2018 Tour Down Under

The 2018 Tour Down Under was a road cycling stage race, that took place between 16 and 21 January 2018 in and around Adelaide, South Australia. It was the 20th edition of the Tour Down Under and the first race of the 2018 UCI World Tour.[2]

2018 Tour Down Under

2018 UCI World Tour, race 1 of 37
Race details
Dates	16–21 January 2018
Stages	6
Distance	783.8 km (487.0 mi)
Winning time	20h 03' 34"[1]
Results
Winner  Daryl Impey (RSA) (Mitchelton–Scott)   Second  Richie Porte (AUS) (BMC Racing Team)   Third  Tom-Jelte Slagter (NED) (Team Dimension Data) Mountains  Nicholas Dlamini (RSA) (Team Dimension Data) Youth  Egan Bernal (COL) (Team Sky) Sprints  Peter Sagan (SVK) (Bora–Hansgrohe)   Team Bahrain–Merida

Daryl Impey (Mitchelton–Scott) became the first South African rider to win the race overall, after edging out BMC Racing Team's Richie Porte on countback after both riders completed the course in the same time.[3] Porte won on Willunga Hill for the fifth year in succession, but Impey finished eight seconds in arrears in second position, which was enough to take the ochre jersey.[4] The podium placings were completed by another former winner, Tom-Jelte Slagter of Team Dimension Data, who finished third on Willunga Hill, taking four bonus seconds that put him ahead of the four other competitors that he had finished with; Slagter finished 16 seconds down on Impey overall.[5]

In the race's other classifications,[6] world champion Peter Sagan (Bora–Hansgrohe) won the sprints classification, taking five top-five stage finishes during the event, including a stage win into Uraidla. Team Dimension Data's Nicholas Dlamini led the mountains classification from start to finish, while Egan Bernal of Team Sky took the young rider classification in his first start for the team, finishing sixth overall. The teams classification was won by Bahrain–Merida, who placed Gorka Izagirre in the top-ten overall.

Participating teams

As the Tour Down Under was a UCI World Tour event, all eighteen UCI WorldTeams were invited automatically and obliged to enter a team in the race.[7] One other team was given a wildcard entry into the race: UniSA–Australia.[8] Each team was due to enter seven riders, for a total of 133 participants. However, Lotto–Soudal withdrew Bjorg Lambrecht from the race following an error with the UCI's anti-doping procedures,[9] while Team Sky lost Kristoffer Halvorsen following a crash in the closing metres of the People's Choice Classic, which resulted in a fractured hand.[10] As a result, 131 riders started the race.[11]

Among the field were seven previous winners of the race, three of whom – Rohan Dennis, Simon Gerrans and Richie Porte – were racing for the BMC Racing Team.[12] Other previous winners in the field were Luis León Sánchez (Astana), Lotto–Soudal rider André Greipel, Tom-Jelte Slagter of Team Dimension Data, and Mitchelton–Scott's Cameron Meyer.[13]

UCI WorldTeams

• AG2R La Mondiale
• Astana
• Bahrain–Merida
• BMC Racing Team
• Bora–Hansgrohe
• Team Dimension Data
• EF Education First–Drapac p/b Cannondale
• Team Katusha–Alpecin
• Lotto–Soudal
• LottoNL–Jumbo
• Mitchelton–Scott
• Movistar Team
• Quick-Step Floors
• Team Sky
• Team Sunweb
• Trek–Segafredo
• UAE Team Emirates
• FDJ

Wildcard teams

• UniSA–Australia

Route

The route of the 2018 Tour Down Under was announced at the beginning of July 2017 and centred around the city of Adelaide in South Australia.[14] There were six mass-start road stages and no time trials.[15] Two days before the start of the Tour, there was a flat criterium race, the People's Choice Classic, which took place in Rymill Park and which was suited for the sprinters.[16] It was won by world champion Peter Sagan (Bora–Hansgrohe) in a sprint finish.[17][18]

The opening stage started in Port Adelaide, which hosted the race for the first time since the inaugural Tour Down Under in 1999.[19] The fifth stage finished with two climbs of Willunga Hill, which had been decisive in previous editions of the race. The final stage was another criterium around the centre of Adelaide.

After stage two, it was announced that the third stage would be shortened due to forecasted high temperatures. Two of the three finishing circuits around Victor Harbor were removed from the itinerary, reducing the racing to 120.5 km (75 mi).[20]

Stage schedule

Stage	Date	Route	Distance	Type		Winner
1	16 January	Port Adelaide to Lyndoch	145 km (90 mi)		Flat stage	André Greipel (GER)
2	17 January	Unley to Stirling	148.6 km (92 mi)		Hilly stage	Caleb Ewan (AUS)
3	18 January	Glenelg to Victor Harbor	120.5 km (75 mi)[lower-alpha 1]		Flat stage	Elia Viviani (ITA)
4	19 January	Norwood to Uraidla	128.2 km (80 mi)		Hilly stage	Peter Sagan (SVK)
5	20 January	McLaren Vale to Willunga Hill	151.5 km (94 mi)		Medium-mountain stage	Richie Porte (AUS)
6	21 January	Adelaide	90 km (56 mi)		Flat stage	André Greipel (GER)

Stages

Stage 1

16 January 2018 — Port Adelaide to Lyndoch, 145 km (90 mi)[22]

Result of Stage 1[23] Rank Rider Team Time 1  André Greipel (GER) Lotto–Soudal 3h 50' 21" 2  Caleb Ewan (AUS) Mitchelton–Scott + 0" 3  Peter Sagan (SVK) Bora–Hansgrohe + 0" 4  Elia Viviani (ITA) Quick-Step Floors + 0" 5  Simone Consonni (ITA) UAE Team Emirates + 0" 6  Phil Bauhaus (GER) Team Sunweb + 0" 7  Nathan Haas (AUS) Team Katusha–Alpecin + 0" 8  Matteo Montaguti (ITA) AG2R La Mondiale + 0" 9  Ramūnas Navardauskas (LTU) Bahrain–Merida + 0" 10  Riccardo Minali (ITA) Astana + 0"

General classification after Stage 1[24] Rank Rider Team Time 1  André Greipel (GER) Lotto–Soudal 3h 50' 11" 2  Caleb Ewan (AUS) Mitchelton–Scott + 4" 3  Will Clarke (AUS) EF Education First–Drapac p/b Cannondale + 4" 4  Peter Sagan (SVK) Bora–Hansgrohe + 6" 5  Nicholas Dlamini (RSA) Team Dimension Data + 6" 6  Nathan Haas (AUS) Team Katusha–Alpecin + 9" 7  Jhonatan Restrepo (COL) Team Katusha–Alpecin + 9" 8  Elia Viviani (ITA) Quick-Step Floors + 10" 9  Simone Consonni (ITA) UAE Team Emirates + 10" 10  Phil Bauhaus (GER) Team Sunweb + 10"

Stage 2

17 January 2018 — Unley to Stirling, 148.6 km (92 mi)[25]

Result of Stage 2[26] Rank Rider Team Time 1  Caleb Ewan (AUS) Mitchelton–Scott 4h 03' 55" 2  Daryl Impey (RSA) Mitchelton–Scott + 0" 3  Jay McCarthy (AUS) Bora–Hansgrohe + 0" 4  Peter Sagan (SVK) Bora–Hansgrohe + 0" 5  Nathan Haas (AUS) Team Katusha–Alpecin + 0" 6  Elia Viviani (ITA) Quick-Step Floors + 0" 7  Gorka Izagirre (ESP) Bahrain–Merida + 0" 8  Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA) Bahrain–Merida + 0" 9  Luis León Sánchez (ESP) Astana + 0" 10  Carlos Barbero (ESP) Movistar Team + 0"

General classification after Stage 2[26] Rank Rider Team Time 1  Caleb Ewan (AUS) Mitchelton–Scott 7h 54' 00" 2  Daryl Impey (RSA) Mitchelton–Scott + 10" 3  Peter Sagan (SVK) Bora–Hansgrohe + 12" 4  Jay McCarthy (AUS) Bora–Hansgrohe + 12" 5  Nathan Haas (AUS) Team Katusha–Alpecin + 15" 6  Jhonatan Restrepo (COL) Team Katusha–Alpecin + 15" 7  Elia Viviani (ITA) Quick-Step Floors + 16" 8  Simone Consonni (ITA) UAE Team Emirates + 16" 9  Carlos Barbero (ESP) Movistar Team + 16" 10  Anthony Roux (FRA) FDJ + 16"

Stage 3

18 January 2018 — Glenelg to Victor Harbor, 120.5 km (74.9 mi)[lower-alpha 1]

Result of Stage 3[27] Rank Rider Team Time 1  Elia Viviani (ITA) Quick-Step Floors 3h 04' 40" 2  Phil Bauhaus (GER) Team Sunweb + 0" 3  Caleb Ewan (AUS) Mitchelton–Scott + 0" 4  Simone Consonni (ITA) UAE Team Emirates + 0" 5  Peter Sagan (SVK) Bora–Hansgrohe + 0" 6  Simon Clarke (AUS) EF Education First–Drapac p/b Cannondale + 0" 7  Alex Edmondson (AUS) Mitchelton–Scott + 0" 8  Zak Dempster (AUS) UniSA–Australia + 0" 9  Dries Devenyns (BEL) Quick-Step Floors + 0" 10  Jay McCarthy (AUS) Bora–Hansgrohe + 0"

General classification after Stage 3[27] Rank Rider Team Time 1  Caleb Ewan (AUS) Mitchelton–Scott 10h 58' 36" 2  Elia Viviani (ITA) Quick-Step Floors + 10" 3  Daryl Impey (RSA) Mitchelton–Scott + 14" 4  Jay McCarthy (AUS) Bora–Hansgrohe + 15" 5  Peter Sagan (SVK) Bora–Hansgrohe + 16" 6  Nathan Haas (AUS) Team Katusha–Alpecin + 17" 7  Jhonatan Restrepo (COL) Team Katusha–Alpecin + 19" 8  Simone Consonni (ITA) UAE Team Emirates + 20" 9  Robert Gesink (NED) LottoNL–Jumbo + 20" 10  Anthony Roux (FRA) FDJ + 20"

Stage 4

19 January 2018 — Norwood to Uraidla, 128.2 km (80 mi)[28]

Result of Stage 4[29] Rank Rider Team Time 1  Peter Sagan (SVK) Bora–Hansgrohe 3h 21' 07" 2  Daryl Impey (RSA) Mitchelton–Scott + 0" 3  Luis León Sánchez (ESP) Astana + 0" 4  Diego Ulissi (ITA) UAE Team Emirates + 0" 5  Jay McCarthy (AUS) Bora–Hansgrohe + 0" 6  Dries Devenyns (BEL) Quick-Step Floors + 0" 7  Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA) Bahrain–Merida + 0" 8  Rui Costa (POR) UAE Team Emirates + 0" 9  Pierre Latour (FRA) AG2R La Mondiale + 0" 10  Laurent Didier (LUX) Trek–Segafredo + 0"

General classification after Stage 4[30] Rank Rider Team Time 1  Peter Sagan (SVK) Bora–Hansgrohe 14h 19' 49" 2  Daryl Impey (RSA) Mitchelton–Scott + 2" 3  Jay McCarthy (AUS) Bora–Hansgrohe + 9" 4  Luis León Sánchez (ESP) Astana + 10" 5  Diego Ulissi (ITA) UAE Team Emirates + 14" 6  Robert Gesink (NED) LottoNL–Jumbo + 14" 7  Rui Costa (POR) UAE Team Emirates + 14" 8  George Bennett (NZL) LottoNL–Jumbo + 14" 9  Dries Devenyns (BEL) Quick-Step Floors + 14" 10  Egan Bernal (COL) Team Sky + 14"

Stage 5

20 January 2018 — McLaren Vale to Willunga Hill, 151.5 km (94 mi)[31]

Result of Stage 5[32] Rank Rider Team Time 1  Richie Porte (AUS) BMC Racing Team 3h 42' 22" 2  Daryl Impey (RSA) Mitchelton–Scott + 8" 3  Tom-Jelte Slagter (NED) Team Dimension Data + 10" 4  Dries Devenyns (BEL) Quick-Step Floors + 10" 5  Egan Bernal (COL) Team Sky + 10" 6  Gorka Izagirre (ESP) Bahrain–Merida + 10" 7  Diego Ulissi (ITA) UAE Team Emirates + 10" 8  Robert Gesink (NED) LottoNL–Jumbo + 14" 9  Ion Izagirre (ESP) Bahrain–Merida + 14" 10  Ruben Guerreiro (POR) Trek–Segafredo + 14"

General classification after Stage 5[33] Rank Rider Team Time 1  Daryl Impey (RSA) Mitchelton–Scott 18h 02' 15" 2  Richie Porte (AUS) BMC Racing Team + 0" 3  Tom-Jelte Slagter (NED) Team Dimension Data + 16" 4  Diego Ulissi (ITA) UAE Team Emirates + 20" 5  Dries Devenyns (BEL) Quick-Step Floors + 20" 6  Egan Bernal (COL) Team Sky + 20" 7  Gorka Izagirre (ESP) Bahrain–Merida + 20" 8  Robert Gesink (NED) LottoNL–Jumbo + 24" 9  George Bennett (NZL) LottoNL–Jumbo + 24" 10  Ion Izagirre (ESP) Bahrain–Merida + 24"

Stage 6

21 January 2018 — Adelaide, 90 km (56 mi)[34]

Result of Stage 6[35] Rank Rider Team Time 1  André Greipel (GER) Lotto–Soudal 2h 01' 19" 2  Caleb Ewan (AUS) Mitchelton–Scott + 0" 3  Peter Sagan (SVK) Bora–Hansgrohe + 0" 4  Phil Bauhaus (GER) Team Sunweb + 0" 5  Elia Viviani (ITA) Quick-Step Floors + 0" 6  Steele Von Hoff (AUS) UniSA–Australia + 0" 7  Simone Consonni (ITA) UAE Team Emirates + 0" 8  Mads Pedersen (DEN) Trek–Segafredo + 0" 9  Carlos Barbero (ESP) Movistar Team + 0" 10  Mads Würtz Schmidt (DEN) Team Katusha–Alpecin + 0"

Final general classification[36] Rank Rider Team Time 1  Daryl Impey (RSA) Mitchelton–Scott 20h 03' 34" 2  Richie Porte (AUS) BMC Racing Team + 0" 3  Tom-Jelte Slagter (NED) Team Dimension Data + 16" 4  Diego Ulissi (ITA) UAE Team Emirates + 20" 5  Dries Devenyns (BEL) Quick-Step Floors + 20" 6  Egan Bernal (COL) Team Sky + 20" 7  Gorka Izagirre (ESP) Bahrain–Merida + 20" 8  Luis León Sánchez (ESP) Astana + 23" 9  Ruben Guerreiro (POR) Trek–Segafredo + 23" 10  Robert Gesink (NED) LottoNL–Jumbo + 24"

Classification leadership table

In the 2018 Tour Down Under, four different jerseys were awarded. For the general classification, calculated by adding each cyclist's finishing times on each stage, and allowing time bonuses for the first three finishers at intermediate sprints and at the finish of mass-start stages, the leader received an ochre jersey.[37] This classification was considered the most important of the 2018 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 green jersey,[37] a change from red in 2017. In the sprints classification, cyclists received points for finishing in the top 10 in a stage. For winning a stage, a rider earned 15 points, with one point fewer per place down to 6 points for 10th place.[38] 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 with navy polka dots.[37] 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 white jersey.[37] This was decided in the same way as the general classification, but only riders born after 1 January 1994 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.[37] In addition, there was a combativity award given after each stage to the rider(s) considered, by a jury, to have "instigated the most attacks, breakaways or assisted their teammates to the best advantage".[37]

Stage	Winner	General classification	Mountains classification	Sprint classification	Young rider classification	Most competitive rider(s)	Team classification
1[38]	André Greipel	André Greipel	Nicholas Dlamini	André Greipel	Caleb Ewan	Will Clarke	Bora–Hansgrohe
2[39]	Caleb Ewan	Caleb Ewan		Caleb Ewan		Jaime Castrillo	Bahrain–Merida
3[40]	Elia Viviani					Scott Bowden
4[41]	Peter Sagan	Peter Sagan		Peter Sagan	Egan Bernal	Zak Dempster
5[42]	Richie Porte	Daryl Impey				Thomas De Gendt
6[1]	André Greipel					Logan Owen
Final[1]		Daryl Impey[36]	Nicholas Dlamini[43]	Peter Sagan[44]	Egan Bernal[45]	No final award	Bahrain–Merida[1]

Notes

1. Stage reduced from 146.5 km (91 mi),[21] due to extreme heat.[20]

References

1. "Honor 6th Stage" (PDF). MATSport.fr. MATSport Timing. 21 January 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
2. "UCI announces 2018 road calendar". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. 22 September 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
3. Marshall-Bell, Chris (21 January 2018). "Daryl Impey wins Tour Down Under 2018 as André Greipel triumphs on stage six". Cycling Weekly. Time Inc. UK. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
4. Homfray, Reece (20 January 2018). "Porte conquers Hill for fifth time but Impey takes ochre jersey". The Advertiser. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
5. "Impey wins 2018 Tour Down Under". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. 21 January 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
6. "Tour Down Under: Greipel wins stage 6, as Impey takes overall". VeloNews. Competitor Group. 21 January 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
7. "Part 2: Road Races" (PDF). UCI.ch. Union Cycliste Internationale. 1 January 2018. p. 140. Retrieved 16 January 2018. 2.15.127: The UCI WorldTeam must take part with a team of competitive riders in UCI WorldTour events.
8. "Tour Down Under 2018 start list". Cycling Weekly. Time Inc. UK. 15 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
9. Benson, Daniel (15 January 2018). "UCI Whereabouts error stops Lambrecht from debuting at Tour Down Under". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
10. Smith, Sophie (14 January 2018). "Team Sky's Kristoffer Halvorsen fractures hand in People's Choice Classic crash". Cycling Weekly. Time Inc. UK. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
11. "Start List UCI" (PDF). MATSport.fr. MATSport Timing. 15 January 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
12. Woodpower, Zeb (11 January 2018). "BMC feel the pressure at Tour Down Under with three former winners". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
13. Agius, Matthew (15 January 2018). "Santos TDU Preview: Stage 1, Port Adelaide to Lyndoch". Tour Down Under. Events South Australia. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
14. "20th edition Santos Tour Down Under race routes announced for 2018". Tour Down Under. Events South Australia. 5 July 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
15. "2018 Tour Down Under race route revealed". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. 5 July 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
16. "Tour Down Under 2018: People's Choice Classic preview". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. 7 December 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
17. Benson, Daniel (14 January 2018). "Peter Sagan wins People's Choice Classic". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
18. "Results" (PDF). MATSport.fr. MATSport Timing. 14 January 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
19. Humphreys, Bernard (7 January 2018). "Tour Down Under returns to Port Adelaide in 2018". News.com.au. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
20. Woodpower, Zeb (17 January 2018). "Tour Down Under: Stage 3 shortened due to 40-degree forecast". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
21. "Big Screen Video Stage 3". Tour Down Under. Events South Australia. Archived from the original on 16 January 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
22. "Stage 1". Tour Down Under. Events South Australia. Archived from the original on 16 January 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
23. "Stage Classification 1" (PDF). MATSport.fr. MATSport Timing. 16 January 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
24. "General Classification 1" (PDF). MATSport.fr. MATSport Timing. 16 January 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
25. "Stage 2". Tour Down Under. Events South Australia. Archived from the original on 16 January 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
26. Marshall-Bell, Chris (17 January 2018). "Caleb Ewan becomes leader of Tour Down Under with stage two win". Cycling Weekly. Time Inc. UK. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
27. Robertshaw, Henry (18 January 2018). "Elia Viviani capitalises on Caleb Ewan's mistake to win Tour Down Under stage three". Cycling Weekly. Time Inc. UK. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
28. "Bupa Stage 4". Tour Down Under. Events South Australia. Archived from the original on 16 January 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
29. "Results Stage 4" (PDF). MATSport.fr. MATSport Timing. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
30. "General Classification Stage 4" (PDF). MATSport.fr. MATSport Timing. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
31. "Stage 5". Tour Down Under. Events South Australia. Archived from the original on 16 January 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
32. "Results Stage 5" (PDF). MATSport.fr. MATSport Timing. 20 January 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
33. "General Classification Stage 5" (PDF). MATSport.fr. MATSport Timing. 20 January 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
34. "Be Safe Be Seen MAC Stage 6". Tour Down Under. Events South Australia. Archived from the original on 16 January 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
35. "Results Stage 6" (PDF). MATSport.fr. MATSport Timing. 21 January 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
36. "General Classification Stage 6" (PDF). MATSport.fr. MATSport Timing. 21 January 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
37. "Winner Categories". Tour Down Under. Events South Australia. Archived from the original on 16 January 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
38. "Honor 1ère étape" (PDF). MATSport.fr. MATSport Timing. 16 January 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
39. "Tour Down Under: Ewan wins stage 2 in Stirling". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. 17 January 2018. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
40. "Tour Down Under: Viviani wins stage 3 in Victor Harbor". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. 18 January 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
41. "Honor 4th Stage" (PDF). MATSport.fr. MATSport Timing. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
42. "Honor 5th Stage" (PDF). MATSport.fr. MATSport Timing. 20 January 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
43. "KOM Classification Stage 6" (PDF). MATSport.fr. MATSport Timing. 21 January 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
44. "Sprint Classification Stage 6" (PDF). MATSport.fr. MATSport Timing. 21 January 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
45. "Best Young Rider Classification 6" (PDF). MATSport.fr. MATSport Timing. 21 January 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2018.

External links

• Official website