Santos Tour Down Under

Stage 1 of the season’s first World Tour race was also the longest of the week, 144 kilometers around Tanunda, a town situated just 70 kilometers north-west of Adelaide, and one of the most popular locations in the event’s history.

The route comprised three ascents of Mengler’s Hill, the last of which came less than 15 kilometers from the line, but not even the tailwind, the sweltering heat and the hard pace the peloton was pushing going into the base of the last climb could split the peloton, who remained as one after bringing back the two-man breakaway.

Soudal Quick-Step became prominent at the front inside the closing five kilometers, with Julian Alaphilippe trying to position Casper Pedersen ahead of the flamme rouge, but with many teams jostling for position it turned out to be a complicated task, despite our riders giving their best. The mad dash to the line was won by Sam Welsford (Bora-hansgrohe), while the Wolfpack’s best finisher was French neo-pro Antoine Huby.

“It was obvious as soon as the first kilometers that the bunch had only one goal today which was making sure a breakaway or a late attack wouldn’t make it today. It was very hot out there, and for the riders it was more a question of surviving these conditions. On Wednesday the temperature should be lower, so we’ll see what the race will bring”, explained sports director Geert Van Bondt.

Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele / Getty Images