Glory for Greipel in Classic start to Tour Down Under

Posted in Other News

DOWNLOAD:: Peoples Choice Classic Result Revised

Cycling, January 20, 2013: Two-time Santos Tour Down Under winner Andre Greipel seized the moment to kick start his 2013 campaign in spectacular fashion to win last night’s 51km (30 lap) People’s Choice Classic around Adelaide’s Rymill Park.

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 enjoyed a small celebration last night before tomorrow’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.

breakaway_riders_jens_voigt_and_zakkeri_dempster_08.jpg

“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."

mikel_astarloza_stuart_ogrady_simon_gerrans_and_andre_greipel_19.jpg

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."

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.

Media Diary - Monday 21 January

Adelaide City Council Tour Village and Bike Expo

When: 0900-1800
Where: Victoria Square
What: The Adelaide City Council Tour Village and Bike Expo is a meeting place for cycling fans, an after work hang out, a place to catch up on the day's racing, to see interviews with cycling stars and maybe even get an autograph! All official Santos Tour Down Under merchandise can be bought in the Tour Village so you can take home your piece of the action. Entry is free.

2013 Tourrific Prospect

When: 1700 - 2230
Where: Prospect Road (Labrina Ave to Staples Court)
What: Head to Prospect Road to celebrate at the Tourrific Prospect street party. Enjoy great food and wine/beer from one of the many trading stalls, visit the Prospect Road fashion retailers and enjoy entertainment over three different stages. With a dedicated kids’ zone and a dedicated youth zone, plus the new Wellness Village and Ochre Markets, Tourrific Prospect is sure to entertain the whole family.

Cycling South Australia – Santos Women's Cup & Bowden Elite Team Series criterium

When: 1745 - 1945
When: Prospect Road, south of Labrina Avenue
What: See some of the World’s best female road riders battle it out for a win in the second stage of the Santos Women’s Cup before the men take to the road for Round 12 of the 2012/13 Bowden Elite Team series criterium.

Santos Tour Down Under Media Notes

The 2013 Santos Tour Down Under will be held in Adelaide and regional South Australia from 20 to 27 January 2013. On Sunday 20 January the world's cycling elite will contest an exciting 51km circuit race, the People’s Choice Classic as the curtain raiser for the six stage Santos Tour Down Under being raced over a total distance of 758.5km.

Interview Requests: Call the Santos Tour Down Under Media Centre on +61 8 8212 3800. Our media team will keep a log of all requests and direct them to the appropriate person so please lodge all requests and queries with them from now until the end of the event.
For more information, race routes and results visit the official website
Follow us on Twitter @tourdownunder and Facebook

Issued on behalf of Santos Tour Down Under.