Gerrans crowned Tour Down Under champion in Adelaide
The bunch finish was nearly spoiled however by Cameron Meyer (GreenEdge) who made a bold solo move with a little over a lap to go. Meyer's overall hopes had been dashed yesterday when he missed the select front group on the first time up Old Willunga Hill. The field would not be denied, particulalry Andre Greipel's Lotto Belisol team who put the him in a perfect position - the German finishing off with ease.
Simon Gerrans (GreenEdge) meanwhile did all he needed to, successfully finishing in the bunch to take out his second overall title after his career defining 2006 triumph while riding for the French AG2R-Prévoyance team.
For his GreenEdge team, it was another tick in the box after their recent successes in the Mars Cycling Australia Road National Championships and the Jayco Bay Classic Series in Victoria.
The team set out to take the overall title, and despite not winning a stage, can be wholly satisified with a truly team performance that gives them the early lead in the prestigious WorldTour.
"It’s just fantastic," said a clearly excited Gerrans at the finish.
"I can’t thank my team mates enough. I was pleasantly surprised when I was told I had the lead [yesterday]. It’s such a fantastic victory for GreenEDGE. We couldn’t ask for a more perfect way to start the season."
"It’s an even sweeter victory than my first one here in 2006. It gives me the opportunity to thank for the first time the Ryan family and Shayne Bannan for putting this team together. It couldn’t be a better start for us."
Stage winner Greipel was similalry appreciative of his Lotto-Belisol team who have shown definitively to be the best organised when it comes to a bunch dash.
"What can I say," said Greipel. "Lotto-Belisol has just been amazing in leading me out to my third win of the week. It looks easy but it’s not. I was nowhere in the front on GC this year but I’m happy with the sprint finishes."
Greipel's stage win was not enough to take out the points classificaiton however. His three stage wins were cancelled out by his absences on Willunga and in Tanunda, ultimately costing him vital points that Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky) was able to bank. The Norwegian would have liked a win but was happy nonetheless.
"It’s an early start to the season and to be on top form now is difficult.I’m happy to be on okay form but I can still get better."
UniSA-Australia had plenty of reason to celebrate, taking out the King of the Moutains for the second year running as well as cleaning up with Rohan Dennis who also took out best young rider.
How it unfolded
With the overall tied on time, and Gerrans a clear leader on countback, GreenEdge were happy to see a sizeable break form very early in the 20 lap circuit race in Adelaide.
It included Bernard Sulzberger, Jay McCarthy (UniSA-Australia), Luke Durbridge, Cameron Meyer (GreenEdge), Martijn Maaskant (Garmin-Barracuda), Adam Hansen (Lotto-Belisol), Sergey Lagutin (Vacansoleil-DCM), Mathew Hayman (Sky), Gorka Izagirre (Euskatel-Euskadi), Matteo Trentin (Omega Pharma-Quickstep), Greg Van Avermaet (BMC), Davide Cimolai (Lampre-ISD), Jens Voigt (Radioshack-Nissan), William Bonnet (FDJ-BigMat), Sergio Paulinho and Jonas Jorgensen (Saxo Bank).
They built up an advantage of close to 40 seconds before Rabobank who had missed the move came to the front to bring them back.
With the group within reach Michael Matthews soloed across the final 10 second gap, enough to encourage the peloton that the break should come back into the fold.
With the first intermediate sprint looming and dangerous seconds on the line, GreenEdge sent Luke Durbridge up the road again and he was joined by Davide Cimolai. Cimolai took out the sprint from Durbridge who didn't contest. Jack Bauer (Garmin-Barracuda) jumped out of the peloton to take third.
Once again the speed of the peloton after the prime was enough to nullify the break, and it was all together once more.
Bakelants makes his charge
Jan Bakelants (Radioshack-Nissan), who before today sat seventh on GC, used the lull to make a bid for the bonus second on offer at the second sprint. He needed just two seconds to get in front of Edvald Boasson Hagen and picked up all three on offer, ahead of Cameron Meyer (GreenEdge) who managed to bridge to Bakelants solo.
Shortly thereafter Romain Sicard (Euskatel-Euskadi) also bridged to make it a trio of strong riders at the front. As the laps ticked by, and the gap failed to reduce Bakelants was becoming a real threat to the overall lead of Simon Gerrans. He was just 16 seconds behind Gerrans at this stage and with the 40 second advantage the break held was virtual leader.
Justifiably he got very little help from Sicard as the race entered the closing kilometres, with Meyer playing ticket collector on the back.
The bunch was having none of it however and with Lotto-Belisol, Lampre-ISD and Liquigas-Cannondale ramping things up for their sprinters the gap rapidly fell away.
Inside 6 kilometres to go and Bakelants decided to raise the white flag, happy enough with his sixth overall. Meyer meanwhile wanted the stage win. He went alone and entered the final 4 kilometre lap with a small advantage.
Though Meyer's fight was admirable, nothing would deny the bunch on the fast city circuit, and with half a lap to go it was all together for a bunch sprint. Lotto-Belisol best placed their man, and it was Andre Greipel who took the sprint from Renshaw and Petacchi.
Gerrans crossed the line safely in the main field to take the overall.
Stage 6 Results:
| 1 | André Greipel (Ger) Lotto-Belisol | 1:56:48 | |
| 2 | Mark Renshaw (Aus) Rabobank | ||
| 3 | Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre - ISD | ||
| 4 | Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) FDJ - BigMat | ||
| 5 | Jose Joaquin Rojas (Spa) Movistar | ||
| 6 | Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling | ||
| 7 | Romain Feillu (Fra) Vacansoleil -DCM | ||
| 8 | Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Team Saxo Bank | ||
| 9 | Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Liquigas - Cannondale | ||
| 10 | Manuel Belletti (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale |
Overall Results:
| 1 | Simon Gerrans (Aus) GreenEDGE | 20:46:12 | |
| 2 | Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar | ||
| 3 | Tiago Machado (Por) RadioShack-Nissan | 0:00:08 | |
| 4 | Michael Rogers (Aus) Sky Procycling | 0:00:14 | |
| 5 | Rohan Dennis (Aus) UNI SA - Australia | ||
| 6 | Jan Bakelants (Bel) RadioShack-Nissan | 0:00:16 | |
| 7 | Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling | 0:00:18 | |
| 8 | Javier Moreno (Spa) Movistar | 0:00:23 | |
| 9 | Michael Matthews (Aus) Rabobank | 0:00:29 | |
| 10 | Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Katusha | 0:00:32 |
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