Le Santos Tour Down Under 2024, sa 1ère étape ce mardi... avec la surprise et l'Australien Sam Welsford qui s'est imposé à Tanunda à l'isse d'un un sprint passionnant.
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00:00 Yes, welcome to the beautiful scenery here in South Australia.
00:04 It's the opening day of the World Tour season and by tradition now,
00:07 the new season always starts down under with the aptly named
00:12 24th running of the Santos Tour Down Under.
00:15 Welcome aboard.
00:16 Thank you for having me.
00:18 I'm a bit nervous about that statement sitting next to Robbie McKeown,
00:21 but it's great to be back.
00:22 Looking forward to today's stage.
00:24 I know that it's going to be a blistering one as they tackle three laps
00:28 around the Barossa region.
00:30 I was really excited to see the confidence of Luke Platt, because
00:33 can't wait to drop that flag.
00:35 Here we go.
00:36 He's not waving goodbye.
00:44 He's just starting the race, Anna, because we're going to come back
00:47 in about 40 kilometers time as we'll see him again
00:50 as we continue now on three circuits.
00:52 Yeah, it's a great way to start the Santos Tour Down Under with three laps
00:56 around this Barossa Valley region.
00:58 And here we're launching the attack for the line.
01:00 And it looks to me as though we've got easy post giving a dig here.
01:04 But now all of a sudden, the Israel team has been knocked out of the
01:07 the calculations here.
01:09 Is this Romero, I wonder?
01:13 No, it's Fischer Black, I think it is.
01:15 It's Finn Fischer Black, number two from UAE.
01:17 Wow, that's a good result for Finn Fischer Black.
01:21 He gets the points and now is the leader of the tour on the road
01:26 because of the small time bonus of three seconds.
01:29 We expect it to be.
01:30 Here's the replay that Finn Fischer Black left of screen in the white.
01:34 And clearly across the line first.
01:38 Hot conditions taking on those electrolytes,
01:43 sipping consistently, not taking on huge amounts as the riders come to the top.
01:48 And it looks like Barra is going to take over the points
01:52 for the first FX King of the Mountains, and he does no real contest there,
01:56 but just a little out of the saddle, a couple of touches on the pedal
01:58 just to put a little exclamation mark on it.
02:01 But they do continue that pace.
02:03 They'll get a nice downhill run now.
02:04 That's very impressive, really,
02:07 because this is the third time he's attacked since the start.
02:10 He really was determined to be leading this race.
02:13 And his target, clearly a nice shot at the FX King of the Mountains.
02:17 Three points for that and two more chances if he can stay clear of the field.
02:21 Pull on the leaders jersey for tomorrow.
02:24 First to fail, third one succeeded.
02:26 Now he wants a fourth one for himself.
02:28 But Zimmermann, and I thought Zimmermann was getting quite tired in this sun.
02:32 He's fought back.
02:34 Oh, he's all over the sprint.
02:36 He's in.
02:37 He's really, if anybody deserves the three seconds and the small prizes,
02:41 the man in the red, but the man in the yellow, that's the experience for you.
02:45 He had a very good season last year, Georg Zimmermann,
02:48 the inexperienced, the first timer on the left in the World Tour.
02:52 Bahrain will have to be content with second place.
02:56 First time I've seen a bit of lack of cohesion
03:01 between our two breakaways today.
03:03 Now they've fallen out now.
03:04 Every bottle will be collected.
03:07 And speaking of water bottles, take a look at this, Robbie.
03:12 Team, not teammates, but rivals out front.
03:15 Don't try my drink.
03:16 Thanks very much.
03:17 Oh, they do speak to each other.
03:19 Well, that's particularly nice to see after what we saw in Angerston
03:22 at the ZipTrack Intermediate Sprint, attacking each other like bitter rivals
03:26 and then one offering a bid on up to the other one.
03:29 So brothers in arms out under the Australian sun.
03:33 Yeah, Bahrain is not looking at him, not expecting him to
03:36 cross the line in first place.
03:38 He needs to jump now.
03:40 Or maybe it's going to be allowed.
03:43 He's not going to challenge him, Zimmerman.
03:46 Does it look like it?
03:47 No, there's the finish coming up for this climb anyway.
03:50 Maybe Bahrain didn't get the memo on the ZipTrack Intermediate Sprint.
03:55 Well, he's done it and he will be the first leader of the FX
03:58 King of the Mountains tomorrow.
04:00 And as I said in his very first World Tour outing as well.
04:05 The youngster here.
04:07 Quick event.
04:08 So just here, he ducks right over the road and just watching
04:11 push his handlebars down.
04:12 It looks flat to me up front.
04:14 Yeah, he's checking it.
04:15 Yeah.
04:16 I think that's just to indicate to the riders
04:19 they've got a flat tyre.
04:21 Hand goes straight up. Yeah.
04:23 Now we're heading on Race Radio.
04:27 Alaphilippe is getting a front wheel.
04:29 I'm not sure if we can show you pictures of that, but he's there.
04:31 Oh, there he is.
04:33 So he's his front wheel.
04:34 And that's what we saw.
04:37 Now, that was a pretty fast change.
04:38 So the peloton aren't that far ahead.
04:40 Team cars coming by.
04:41 That's a that's a bit more professional, I think.
04:44 So Alaphilippe.
04:46 All the hype around him may be going for the win in this race.
04:49 He can't afford to lose a single second today.
04:52 One of the Australian national team going out after the points.
04:56 Is it Burns again?
04:59 Yeah, he collected one point on the last time around.
05:01 Third over the line. Now he's second.
05:04 Nice work putting himself in contention for an assault on that jersey.
05:08 Won't get it today, but he's in the mix.
05:10 As the race goes on, he can try and infiltrate a breakaway,
05:14 pick up some points and see if he can get himself in the FX King of the Mountains jersey.
05:17 Just a replay here of Luke Burns as he nipped off the front
05:21 in the last few meters to take the major points in the FX
05:25 King of the Mountains. Third time over.
05:28 Good job by the young Aussie.
05:31 25 years of age, normally rides for the Bridge Lane team
05:35 here, a part of the Australian national team.
05:37 So Caleb Ewan, he's now actually in fourth wheel.
05:45 Caleb is on the wheel of Sam Welsford.
05:47 So it's Bora, Danny van Poppel, the man in second wheel.
05:49 Lead out extraordinaire for Welsford.
05:52 Caleb Ewan, deep breaths, getting ready for the sprint.
05:54 Here goes van Poppel.
05:56 And there's the long straight to the line now.
05:58 And Welsford have been put in a great position here.
06:01 It is Danny van Poppel who's going to try and lead Welsford to the line.
06:04 Welsford's having a job keeping up with van Poppel and can Caleb do his magic finish?
06:09 He's going to have a go.
06:10 He's on the left of the picture now as he launches shoulder to shoulder.
06:14 But the challenge, a minion, no, it is Welsford on the line.
06:18 And what a late finish and run by Grimey as well.
06:22 What a finish for Sam Welsford.
06:24 Absolute perfection from Bora Hansgrohe.
06:28 Danny van Poppel with the big lead out.
06:30 Caleb Ewan tried to just come out and surprise on the right hand side at Welsford.
06:34 He just lit the afterburners.
06:36 There was a challenge also from Bauhaus.
06:38 Grimey coming late up the middle.
06:40 But Welsford at first looked like he might fade.
06:43 Just finds that extra kick.
06:46 Sam, what an incredible way to start the season.
06:49 Yeah, wow.
06:50 That was crazy.
06:53 I'm lost for words.
06:54 Like, it's really hairy down the hill.
06:58 Lots of crashes and like near misses, but boys just kept calm.
07:02 Be patient.
07:04 And wow, they did an amazing job for me today.
07:06 New team, new colours, first victory.
07:08 You must be over the moon.
07:10 Yeah, mate, this is this is a dream come true, you know.
07:13 First race with the guys and they backed me 100 percent.
07:17 And I mean, I was super special.
07:20 My first one of the year with the team.
07:21 We get a win.
07:21 Oh, I'm on the stokes, mate.
07:24 What a sprint finish.
07:25 But boy, did you see the fast finish of Binian Grimey?
07:28 Yeah, coming out of the wheels, Grimey.
07:29 It was Ryan Mullen who set them up, swung away, Danny Van Poppel out of the saddle.
07:33 And this is where the foundation was laid.
07:35 Then Welsford actually goes.
07:37 Caleb tried to get the jump, gets alongside, starts to fade.
07:40 Bauhaus on the right hand side.
07:43 Look at Grimey coming through the middle.
07:44 But Welsford, he just started to grind away and in front of Phil Bauhaus.
07:48 As we see it from the head on, Welsford, he just looks down.
07:52 Now he's just looking for the shadow behind.
07:54 He's waiting to see movement.
07:56 Who's going to jump?
07:57 And as soon as he sees that shadow creep up on him, up and out of the saddle,
08:01 launch the sprint and just look at him wrenching on the handlebars.
08:04 But it's a clear win.
08:05 Bauhaus in second.
08:06 Grimey, well, he's rearing what could have been.
08:08 Fast finishing through the middle.
08:10 Ewan was in fourth.
08:11 And also Jonathan Navez from INEOS Grenadiers, the winner of the
08:14 the Classic Criterium on Sunday, coming through next in fifth place.
08:18 So there's the margin on the line.
08:21 Welsford by half a bike length to Bauhaus.
08:25 Grimey another wheel back.
08:27 Then it's Caleb Ewan, Navez, Dani van Poppel still finished seventh.
08:32 Off the lead out and still seventh.
08:35 Crossing the line celebrating.
08:37 Well, it just goes to show how critical teammates position is
08:40 when you see how far Grimey comes from behind.
08:42 But also for Caleb Ewan to step off the tactics around that.
08:45 He tried to get the jump on Sam Welsford.
08:47 And it's clever skill to be able to look under your elbows and see the move come,
08:51 which he obviously would have learnt on the track.
08:53 And look at the big man go all the way to the finish line.
08:56 Trust in the team that had him looked after the entire day.
09:00 Little throw to the line just to make sure.
09:04 Look at that celebration.
09:06 Yeah, and Grimey was pretty upset, but his late finish, he was very quick,
09:10 but he wasn't quick enough.
09:12 Gave him too much for the lead out.
09:14 Welsford is the man.
09:15 Sixth win only on the road as a professional.
09:19 And of course, he's been an Olympic Commonwealth Games
09:22 and a world champion on the track.
09:24 Sam Welsford is your leader
09:28 after the zip track stage one.
09:32 And doesn't that ochre jersey look nice?
09:35 Well done, Sam.
09:40 Isn't it funny how Stuart O'Grady said about the one percenters
09:43 is a bit different chasing one percenters as an athlete to a race director?
09:46 Absolutely.
09:48 This is today's zip track stage one result.
09:50 Sam Welsford took out his first win in the Santos Tour Down Under
09:54 ahead of Phil Bauhaus.
09:56 Ben Omega-May came in third.
09:58 Caleb Ewan under a bit of an illness cloud.
10:01 He still performed pretty well at fourth.
10:04 He's looking forward to riding his legs in.
10:06 Overall standings here and tomorrow, of course, have a long ride tomorrow.
10:10 Slightly shorter by two kilometers on today's stage.
10:13 Welsford, though, now leads.
10:15 Bonus is taken into account.
10:16 Ten seconds for the win.
10:18 So Phil Bauhaus, who finished second, he got a six second bonus.
10:22 He's up four seconds.
10:23 And Geremi is at six.
10:25 Corbin Strong, he made his points out on the course today,
10:28 so he comes in at fourth place.
10:30 Georg Zimmermann and Fischer-Black also taking bonuses.