Stage 4 Tour Down Under 2013. Greipel!

I have to be honest, blunt even. The Bupa Challenge ride stage is not my favourite. Too many amateur cyclists. I know it is for a good cause and of course it is worth supporting but getting stuck behind throngs of amateurs on the road and off the road trying to walk in cleats and manage bikes through large crowds is not my favourite thing. Shame on me.

I must say though, I was very impressed with Tununda housing all of the Bupa riders on the local oval. They had loads of space, food and drink resources and even a big screen, so the course wasn't overloaded!

But enough of me. Back to the race.

Seeing young South Aussie Damian Howson out on the break with world champ Philippe Gilbert was certainly a highlight and their efforts were rewarded - the first ever dual recipients of the most combative jersey at the end of the stage.

Some more history was made on today's forth stage with my favourite current sprinter overtaking my favourite all time sprinter in stage wins at the Tour Down Under. Yes, Andre Greipel won yet again in another gutsy effort securing his sprinting domination. I'm sure Robbie (McEwen) would have been smiling, even with his record falling.

I would love to share some pictures with you today, including some awesome ones of Greipel sprinting to the line, the broken and battered riders limping in after the crash in the final kilometer and the riders receiving their jerseys at the presentation. But for some reason my good old iPhone won't download the photo's.

So, we move on to good old Willunga Hill tomorrow on Australia Day. We will be heading out early to try and secure a great spot on the hill! With Geraint Thomas still narrowly holding onto the race lead it's going to be a cracker!

Stage 3 Tour Down Under 2013. Slagter!

Who? Yes that was my question when Tom-Jette Slagter crossed the line after a gallant sprint towards the line at today's stage from Mt. Barker to Stirling. Slagter is the dutch rider currently sporting the young rider's jersey for Team Blanco, a name that we are sure to hear more of. He held off a late charge from Australia's Matt Goss, Ocre Jersey and TDU leader Geraint Thomas and World Champ Philippe Gilbert.

I have to say the Stirling stage is one of my favourites. It is such a pretty little town and they put on a fabulous party for the race with lots of food stalls in a picturesque setting. We arrived early around 9am to get the shady spot at the 25m mark and it was well worth the early trek enjoying shade all day long. And with the riders passing by six times it was the perfect spot.


With Sky doing their job to keep Geraint in the leader's jersey there's no doubt it will be on for Saturday's climb up Willunga Hill, add in the fact that an Aussie will be wanting to take the win on Australia Day - that's going to be an exciting and most likely decisive one as usual.

Tomorrow is the Bupa Challenge ride which sees over 6,000 amateur cyclists take the road over various distances to ride the course like the pros. Well, maybe not like the pro's but at least on the same course as the pro's.

We will head out to Tununda to see the finish which will be another change for The Gorilla - Andre Greipel to take another sprint finish.

Until then here are some pics from today's stage...

Stage 2 Tour Down Under 2013. Thomas!

The inclusion of the infamous local climb of Corkscrew Road certainly added some spice and flavour to the Stage 2 of the Tour Down Under. I'm not sure how many punters would have selected Gerrant Thomas to win the stage at the start of the day, but the Brit dug deep to ride the climb of his life and to survive right through to Rostrevor.

We spent the morning down at Glenelg browsing the local shops and having some fresh local fish and chips on the foreshore to fill our tummies before heading off to Rostrever to see the finish.

Ultimately we would have loved to be up on Corkscrew Road but with four kids in tow the cons outweighed the pros, so it was to the finish we headed.

We arrived with about half an hour to go, set up at the 140m mark and wandered down to the big screen to watch the climb. The atmosphere was fantastic and once again Adelaide turned on spectacular weather. After the climb we had a few minutes to get back to the kids and stick our heads over the fence and peer down the long stretch of the finishing straight. It is one of my favourite sights seeing the riders enter the home stretch and today didn't disappoint with Gerrant pushing through sprinting to the line for his well earned win.

We heard the news of a crash in the main peloton and saw the remnants when a few scathed and dirty riders limped over the finish line.

The riders will need a good rest tonight as tomorrow's stage from Unley to Stirling is another tough one and with a temperature of 37 degrees Celsius predicted the heat will surely be on.

A morning at Glenelg

The locals at Glenelg

The end of the long finishing straight awaiting the riders

Watching Corkscrew climb on the big screen

Gerrant makes his move

And flies past us towards the line, head down, bum up!

The end is in sight for the others

World Champ Philippe Gilbert second left

Thank God it's over!

Gilbert crowned UCI world cycling champ

image from here

The world cycling championships held in the Netherlands came to an exciting conclusion yesterday with Belgium's Philippe Gilbert taking out the men's elite road race.

The race didn't disappoint with plenty of action but the final few kilometers proved to be the most exciting as Gilbert attacked.

No one was able to match Gilbert's pure strength and determination and he crossed the line with plenty of time to celebrate the rainbow jersey. Gilbert rode a tactically sound race with his Belgian team mates solid in their support.

Norway's Edvald Boasson Hagen took silver followed by Spain's Alejandro Valverde.

Unfortunately the race didn't pan out in the Aussie's favour with Allan Davis our best placed rider in a respectable 6th position.