You wont see a bigger field this season for a C1 race. It may be one of the shortest races of the season, but with 18 teams, it will be hotly contested - particularly when only the Top 20 riders will score ranking points.
There are plenty of sprinters, of course, and our 3-star favourites for the day are definding champion Mohs (Pokerstars), Vantomme (High Road), and Van Heerden (Pendletons). Also highly rated our Vatitkus (Telenor), Ciolek (Lego), Australian champion Davis (Quiksilver), and the British duo of Cavendish and Kennaugh (100% Me).
For the record, the others mentioned by the bookies are Feillu, Croket, Casper, Markov, Chicchi, Cuciontta, Vanderaerden and Baumann.
Most teams have brought at least sprinter, but would you believe it, some teams dont have a sprinter at all! Why are they here? Well, they may not be likely to score, but they will instead hope to light up the race with attacks.
And here we go, Timothy Gudsell (Falcon) is first to attack
Mora (UBS), Novikov (Tinkoff), Eliad (El Al) and Godfrey (Quiksilver) follow, with Russell Downing also about to make the junction
Behind Downing are Stauff (Lego), Passalacqua (Vespa) and Bozic (Pendletons) - a very useful sprinter the Slovenian, but highlighting that Van Heerden is leading the team.
So is that it, a break of 9 today, as they all come together? They have a 2 minute advantage already.
Well no, that's not it. More attacks are called for. Balloni (Vespa), Murray (100% Me), Brolin (Ikea), Stuyven (High Road), Griffith (Quiksilver) and Hortig (El Al)
Its now the turn of Tollesson (Mercedes), Lelay (Intesa) and Martin Velits (Ikea)
Intesa's Capecchi also goes, and we now have 15 riders at the front of the race
But theyre not infront by much, and the pace is very high, numerous teams want to close it all down, and they do - but theres still 23km to go, we are barely halfway through
Capecchi tries again, gets nowhere, but now its Sijmens (Pendletons), Jamieson (Falcon), Cassidy (Vespa), Tollesson, Lelay and Velits
These attacks just arent getting anywhere though, as Scanlon (Vespa) also tries, along with a 3rd attempt from Capecchi
Tim Kennaugh (Pendletons) now goes and gets a small gap, for one turn at least
Zirbel (Mercedes) follows, along with Kruopis (Bacardi) and Yevgeni Nepomnyachsniy (Milka), and the latter 2 try again as it is all brought back once more
But those are our last attacks. Crossing the line now with 5km to go, we are on the final lap. The relay train keeps going on the left, although it need not do so as the sprint trains begin to form. A strong presence from Lego and Pokerstars as the rest of the sprinters scrample to get on terms
Here we go then with the trains
Pokerstars have got Guillen and Van Loocke to lead out Mohs, but the other sprinters are leaving them to their own devices - perhaps unsure of how well the new team have mastered the art of lead outs. Instead, the major train is on the wheels of Team Lego. Czech Jiri Hochmann is leading out Gerald Ciolek, with Thorsen, Davis, Van Heerden and Cavendish in tow. Thorsen is not the most consistent sprinter, but having been a Lego rider last year, feels confident in the optimum position behind Ciolek
Pendletons could also be plotting a further surprise - Bozic can be seen alongside Davis, following Ladagnous, seemingly part of the relay train though.
Behind Cavendish is Haedo, while the Telenor pair of Haavardsholm and Vaitkus are also there. Abdallah, Vantomme and Kennaugh are not well placed, and it looks like all are battling for the wheel of Haedo, while Croket is behind Kennaugh. Where is Milka? Nowhere to be seen
The sprint begins. The relay train is swept aside as Lego take an early advantage with Hochmann infront of Ciolek.
But taking a risk, Dan Thorsen immediately starts his sprint. It shows to be a great tactical move, as Hochmann doesnt have the pace, but now Pokerstars are in control through the speed of Guillen. The question is, would Mohs be better placed on his wheel, rather than having Van Loocke also inbetween?
Thorsen does well and brings himself alongside Guillen, but he is somewhat exposed in the centre of the road - opportunities for Davis, Van Heerden and Cavendish. Haedo may be a little boxed, with Mora, Bozic, Flickinger and Lagagnous to his right
It is infact a brilliant sprint by Thorsen, he has ripped up the threat of Lego and Pokerstars, but is he now fading inside the final kilometre?
Aussie champion Allan Davis has the inside line round the final turn, but Cavendish is also on a charge - can he make up the gap left by Van Heerden?
Head down, Allan Davis is powering towards the line
Cavendish and Van Heerden pass Thorsen, but they still have it all to do
As up goes the celebration, its home glory for Australia as Allan Davis wins the Down Under Classic!
Cavendish takes 2nd, ahead of Van Heerden
Haedo passes Thorsen for 4th - but its a great and unexpected ride from the Australian. In the end he gave a perfect leadout to Davis, but this remains his biggest result of his career.
Ciolek and Mohs had the leadouts, but that was not enough, as they take 6th and 7th respectively. Croket takes 8th - poor positioning cost him, but he at least benefited from clear space on the outside, while Bozic and Ladagnous complete the Top 10, just pipping a fast finishing Kennaugh
The rest of the Top 40 ride over the line. Many sprinters just couldnt get positioned, or didnt have the legs. Still no sign of Milka though, their strong lineup unable to even place a single rider in the Top 50.
And that completes the Down Under Classic for 2011 with remarkably, no crashes.
