The famous Willunga Hill stage in the Tour Down Under. For several years now it`s on the program. First as last climb only, later as a double climb as riders had to pass the hill twice.
It`s often the crucial point of the race. Though whoever has collected bonus seconds so far will have a good advantage as finishing in the same time as others is to your favour already.
19 riders were within the first group on Corkscrew Climb. Those have a maximum of 20s to race leader Kump. Following riders have got time bonusses so far:
1
Marko Kump
Hugo Boss
12h32'29
2
Martin Reimer
Spotify - Haglöfs
+ 4
3
Damiano Caruso
Euskaltel
+ 10
4
Carlos Betancourt
Coldeportes
+ 14
5
Enrico Barbin
Ferrero - Samruk
+ 16
Also the KoM will be decided today. 16 points at the moment for McEvoy. 32 points will be rewarded.
5 in the break today, who might also have the KoM jersey in their mind. Cioban Parno Vuillermoz Stachowiak Ford
3 of them at 1'42, which is not too much. The Aussies surely cheering for William Ford here.
Generali, Vontobel, Wiesenhof, Hugo Boss. Some of the obvious teams with great puncheurs are chasing. They can already have a look left onto the climb. Though at the moment they take the other way and won`t go up already.
Crash and it`s in the breakaway as Cioban slips away in a corner.
Home favourite Ford takes the first sprint ahead of Stachowiak as only contester. Behind you see Cioban trying to come back. Parno in 3rd.
Second sprint they swapped and it`s Stachowiak ahead of Ford with Vuillermoz in 3rd.
The sprinters won`t have a chance today. Hence they are working for their GC riders. Schorn/Zabel, Haussler or Appollonio all involved at the front when taking the turn onto the first climb of Willunga Hill.
The 5 riders ahead only have 40s left.
Strong domestiques such as Paulinho, Zingle or Preidler are now huge to give their leader a great position.
Also McEvoy was in the front rows as he is aiming to defend the jersey. Unfortunately for him it might be a bit too late for the 16 big points. But just around the corner the Cat.1 will be taken and he can surely take some points.
William Ford though, who got pushed up the climb with the cheering of the spectators has distanced his companions and goes over the line first. McEvoy as 4th at least goes up to 24 points. So he might need a few more at the finish to guarantee his win.
Cat.1
Ford
16
Stachowiak
12
Cioban
10
McEvoy
8
Vuillermoz
6
Parno
4
Wöhrer
2
On the descent McEvoy and Ford join each other and are the only riders ahead of the peloton, that is still quite big with more than 3/4 of the riders.
Both though did not go all-in and in especially McEvoy surely wants to save his legs for the 2nd climb. So they are caught a bit later.
Some teams almost create sprint trains up the climb. So it might be worth to give you a graphical table:
Molard
Theuns
Ulissi
Gatto
Froome
McCarthy
Zingle
Di Maggio
Paulinho
Flügel
Finetto
Kump
Lavery
Jans
Marcato
Puusepp
McEvoy
Caruso
Vogt
Betancourt
Gautier
Vanendert
Craven
Reimer
Barbin
Mehr-Wenige
Behind McEvoy and Craven a bit of a gap in between.
2,5km and Di Maggio with the first attack. He needs to improve if he wants to win again.
McCarthy right behind him, so is Ulissi and Froome and Flügel.
Also Kump is following of course.
Those six make a group even though Kump still has a bit of a gap being the weakest puncheur of them.
Behind you see Gautier trying to chase them. He lost unnecessary time on Corkscrew and even more needs to gap the others to get a high GC.
Lots of riders such as Zingle, Reimer, Betancourt, Paulinho, Gilbert, McEvoy, Caruso or Zaini behind him.
Zingle really having a nice form today being Wiesenhof`s 2nd best in this group of 3 now as Gautier and him did join Kump in his desperate attempt to avoid a bigger loss.
The riders in first group though need to gain the seconds, Kump did earn in the sprints.
So they don`t stop and McCarthy accelerates again. Flügel and Di Maggio right behind with Froome and even more Ulissi being a bit behind now.
Ulissi in big problems now. He can`t follow the top 4 riders, where Froome struggles as well.
From behind Gautier almost reaching him after passing Kump, who is in big danger to lose the jersey.
And good for Spotify as also Reimer did make his move now. He already is next to Zingle and soon up to Kump.
Froome with a late acceleration. Did he just fake his weakness and can now surprise?
Flügel and McCarthy next to each other with Di Maggio waiting behind them.
Froome is back! He is ahead of Di Maggio and next to McCarthy.
But it`s Flügel in front now clearly the fastest!
And the German Champion wins on Willunga Hill. What a stage by him. Di Maggio very close in front of Froome for 2nd. McCarthy, who initiated lots of this group, has to settle with 4th being without any bonus seconds. Di Maggio also at 24 points now in the KoM ranking equal to McEvoy.
Ulissi 5th ahead of Gautier. Lucky both as the final sprint by Ulissi and the struggle of McCarthy saw the gap becoming smaller. In the end, judges rated all 6 the same time!
Reimer with yet another nice performance in the Tour Down Under as 7th ahead of a totally exhausted Kump, who has lost his lead, but remained a good GC spot plus the point jersey.
Betancourt and Caruso next at 1'08 already, just seconds behind Kump, who was at 56s.
Then Zingle leading a group at 1'22 including Mehr-Wenige, Pozzato, Palini, Bernas, Barbin anda very strong Modolo today.
At 1'53 the next around Gilbert/Vanendert, Vogt, Impey, Landa, Reichenbach or Craven.
Zaini somehow lost 3min on the climb after being at the front earlier.
GC wise Flügel takes over ahead of todays next finishers. Though McCarthy being behind Ulissi due to stage positions. Reimer 6th ahead of Kump, who dropped to 7th.
Gautier with todays stage rescues the GC by being 8th now.
