Report: Glory for Greipel Down Under

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Two-time Santos Tour Down Under winner Andre Greipel seized the moment to kick start his 2013 campaign in spectacular fashion to win the 51km (30 lap) People’s Choice Classic around Adelaide’s Rymill Park.

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The 30-year-old German sat patiently behind his team mates as the peloton approached the final turn into the straight with Australian Matthew Goss (ORICA GreenEDGE) following his every move in hot pursuit. But it was the finely tuned, Lotto-Belisol lead out train including Australian Adam Hansen, who set up their star for the perfect sprint to the finish. With the 108,000 people, who packed Adelaide’s East End, cheering on the peloton, it was Greipel who put the grip on the opening show for the third time.

The overall winner in 2008 and 2010 and four-time Tour de France stage winner was never going to be caught, as hard as Goss tried. Greipel, who will enjoy a small celebration tonight before Tuesday’s opening L’Oreal Men Expert Stage One over 135km from Prospect to Lobethal, was delighted to start the season in the winner’s circle again.

“It’s nice to win the first race of the season. It’s easier that we have the same guys (in the Lotto Belisol team) as last year,” said Greipel, who admitted the General Classification of this week’s WorldTour event would be impossible in 2013. Everyone knows their job and everyone is working together. We stuck to the plan. We controlled the breakaway and Adam (Hansen) made the decision to start the lead out with one-and-a-half laps to go.”

“I was happy to finish it off but he General Classification is impossible because the course is too hard. I will try to win some stages. It’s important for us to gain some points, which is important for the team license.”

It was Hansen who led the peloton into the straight and he was pleased to play his part in delivering the Lotto Belisol plan to keep ORICA GreenEdge at bay, who supported Greipel’s thoughts. Hansen said Lotto Belisol had a plan and when they stick to the plan, it usually works out.

“Everyone played their role on the team. We try to be the reference team in the bunch sprints,” said Hansen. “We’re the team most dedicated to one sprinter. We have no second rider. It’s all for Andre (Greipel). “We are going to try to win a few stages with Andre. There are two stages that are too hard for him to think of the overall but there is a young kid (Tim) Wellens) for the General Classification. We will see how he goes.”

The race was on from the first lap when 41-year-old German legend Jens Voigt (RadioShack Leopard Trek) and Australian young gun Zak Dempster (Uni-SA Australia) broke away. They opened up almost a minute on the peloton and held the lead until nine laps to go with Dempster, the boy from Bendigo, winning all four intermediate sprints (SKODA Lap 5, Europcar Lap 10, Cycle Instead Lap 15, Jayco Lap 20) to claim the Europcar Most Competitive Rider Jersey.

“It crossed my mind this morning (to attack from the opening lap),” said Voigt, who has made his name as the man who will attack on any stage. “I (thought) I may as well be doing something stupid and get it going. First race, first attack…. “The kid (Zak Dempster) is half my age. I didn’t know anything about him. We worked well together and shared the work.”

“I never challenged for the sprints (primes). He’s a local kid, why steal his thunder? I am just an old diesel engine. It’s nice to get ready for the work and to do some work for the boys.”

“The attack from the gun wasn’t planned for me in particular but for the team, yes,” said Dempster. “Whoever could be in the front, it was important for us to be present in every breakaway, having a young team racing at home. At the end, we were represented in every breakaway because there was only one with Jens (Voigt) and myself.”

“Jens was pretty strong, we took turns and I don’t think that he really cared about the sprints, that was nice of him.”

Talking to his team Netapp on their website, Zak explained how he prepared for the race: “I trained fairly hard after the training camp and spent some time in the alpine region of Australia over Christmas. It’s been really hot here (many days over 40 degrees Celsius). I spent some time training with the scooter doing specific intervals for climbing and sprinting from race speed to ready myself but I feel quite fresh as we always followed hard blocks with good recovery to ensure I’m strong throughout the season and not just in February! I think it might be strange for the team to experience an Australian and my December antics as we say here but I’d like to start the season well so I hope my work will pay off right through the spring.”

Tuesday will see the 15th anniversary of the Santos Tour Down Under begin in the northern Adelaide suburb of Prospect and will finish in Lobethal in the Adelaide Hills.

RESULTS

1 GREIPEL, André Lotto Belisol LTB 1:04:01
2 GOSS, Matthew Orica GreenEDGE OGE
3 HENDERSON, Greg Lotto Belisol LTB
4 VAN POPPEL, Boy Vacansoleil-DCM VCD
5 SUTTON, Christopher Sky Procycling SKY 1:04:02
6 BOASSON HAGEN, Edvald Sky Procycling SKY 1:04:03
7 CIMOLAI, Davide Lampre-Merida LAM
8 VON HOFF, Steele Garmin Sharp GRS
9 ROJAS GIL, Jose Joaquin Movistar MOV
10 GIACOPPO, Anthony UNI SA – Australia UNI
11 HUTAROVICH, Yauheni AG2R La Mondiale ALM
12 LOBATO, Juan Jose Euskaltel Euskadi EUS
13 MARKUS, Barry Vacansoleil-DCM VCD
14 FENN, Andrew Omega Pharma-Quick-Step OPQ
15 DEMARE, Arnaud FDJ FDJ
16 SULZBERGER, Bernard UNI SA – Australia UNI
17 PHELAN, Adam UNI SA – Australia UNI
18 FARRAR, Tyler Garmin Sharp GRS
19 PINEAU, Jérôme Omega Pharma-Quick-Step OPQ
20 ROWE, Luke Sky Procycling SKY
21 RENSHAW, Mark Blanco BLA
22 STEEGMANS, Gert Omega Pharma-Quick-Step OPQ
23 KITTEL, Marcel Argos-Shimano ARG
24 ROELANDTS, Jurgen Lotto Belisol LTB
25 BONNET, William FDJ FDJ
26 KERBY, Jordon UNI SA – Australia UNI
27 VAN HUMMEL, Kenny Vacansoleil-DCM VCD
28 CANTWELL, Jonathan Saxo-Tinkoff TST
29 DE KORT, Koen Argos-Shimano ARG
30 AGOSTINI, Stefano Cannondale CAN 1:04:09
31 ABERASTURI, Jon Euskaltel Euskadi EUS
32 LODEWYCK, Klaas BMC BMC
33 SAGAN, Juraj Cannondale CAN
34 BRAVO OIARBIDE, Garikoitz Euskaltel Euskadi EUS
35 AHLSTRAND, Jonas Argos-Shimano ARG
36 VALLS FERRI, Rafael Vacansoleil-DCM VCD
37 WURF, Cameron Cannondale CAN
38 SALERNO, Cristiano Cannondale CAN
39 IGLINSKIY, Maxim Astana AST
40 GUARDINI, Andrea Astana AST
41 HUNTER, Robert Garmin Sharp GRS
42 KASHECHKIN, Andrey Astana AST
43 TANNER, David Blanco BLA
44 DE GENDT, Thomas Vacansoleil-DCM VCD
45 MACHADO, Tiago Radioshack Leopard RLT
46 GUTIERREZ, José Ivan Movistar MOV
47 KOHLER, Martin BMC BMC
48 PAUWELS, Serge Omega Pharma-Quick-Step OPQ
49 HOWSON, Damien UNI SA – Australia UNI
50 ASTARLOZA, Mikel Euskaltel Euskadi EUS
51 STANNARD, Ian Sky Procycling SKY
52 VELITS, Peter Omega Pharma-Quick-Step OPQ
53 BAUER, Jack Garmin Sharp GRS
54 OROZ UGALDE, Juan Jose Euskaltel Euskadi EUS
55 DELAGE, Mickael FDJ FDJ
56 VISCONTI, Giovanni Movistar MOV
57 VEIKKANEN, Jussi FDJ FDJ
58 MARCZYNSKI, Tomasz Vacansoleil-DCM VCD
59 PIETROPOLLI, Daniele Lampre-Merida LAM
60 APPOLLONIO, Davide AG2R La Mondiale ALM
61 BOARO, Manuele Saxo-Tinkoff TST
62 EISEL, Bernhard Sky Procycling SKY 1:04:22
63 THOMAS, Geraint Sky Procycling SKY
64 O’GRADY, Stuart Orica GreenEDGE OGE
65 CLARKE, Simon Orica GreenEDGE OGE
66 DURBRIDGE, Luke Orica GreenEDGE OGE
67 HAYMAN, Mathew Sky Procycling SKY 1:04:25
68 ELISSONDE, Kenny FDJ FDJ 1:04:26
69 SCHLECK, Andy Radioshack Leopard RLT
70 GILBERT, Philippe BMC BMC
71 DIDIER, Laurent Radioshack Leopard RLT
72 AGNOLI, Valerio Astana AST
73 CAPECCHI, Eros Movistar MOV
74 WATSON, Calvin UNI SA – Australia UNI
75 AMADOR, Andrey Movistar MOV
76 BONNAFOND, Guillaume AG2R La Mondiale ALM
77 CHEREL, Mikael AG2R La Mondiale ALM
78 WYSS, Danilo BMC BMC
79 BAGDONAS, Gédiminas AG2R La Mondiale ALM
80 SERGENT, Jesse Radioshack Leopard RLT
81 MOINARD, Amaël BMC BMC
82 BENNETT, George Radioshack Leopard RLT
83 HERMANS, Ben Radioshack Leopard RLT
84 MORI, Manuele Lampre-Merida LAM
85 GERRANS, Simon Orica GreenEDGE OGE
86 FERRARI, Roberto Lampre-Merida LAM
87 SANTAROMITA, Ivan BMC BMC
88 PONZI, Simone Astana AST
89 WAUTERS, Willem Vacansoleil-DCM VCD
90 GRABSCH, Bert Omega Pharma-Quick-Step OPQ
91 MORABITO, Steve BMC BMC
92 MCCARTHY, Jay Saxo-Tinkoff TST
93 BOBRIDGE, Jack Blanco BLA
94 MANGEL, Laurent FDJ FDJ
95 GUARNIERI, Jacopo Astana AST
96 DUGGAN, Timothy Saxo-Tinkoff TST
97 SIEBERG, Marcel Lotto Belisol LTB
98 KADRI, Blel AG2R La Mondiale ALM
99 SLAGTER, Tom Jelte Blanco BLA
100 KELDERMAN, Wilco Blanco BLA
101 KERN, Julian AG2R La Mondiale ALM
102 TJALLINGII, Maarten Blanco BLA
103 MARANGONI, Alan Cannondale CAN
104 VANDBORG, Brian Cannondale CAN
105 RABON, Frantisek Omega Pharma-Quick-Step OPQ
106 SÖRENSEN, Chris Anker Saxo-Tinkoff TST
107 MORTON, Lachlan David Garmin Sharp GRS
108 MORENO BAZAN, Javier Movistar MOV
109 HERRADA LOPEZ, José Movistar MOV
110 JUUL JENSEN, Christopher Saxo-Tinkoff TST
111 CANUTI, Federico Cannondale CAN
112 MIYAZAWA, Takashi Saxo-Tinkoff TST
113 GASPAROTTO, Enrico Astana AST
114 STORTONI, Simone Lampre-Merida LAM
115 MOURIS, Jens Orica GreenEDGE OGE
116 HANSEN, Adam Lotto Belisol LTB 1:05:06
117 KAISEN, Olivier Lotto Belisol LTB
118 FAVILLI, Elia Lampre-Merida LAM
119 DEMPSTER, Zakkary UNI SA – Australia UNI
120 LLOYD, Matthew Lampre-Merida LAM 1:05:09
121 COURTEILLE, Arnaud FDJ FDJ
122 TIMMER, Albert Argos-Shimano ARG
123 HUPOND, Thierry Argos-Shimano ARG
124 IZAGIRRE, Gorka Euskaltel Euskadi EUS
125 IZAGUIRRE, Jon Euskaltel Euskadi EUS
126 HAAS, Nathan Garmin Sharp GRS 1:05:14
127 HUGUET, Yann Argos-Shimano ARG 1:05:22
128 VOIGT, Jens Radioshack Leopard RLT 1:05:33
129 IMPEY, Daryl Orica GreenEDGE OGE
130 WELLENS, Tim Lotto Belisol LTB 1:05:39
131 BROWN, Graeme Blanco BLA 1:05:57
132 CLARKE, William Argos-Shimano ARG 1:06:35

Sprint Results

Skoda Sprint 1 (Lap 5)
1 DEMPSTER, Zakkary UNI SA – Australia UNI

Europcar Sprint 2 (Lap 10)
1 DEMPSTER, Zakkary UNI SA – Australia UNI

Cycle Instead Sprint 3 (Lap 15)
1 DEMPSTER, Zakkary UNI SA – Australia UNI

Jayco Sprint 4 (Lap 20)
1 DEMPSTER, Zakkary UNI SA – Australia UNI

 

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