The Australian Sam Welsford (Bora-Hansgrohe) became the first leader of Tour Down after winning the sprint in the first stage starting and finishing in Tanunda, on a route of 144 kilometers.
Welsfordsupported by his team, and especially by Ryan Mullen and Danny Van Poppelwho tracked the peloton in the final stretch to prevent any sprinters from jumping, won a tight sprint finish ahead of the German Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain-Victorius), second, and from Eritrean Biniam Girmay (Interarché-Wanty), third.
The Ecuadorian Jonathan Narvaez (INEOS Grenadiers), who two days ago won the Down Under Classic criterium, finished fifth.
“That was crazy, it left me dumbfounded. The downhill was very complicated, there were a lot of crashes and very few accidents, but the team always kept calm. “The guys are patient and today they did something incredible for me.”said Welsford, at the end of the stage and the first race with his new team.
The stage was marked by intense heat in Tanunda, with temperatures reaching 33 degrees. The stage covers a three-lap circuit with a high point of Menglers hillcategory 4, which did not influence the finish because it was thirteen kilometers from the finish line.
The second stage The Down Under tour takes place on Wednesday with a flat 141.6 kilometer route between Norwood and Lobethal.
Source: La Verdad
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