One of the longest stages of this Tour Down Under, the laps around the Tanunda circuit should provide a chance for the sprinters to gain another stage win. Still, there are 5 climbs that could tire the legs of those who had the slopes, but that will depend on who decides to push the pace.
It’s an image we’ve seen before! Ballerstedt and Uhiriwe felt left out after yesterday’s breakaway and want to enjoy the company they had on stage 1, so they’re away from the peloton with the starting line still in sight.
Behind them a group of six also jumps quickly. Ramirez, Ryan, Phelan, Garibian, Katrasnik, Kelly Fo. The peloton decides they don’t want to let them get away and bring them back. In the chase, a larger breakaway of 28 riders has formed ahead of the peloton including Demare, race leader Varga, Haller, Stannard and Turgis. The gap is only 35 seconds to the main peloton, but it is enough to spice up the race only 7km in.
Within a few kilometers, the race is fully back together as the 2-man breakaway is caught by the middle group and the main peloton catches up. The fight for a breakaway is still on.
Over the next 5 kilometers, all of our original 8 breakaway attackers made an attempt to gain time on the peloton, with the addition of Tulett and Skala joining the attacks. The most successful of the attacks came from Kelly, Skala and Tulett as they establish 1:20 on the group before the newest attacks form. After the rest of the attempts are stymied by the peloton, four new riders jump away and connect. Juneau, Osborne , Mostov, and Van Hooydonck decide they deserve a shot at glory. By the time they connect, the breakaway has 3:45 on the peloton.
The riders hit the first intermediate sprint as they cross the finish line for their first lap. It was a late sprint, with no one attacking until 400m to go and Tulett leading them out. It’s a photo finish between Tulett and Kelly but the Trans Looney Tunes attacker grabs the points. Skala follows up for 3rd. The gap overall is 4:45. The peloton is lead by Sony - Force India, Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska and Lampre - Pinarello as they try to keep the break in check with 100km to go.
The breakaway approaches Menglers Hill for the 2nd time, but for their first categorized assent as they can earn points on the 2nd and 4th goes up. Just like the sprint point, there is good cooperation from the group with all 7 riders cycling through at the front and only a late burst for the points. Kelly is the most excited and takes the 5 points with Skala in 2nd and Van Hooydonck ensuring himself 1 point in 3rd. No one here will be able to take the jersey at the end of the stage, so it is clear this isn’t a major priority for the group. All is calm in the peloton with Kraftwerk Man Machine also devoting a man to the chase now. Xero Racing has also entered the chain of chasers after Ramirez was unsuccessful in his early attempts to join the breakaway.
75km to go and the gap is still 4:00. They’re clearly working with many teams now lined up for a turn, but the gap is only descending slowly as both groups attempt the 3rd accent of Menglers Hill. As the peloton crests the hill, it is down to 3:14 to the seven leaders and they should be hoping to gain time each climb. Without major worry, these climbs are creating the same effects as the previous days climbs were and allowing the smallest gaps to create splits in the peloton. They should all come together now, but positioning over the final 2 climbs may break the field up again.
This sprint went from much earlier, as the breakaway attacks at 1km to go before the sprint point. Osborne, Kelly and Skala seem the most interested but Mostov also doesn’t want to be left behind. It’s 3:00 to the peloton as the sprint starts.
It is Kelly again taking the breakaway success to help promote Caribbean cycling. Skala fights all the way to the line in 2nd with Osborne a respectable but distant 3rd. Tulett tried to overtake him alongside Mostov, but they started the sprint too far back. Van Hooydonck and Juneau didn’t even both but are easily back together as 7 after the sprint point and the road turns up again for Menglers Hill and the last KoM point of the day.
Behind the sprints, the gaps that should have easily been bridged in the peloton were not and there are leaders distanced. Beltran sits in A1 over 1:40 back to the peloton and there is no concerted effort to drag them back although McCormick Pro Cycling is trying to organize a chase. Lagane has also found himself in A1 + Selimovic who currently sits in good position due to his breakaway time on stage 2. Schmid, Mager, Boassen Hagen, Mutsumine, Morales Ortega, and Guldhammer are at the back of A1 as the only other riders to finish in the top group on yesterday’s stage. All together this group is 66 strong with 23 riders even further off the pace. Sony sees this as an opportunity and has 3 men at the front of the peloton pushing hard and the gap to the breakaway is 2:33. It would be surprising to see the dropped riders return now unless the chase becomes organized quickly.
The peloton begins to appear over the riders shoulders as the gap is now 2:00 and the breakaway approaches the top of the climb. Juneau is the first to put in a dig as they pass through 1km to go to the top. Kelly matches the pace and leads the group to the top as he shows he’s the strongest of the seven on the day. He attacks just a bit too early though.
Skala gives a final dig to cross the line in 1st after losing each of the other sprints to Kelly, who still holds on for 2nd. Van Hooydonck again has to accept the minor placings. The group looks tired but ready to continue on for the last 39km. In GC news, Pons has dropped to the main group of chasers from the peloton while Buratti also struggles to hold onto his GC position on the decent.
The peloton heads under the 20km to go banner with only 1:00 left to bridge to the leading seven who are still working in unison. Jura has taken over the front of the peloton with Sony – Force India still showing some support. All of the top 10 are still here but there will certainly be GC changes with one more accent of Menglers Hill and only 70 riders left in the peloton. Those already dropped are well back now. This has been a spectacular effort and riders are sliding off the back of the main group every kilometer.
The breakaway is reeled in quickly as the climb reaches its crest with only 36 gap over the peloton. The leaders of the race are now the ones making moves there! De Buyst is attacking with Haller directly in the wheel with Howard, Vesely and Demare all in the first slots in the peloton. Only 47 riders remain and some are barely holding on. The group heading to the line together could be as small as 30 come race end which will create a messy sprint.
With just 7km remaining, what is left of the peloton is able to sweep up the breakaway. In the hecticness of the finale, there appears to be no team with more than three riders and it is clear no one wants to take control themselves. Müller reluctantly does so in support of Van Asbroeck.
Stannard now takes the front in support of Arndt who appears to be reading himself for the sprint. After the few kilometers of waiting for others to lead, those dropped earlier are only 1:00 back and if there’s slow wheeling ahead of the finish, we could see minimal or zero loses.
UBS-Tissot retakes the lead to position Van Asbroeck in the clearest spot to attack to the line. Behind it is Lutsyshyn, Arndt, Kennett, Bol and Demare. Alongside them, Vesely, Haller, Stannard, Wippert and Walscheid are in formation. Losch, Howard and Varga sit on the left hand side without coverage. Van Asbroeck jumps early at 1.2 km with Lutsyshyn in the wheel.
The order hasn’t changed but everyone is now sprinting. Lutsyshyn is beginning to exit Van Asbroeck’s slipstream while Vesely looks very strong down the middle. Haller is next best and then a huge pack. The road starts to flatten after a slight bump from 1km to 800m.
Lutsyshyn tries to go over the top, but Van Asbroeck still maintains the lead on the curb. Vesely and Haller are both coming strong, but neither seems to be making significant ground. Losch is best of the rest and could sneak through if any of the four falter. Van der Sande also appears out of nowhere. Wippert is well positioned to follow Losch through a gap if one appears. Bol, Demare, and Howard need to snake through a number of folks to gain any bonus seconds to protect their top 10s on GC.
Coming to the line, Van Asbroeck fades after jumping earliest of everyone. Lutsyshyn looks prepared to win with a quarter bike length with 100m to go. Vesely and Haller are not giving up and Losch is still right there, too!
And that’s how it ends! Lutsyshyn wins the third stage of the Tour Down Under making it two in a row for Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynkska! Vesely and Haller are a photo finish with the edge going to Vesely. Losch is 4th and the stealthy Van der Sande rounds out the top 5. Demare tried to sneak through with a strong kick but can only manage 9th behind Walscheid, Wippert and Kennett. Dzamastagic rounds out the top 10. The first 45 come in together strong, but the remaining riders will certainly be on gaps.
Lutsyshyn takes the top spot, while Varga remains the top man in GC, giving some time away to Haller on bonuses. Uhiriwe still leads the mountain classification and Haller will wear the points jersey after this consistent top finishes. Stannard will ride stage 4 as the best young rider.
