The big day in the annual Tour Down Under. The often GC deciding finish on Willunga Hill and even in recent years where it was just one climb or a finish after the descent, it was always a factor for the GC as it surely did lead to gaps here and there dividing the strong sprinters and weaker sprinters or puncheurs and sprinters.
Same this year, the double climb with the finish on top of the 2nd is back and will favour the puncheur.
Basically a finish made for Di Maggio. History speaks for itself. 1st in 2016, 2nd in 2015, 3rd in 2014, which were the last three editions on the exact finish!
Gautier having been 2nd behind Di Maggio actually in 2016, 6th in 2015 and 4th in 2014 and in fact won in 2018 but with the finish line being after the descent.
Dowsett the only other previous winner on the 2019 startlist back in 2012! The only other mention for Ulissi, who was runner-up back in 2013 and 5th in 2016.
Will one of those come first over the line or are other riders stronger? Claeys and Schreurs must be named even though later already is out of the GC fight. The Portuguese duo Borges and Paulinho just like Prevar or Waeytens aren`t far off the best.
And as Stirling has shown the hilly sprinter are there as well, in especially Kump, who top10`ed here before or Yates and Houle, which have a bonus second advantage and first need to be gapped!
6 riders in the breakaway and they will not only aim the stage but some surely going for the KoM jersey. Jaramillo (6th, 10pts) Robov Brandao Wirtgen (3rd, 12pts) Gautier (7th, 8pts) Vink
We see Minions for Claeys, GCN for Schreurs/Dowsett, Popo4ever for Prevar and Campari for Di Maggio lining up in the peloton.
50km still to go and a gap of just over 2min. They really don`t want to let the break take this here, even though Robov as best placed is a bit over 2min down and not from the Stirling favourite group there. Still a strong group you shouldn`t let go too easily.
Not sure if the strongest or going for the KoM. Robov attacks with 3km to go to the top, basically just after the corner, which starts the Willunga Hill. With him Jaramillo, who surely wants the KoM, being only 8 points behind his team mate Lavery.
Further behind the same as on the Stirling stage. Campari lining up and trying to bring their leaders to the front. Nooytens, Lay and Kunshin start the climb on a pretty decent pace resulting to having the gap at just around 1min now.
Claeys, Kump, Di Maggio, Ulissi, Houle, Schreurs, Paulinho, Waeytens, Prevar, Van der Sande, Gaviria, Edmondson, Yates, Borges, Silvestre, Dowsett all names that are within the first 25 spots.
Slagter the only rider a bit further back, who on paper is rider capable of winning this. Though might have gotten some water bottles for Di Maggio or simply not feeling well.
At the top Jaramillo has passed Robov taking the big points. Being Cat.1 it`s 16 bringing him up to 26 now and into the virtual lead.
Gautier also up to 18 points passing Wirtgen, who is only getting a few and in fact being the first of the six to dropb back to the peloton now and just making it over the line ahead of the favourites.
With 5km to go, the riders slowly reach the village again soon turning left onto the 2nd climb.
Jaramillo still having 30s of a gap as last man standing.
3km and we see Borges being delivered a fine position by his team mate Goh.
Also the GCN duo Schreurs/ Dowsett well placed.
Behind them though already 3 riders they really would like to gap today: Houle, Kump and a fantasticly riding Gaviria. Ulissi, Di Maggio, Slagter, Claeys, Paulinho, Prevar, Yates, Ackermann, Turgis, Edmondson and sprinter wise also Van der Sande and Silvestre all fighting.
So most if not all GC riders well placed. Bettiol, McEvoy, Meurisse are sop that are a bit behind, while Guarnieri actually is already dropped in a group of 17.
With 2.3km Jaramillo also is caught. Too fast the pace behind and too long after the break.
Surprisingly GCN decided to let Dowsett as better and actually only GC rider work for the stronger puncheur Schreurs, who now obviously should take the stage to compensate the points that might get lossed as Dowsett looking very exhausted now.
Next to the Dutch Borges also in the first row with all the others right behind.
Silvestre and Yates slowly lose contact it seems, which means ~20 riders ahead of them right now even though some helpers are already dropping back and clearly slower than those two.
Back to the front, with 1,6km to go Borges is the first to have opened a gap. But it`s not Schreurs behind him! Instead it`s Houle, who is having a huge race so far and is trying to bridge to him.
And as mentioned before Dowsett is losing contact after the work for Schreurs and GCN won`t make it a top GC result here.
Just a bit ahead of him Di Maggio at the very end of the group. He really seems to struggle in stage races lately as he suffered almost the same one day high one day off last season already in some races. Desaster for Campari.
In fact he is just getting passed by Silvestre and also Yates has increased his pace again and is back in the business. Good for Berg that Afonso is helping his leader a lot on that climb!
Further in front some more sprinters trying to keep contact! Gaviria still there next to Ackermann and Edmondson.
Even a bit ahead Van der Sande on the left.
Borges and Houle both caught and while first is still in first position, he is now followed by Schreurs, Paulinho, Claeys.
Though right in the attack mode is Turgis on the right.
Borges too strong though and not allowing another acceleration.
With 700m to go the hardest part is done and the slopes being more sprinter friendly again. Looking at the back, Gaviria`s yellow jersey is still very visible and also Van der Sande on the right is with Kump, Houle etc. also still there.
Portuguese duel on one of the last ramps. Borges vs Paulinho, Duolingo vs Berg!
They look quite strong around the final corner.
Behind them Turgis, Schreurs, Yates, Prevar, Claeys, Edmondson, Ulissi, Houle, Van der Sande in that order with Kump just following then.
Late acceleration by Yates! Close but he could still make it.
Very, very close finish. In the end Borges seems to be the winner by being on the innside of the corner. Paulinho 2nd and Yates in 3rd, who would have prefered a few more meters to go.
Turgis on a fantastic 4th for the team that is still in contention for the team ranking as well due to great depth.
Schreurs as 5th couldn`t really finish Dowsett`s work for him and this brings GCN into a dilemma that neither big stage points nor okay GC points are given. Prevar in 6th doing okay.
Though none of them was given a time gap as they all came in one after another down to Kump in 12th. Not his best day but then again not losing time on clearly stronger puncheurs. So still sitting in a high GC with a sprint finish to come!
Same though goes for Houle in 9th today and surprisingly Van der Sande in 7th! What a performance by a very regular sprinter with some hill skills but far from being a hilly sprinter.
Ulissi in 10th, Edmondson 8th, Claeys in 11th the other riders in that group. Some clearly would have hoped for a bit more.
Leading the next riders over the line Gaviria as also Bettiol, Silvestre and Afonso. Not too bad for sure in comparison to the puncheurs and just losing 37s.
The Lierse leader being 13th in the GC now 49s behind, so too much for the GC win with sprint bonus points but clearly room to improve quite a bit if doing well tomorrow. Same for Silvestre actually sitting in exact same gap GC wise.
And yes, one name or better, one team clearly missing! Campari really lost it today giving it all for Di Maggio, who then collapsed and comes in as 36th more than 2min down!
Slagter just a bit behind him and likely could have done better if not working for him. Same for Dowsett in 40th only.
GC wise Houle defends his lead 4s over Kump and 9 to Borges. With Van der Sande at 12s and Yates at 16s some fast sprinters in the range to win the GC still!
The point ranking remains on Guardini`s shoulders, mountains to Jaramillo ahead of his teammate Lavery, youth for Svab but still same time as both Oliveira and Conci and teams for Farfetch who easily do beat Berg and Aramco.
