The 2014 Santos Tour Down Under was the 16th edition of the Tour Down Under stage race. It took place from 21 to 26 January and was the first race of the 2014 UCI World Tour.[1]
The race was won for a record third time by Australian national champion Simon Gerrans of the Orica–GreenEDGE team,[2] after taking the lead on the penultimate stage of the race and held the race leader's ochre jersey to the finish, the next day, in Adelaide.[3] Gerrans also won the opening stage of the race in Angaston.[4] Gerrans' winning margin over runner-up Cadel Evans of the BMC Racing Team was one second, and Lampre–Merida's Diego Ulissi completed the podium, four seconds behind Evans and five seconds in arrears of Gerrans.[5] Like Gerrans, Ulissi and Evans both won stages of the race, winning in Stirling and Campbelltown respectively, while Evans also held the race lead for two days. The other stages were won by Lotto–Belisol rider André Greipel (two wins) and Richie Porte, who won the queen stage at Willunga Hill.
The race's other classifications were swept by Australian riders, as Gerrans' consistent finishes – five top-five stage finishes from six stages – across the week ensured that he won the blue jersey for the sprints classification,[6] while Lotto–Belisol rider Adam Hansen was the winner of the mountains classification.[7] UniSA-Australia's Jack Haig was the winner of the young rider classification,[8] finishing seventeenth overall, while the teams classification was won by Gerrans' Orica–GreenEDGE outfit, also placing Daryl Impey inside the top ten overall.[9]
Schedule
Participating teams
As the Tour Down Under is a UCI World Tour event, all 18 UCI ProTeams were invited automatically and obligated to send a squad. Australian team Drapac Professional Cycling received a wildcard invitation and together with a selection of Australian riders forming the UniSA-Australia squad, this formed the event's 20-team peloton.
The 20 teams invited to the race were:
Stages
Stage 1
- 21 January 2014 — Nuriootpa to Angaston, 135 km (83.9 mi)[10]
| Stage 1 Result[11]
|
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General Classification after Stage 1[12]
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Stage 2
- 22 January 2014 — Prospect to Stirling, 150 km (93.2 mi)[13]
| Stage 2 Result[14]
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|
General Classification after Stage 2[14]
|
Stage 3
- 23 January 2014 — Norwood to Campbelltown, 145 km (90.1 mi)[15]
| Stage 3 Result[16]
|
|
General Classification after Stage 3[16]
|
Stage 4
- 24 January 2014 — Unley to Victor Harbor, 148.5 km (92.3 mi)[17]
| Stage 4 Result[18]
|
|
General Classification after Stage 4[18]
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Stage 5
- 25 January 2014 — McLaren Vale to Willunga Hill, 151.5 km (94.1 mi)[19]
| Stage 5 Result[20]
|
|
General Classification after Stage 5[20]
|
Stage 6
- 26 January 2014 — Adelaide (criterium), 85.5 km (53.1 mi)[21]
| Stage 6 Result[22]
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|
Final General Classification[22]
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Classification leadership table
In the 2014 Tour Down Under, four different jerseys were awarded. For the general classification, calculated by adding each cyclist's finishing times on each stage, the leader received an ochre jersey.[23] This classification was considered the most important of the 2014 Tour Down Under, and the winner of the classification was considered the winner of the race.
Additionally, there was a sprints classification, which awarded a blue jersey.[23] In the sprints classification, cyclists received points for finishing in the top 15 in a stage. For winning a stage, a rider earned 15 points, with one point fewer per place down to a single point for 15th place. Points towards the classification could also be accrued at intermediate sprint points during each stage; these intermediate sprints also offered bonus seconds towards the general classification. There was also a mountains classification, the leadership of which was marked by a white jersey.[23] In the mountains classification, points were won by reaching the top of a climb before other cyclists, with more points available for the higher-categorised climbs.
The fourth jersey represented the young rider classification, marked by a grey, green and pink jersey.[23] This was decided in the same way as the general classification, but only riders born after 1 January 1988 were eligible to be ranked in the classification. There was also a classification for teams, in which the times of the best three cyclists per team on each stage were added together; the leading team at the end of the race was the team with the lowest total time, and each member of the winning team received a red jersey on the final podium. Additionally, a green jersey was awarded on the podium each day, for the most aggressive rider, or riders, of that day's stage.
References
- ↑ Guinness, Rupert (14 January 2014). "Matt White names his favourites". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media). Retrieved 18 January 2014.
- ↑ Guinness, Rupert (26 January 2014). "Historic third win for cyclist Simon Gerrans in Tour Down Under". The Age (Fairfax Media). Retrieved 26 January 2014.
- ↑ "Simon Gerrans clinches his third Tour Down Under title". The Guardian (Guardian Media Group). Australian Associated Press. 26 January 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
- ↑ "Australian champion Simon Gerrans outsprints André Greipel to take early lead". The Daily Telegraph (Telegraph Media Group). 21 January 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
- ↑ "Australia's Simon Gerrans wins in Adelaide". BBC Sport (BBC). 26 January 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
- ↑ "Wizard of Oz Simon Gerrans makes history with a hat-trick of Australia wins". Daily Record (Trinity Mirror). 26 January 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
- ↑ "Second win for Greipel". Lotto–Belisol (Belgian Cycling Project). 26 January 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
- ↑ Vaughan, Roger (26 January 2014). "Locals dominate Tour Down Under". Wide World of Sports (Nine Network; ninemsn). Retrieved 26 January 2014.
- ↑ "Simon Gerrans Makes History With Third Santos Tour Down Under Title". Orica–GreenEDGE (GreenEDGE Cycling). 26 January 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
- ↑ "San Remo Pasta Stage 1: Nuriootpa to Angaston – 135.0km" (PDF). Tour Down Under. Events South Australia. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
- ↑ "2014 Santos Tour Down Under results, stage 1". VeloNews (Competitor Group, Inc.). 21 January 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
- ↑ Woodpower, Zeb (21 January 2014). "Simon Gerrans takes big win over Andre Greipel". Cyclingnews.com (Future plc). Retrieved 21 January 2014.
- ↑ "BikeExchange.com.au Stage 2: Prospect to Stirling – 150.0km" (PDF). Tour Down Under. Events South Australia. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
- 1 2 Woodpower, Zeb (22 January 2014). "Diego Ulissi surprises with Tour Down Under stage win". Cyclingnews.com (Future plc). Retrieved 23 January 2014.
- ↑ "Thomas Foods Stage 3: Norwood to Campbelltown – 145.0km" (PDF). Tour Down Under. Events South Australia. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
- 1 2 Woodpower, Zeb (23 January 2014). "Cadel Evans takes stirring solo win and overall lead". Cyclingnews.com (Future plc). Retrieved 23 January 2014.
- ↑ "Bupa Stage 4: Unley to Victor Harbor – 148.5km" (PDF). Tour Down Under. Events South Australia. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
- 1 2 Woodpower, Zeb (24 January 2014). "Andre Greipel claims 15th Tour Down Under stage win". Cyclingnews.com (Future plc). Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- ↑ "Pure Blonde Stage 5: McLaren Vale to Willunga Hill – 151.5km" (PDF). Tour Down Under. Events South Australia. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
- 1 2 Woodpower, Zeb (25 January 2014). "Richie Porte solos to Tour Down Under win". Cyclingnews.com (Future plc). Retrieved 25 January 2014.
- ↑ "Be Safe Be Seen MAC Stage 6: Adelaide Street Circuit – 85.5km" (PDF). Tour Down Under. Events South Australia. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
- 1 2 Woodpower, Zeb (26 January 2014). "Final day victory for Andre Greipel at the Tour Down Under". Cyclingnews.com (Future plc). Retrieved 26 January 2014.
- 1 2 3 4 "Tour Down Under: Jersey Guide". Velostage.com (Velostage). Retrieved 29 January 2013.
External links
Simon Gerrans (Australia)
Diego Ulissi (Italy)
André Greipel (GER)
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