Team RadioShack got underway in fine style with Gert Steegman’s second placing in Stage one of the Santos Tour Down Under 2010.
The UCI season started today in Adelaide with Team RadioShack stepping out for the first official race in the new team colors. The Clare and Barossa Valley’s were dressed up for the occasion and not unlike the scenes at the Tour de France.
After a pile up that included the Rainbow jersey on Cadel Evens (BMC) and around 60 riders in the first 300 meter of neutral zone Team Radioshack were happy to ride with the bunch when young local rider Tim Roe (UniSA) made the first attack of the season. (Roe is also a member of the LiveStrong U23 team)
Roe was joined by Kohler (BMC) and Kadri (AG2R) in a break away that would hold the peloton at bay for 120 kilometers. The lead got out to over nine minutes before Columbia HTC started the chase, Team RadioShack joined in with Katusha at the front of the Peloton to control the speed of the race.
Roe’s efforts earned praise from Lance Armstrong “way to show some guts and toughness Timmy”
Through Tanunda the first time, Kohler led Roe and Kadri under the finish banner and on to the KOM before the Columbia HTC and RadioShack led peloton charged through only three minutes later. The breakaway held for Roe to take the KOM on Menglers hill before it was closed down for a sprint finish.
Phil Liggett’s pick for the race Mat Wilson (Garmin) made a break for the line before the peloton responded, fellow Aussie and team mate Jack Bobridge (World U23 Champion) made his own break before Team RadioShack worked the front of the peloton to line up Gert Steegmans but it was the power of Columbia HTC and Greipel who took the 141 kilometer stage with Steegmans finishing second, Roelandts (OP Lotto) finished third.
The biggest surprise to come from stage one was defending champion Allan Davis (Astana) who finished a whole eight minutes behind the field and now has no chance to defend his 2009 TDU title.
Results Stage 1 Santos Tour Down Under
1 Andre Greipel (HTC-Columbia) 3:15:30
2 Gert Steegmans (Team RadioShack)
3 Jurgen Roelandts (Omega Pharma-Lotto)
4 Danilo Wyss (BMC Racing)
5 Greg Henderson (Team Sky)
—
46 Lance Armstrong
82 Daryl Impey
84 Tomas Vaitkus
86 Yaroslav Popovych
87 Sebastien Rosseler
130 Jason McCartney
Stage two tomorrow is 133 km Gawler to Hahndorf includes the short but steep ascend up Checker hill. Follow my live updates on twitter @chriscameron55
By Chris Cameron, staff writer
For teamradioshack.us in Adelaide Australia
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Good review Chris. Keep up the great reporting.
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