Tour Down Under stage 1 – LIVE

Talking of Stephen Williams. Right here’s what he mentioned on the pre-race media convention:

“We’ve an ideal, an ideal crew and I believe the power and depth is evident and yeah, hopefully we are able to have one other good race right here. I believe the parcours is suited fairly effectively to me and I do get pleasure from these races the place they’re selected bonuses. They’re actually tough and technical, and it is at all times a little bit of a canine battle so I am wanting ahead to that. Hopefully we are able to exit in type like final yr however I am below no phantasm that there is 140 world class riders right here that each one wish to do the identical factor. So we’ll simply attempt our greatest and see what the result is subsequent Sunday.”

Wiliams, with the assistance of his crew automobile, is again within the peloton. 

Brief cease to defending champion Stephen Williams (Israel-PremierTech) to get his energy meter sorted out along with his crew mechanic.

No panic in such a protracted impartial.

Stage 1 is underway, beginning with a 12.6km impartial part. Right now’s course is predicted to favour the sprinters with a quick end in Gumeracha.

For stage 1 of the Tour Down Below, racers will head north from Prospect to Williamstown, tackling Gorge Street at Paracombe as their opening climb of the day earlier than turning again in direction of the Adelaide Hills and the stage end in Gumeracha. The peloton to move via the primary time host city Gumeracha twice and return for a livid push to the road after 150.7km of racing and 2386 metres of elevation acquire.

For its twenty fifth version, the opening WorldTour race goes again to its earlier system, with extra enjoyable for the sprinters mixed with three phases that provide the potential to create gaps within the GC. Stage 3 will take the racers over Norton Summit, and a brand new climb – Knott’s Hill – a fierce tilts as much as a punishing 22.2% grade that might be tackled twice, stage 4 to Victor Harbor, and the double ascent of the enduring Willunga Hill on stage 5.

Hey and welcome to Cyclingnews’ stay protection of the Tour Down Below, the primary occasion of the WorldTour. Stage 1 begins at 11:10am native time or 12:30am GMT and finishes roughly 4 and a half hours later.