s the route.

Stage 1: Port Adelaide > Lyndoch: 145KM - This will be a likely sprint finish, even if the terrain is reasonably rolling with an early categorised climb which is adorably named Humbug Scrub (2.6 Km at 5.3%). After that it’s through the Barossa Valley to head to the Williamstown circuit for the first time. They take two intermediate sprints during their two laps, both taken at the Cockatoo Valley. The finish is downhill and fast, and we should see another sprint once again involving the same riders who dominated the Criterium.

Stage 2: Unley > Stirling 149KM - The first of what can be described as a ‘GC’ day thanks to the challenging finishing circuit in the finishing town of Stirling. We start in Unley but the riders go climbing fairly early, with the Category 2 climb of Tea Tree Hill (2.5km at 6.1%) topping out with just 23 kilometres travelled. There’s then a descent into Cudlee Creek and another rise (uncategorised) before four laps of the finishing circuit, enough in theory to whittle the peloton down, although there are two laps less than the previous stage held here. How aggressively the field races will make the difference – the more sprinters are removed, the more seconds on the line there are.

Stage 3: Glenelg > Victor Harbor 146.72 KM - We leave the City for this one, starting from just outside Glenleig to head down towards the coast and Victor Harbour. There’s a climb early – the first Category 1, of Penny’s Hill Road. That comes too early to have a real impact on what ought to be a sprint day although if the winds are up, then we could see bunch splits on what is a very exposed road.

Stage 4: Norwood > Uraidla: 128.47 KM - One of two days that should really decide the GC. This is all about the finish of Norton Summit, which is 5km at 5.5%, a decent enough test for this race – and this time of year. It’s taken after a rolling day with a couple of sprints and we will see all of the likely top 10 going head to head here.

Stage 5 The Queen Stage to Willunga Hill
Stage 5 The Queen Stage to Willunga Hill

Stage 5: McLaren Vale > Willunga Hill: 151 KM - The Queen Stage and the highlight of the week, as it has been for many years. The final two climbs of the race – both coming around Willunga (3.9kms at 6.8%) – but don’t underestimate the effect of wind on what is essentially a coastal circuit stage. The winner for the last four years here has been one Richie Porte, who will be hoping to start his year in style once again.

Stage 6: Adelaide > Adelaide 90 KM - We finish as we started; A criterium around the streets of Adelaide where the positions are likely to be set bar sprint points or the unfortunate spectacle of a crash. Depending on the gaps, the intermediate sprints are likely to be heavily contested with three seconds up for grabs on each occasion.

Contenders

Richie Porte: The favourite, and defending champion returns to try and prolong his winning run on Willunga Hill. He has top-notch support from BMC in the shape of Simon Gerrans and Rohan Dennis (who is one to watch out for himself), but his returning from his horror crash in the Tour de France that was so bad he only started races in December’s Japan Cup, and he is going to shape significantly better for the outing. He was third in the Australian Time Trial and then 14thin the Road Race, suggesting he should sharpen up a good deal as the race goes on, but there’s a feeling this route doesn’t quite suit him and he could find others in better shape.

Jay McCarthy: Fourth in 2016, he was a fine second last year and showed impressive form to take the same position in the national road race, showing his form. He will rely upon Pete Kennaugh a great deal to contend on the two ‘summit’ finishes, but he packs arguably the best sprint of any of the major contenders and has to be amongst the favourites.

Nathan Haas: Kicked off a very good 2017 with fourth here and now rides for Katusha, making his stage race debut here.  Second on Willunga Hill last year, he was fourth in Amstel Gold, so has the ideal all-round profile needed for this and sprint that should allow him to take bonus points and he will be aiming for the podium at least. 

Diego Ulissi: Enjoys racing here, having finished 11th in 2016 and 5th in 2017. He possesses a strong sprint, so can target all three stages likely to create gaps on the GHC as well as intermediate seconds to be picked up on the road. He also has the support of Rui Costa, who was flying at the beginning of last year, and the two are likely to make for a dangerous combination.

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