Tour Down Under 2024 - Route
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Welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of the final 6 of the Tour Down Under. The stage starts at 11:10am local time or 12:30am GMT and finishes roughly four hours later.
Runner-up on stage 5 Stephen Williams (Israel-Premier Tech) tops the GC tied on time with Oscar Onley (dsm-firmenich PostNL). Jhonatan Narvaez (Ineos Grenadiers) is in third, and stage 2 winner Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates) in fourth, both five seconds back. Then, at 13 seconds, it is Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal-QuickStep), Bart Lemmen (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Simon Yates (Jayco-AlUla).
21-year old Onley, who won stage 5, also tops the best young rider classification. Triple stage winner Sam Welsford (BORA-hansgrohe) leads the points classification. And Luke Burns (Australia) leads the mountain classification.
Mount Lofty returns for the final day of racing. After leaving Unley, the peloton will tackle the sharp climb to Windy Point just under four kilometres into the 128.2km stage 6. The route then continues into the Adelaide Hills for an extended loop through towns including Mylor, Aldgate, Uraidla, Stirling, Crafers and Bridgewater. The peloton will be passing over Mount Lofty twice this year before then taking one more run up to the top to decide the final winner on the summit
Stage 6, of the Tour Down Under is set to get underway in under 5 minutes, starting with a 5km neutral section. Forecast of sunny 23C with light winds.
Riders may be just setting out from Unley but already the spectators are assembling at Mount Lofty, getting settled in under shade on the climb.
Milder temperatures today with maximums in Adelaide heading into the high 20's Celcius and the winds, forecast as southerly of 25 - 35 km/h, were evident with the flags stretched out and fluttering on the way up the Mt Lofty climb.
Flag drop from race director Stuart O’Grady, winner of the first Tour Down Under in 1999.
Most of the riders have ice socks in the back of their jersey as the peloton starts to climb immediately for the first KOM of the day, the cat 1 Windy Point, 3.8km long with an average gradient of 6% and steep pitches at 20%.
Instant attack by American champion Quinn Simmons and the reaction comes immediately.
More attacks from EF Education, trying to get Van Der Lee off the front in the battle for the KOM. And KOM leader Burns comes across.
Technically only Van Der Lee can beats Burns for the mountain title. Burns has 43 points and Van Der Lee has 23 points.
And now, its Astana's turn to attack, and attack again. Plenty of reactions behind, every team wants a rider in the break.
Alpecin, Jayco and EF Education trying to get away but it's shutdown with 1.2km to go to the top of Windy Point.
KOM leader Burns goes to the front with 1km to go to the top. He keeps looking behind him to watch for attacks.
Astana goes again! They obviously want to be in the break. Last year, the stage winner did come from the break.
Jayco's Harper counters the last attack.
Harper took full top KOM points and was followed by Burns across the top.
123km to go
Jayco's Chris Harper is pushing on solo but the chase is on.
Harper is not looking back as the chase is trying to get organized behind him but he has a slim 6 second gap.
Peloton is speeding down Windy Point at 62km/hr as Harper is reeled in.
Simon Yates attacks and they immediately get on his wheel.
Four riders win a small gap with more riders tying to make it across.
Visma is closing it down, and re-shuffle again with 116km to go.
Solo attack by Tobias Bayer and the chase is on.
Alvarado Hodeg, the Colombian sprinter on UAE Team Emirates, is not enjoying the fast start. He's dropped from the peloton.
Franck Bonnamour makes the next move and is joined by Harry Sweeny but Harper closed it down.
Archie Ryan attacks again. EF Education has been throwing riders non-stop off the front with 113km to go.
And once again, Harper shuts it down. Lidl rider counters immediately.
Nothing is getting away as the riders are going 74km/hr.
Two riders, Stefan De Bod and Jacopo Mosca, have a small gap with 110km to go. Riders trying to make it across.
The chase is on since De Bod is 90 seconds down on GC.
Mosca and De Bod are pushing as hard as they came while a Soudal is working hard to bridge.
Gil Gelders (Soudal QuickStep) makes it across to Stefan De Bod (EF Education-EasyPost) and Jacopo Mosca (Lidl-Trek) with 105km to go.
UAE's António Morgado jumped from the peloton that was spreading across the road. A few more riders are trying to bridge to the break.
Simon Geschke of Cofidis made it across too. We now have 6 riders in the break, with one rider still trying to bridge at 103km tog o.
Franck Bonnamour comes across to the leaders and they have 47 seconds lead.
100km to go
Break of 7 riders has been established. Stefan De Bod (EF Education-EasyPost), Jacopo Mosca (Lidl-Trek), Gil Gelders (Soudal Quick-Step), Maurice Ballerstedt (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Simon Geshke (Cofidis), António Morgado (UAE Team Emirates) and Franck Bonnamour (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) have 2:12 on the field.
Battle of the Brits: Just one final showdown remains in tight Tour Down Under shakeout. Australian race always expected to be tight but two riders enter final stage tied in time.
Israel- Premier Tech is going the pace-making at the front of the peloton as the 7-rider break has a lead of 2:43 with 97km to go.
De Bod, who was 90 seconds down on GC before the stage, is now the virtual leader on the road.
Luke Burns (Australia) has mathematically secured the King of the Mountain jersey, all he needs to do is finish the stage.
GC leader into the stage Stephen Williams, who is currently sitting behind his Israel-Premier Team at the front of the peloton, said before the stage:
"Naturally, it's gonna be a little bit more pressure on the shoulders, but overall, it's just another day on the bike and looking forward to it."
"I mean, there's not much to it [strategy today] really. It's pretty basic. Hold on to the hold on to the jersey. There are time bonuses on the road, but more than likely, it'll come down to the finish. But it's going to be a tough day to try and defend, but we'll do everything we can."
Gelders is getting instructions from his team director who is telling him 'to keep it at 90%, you're not here to push things.'
The seven riders in the break are Stefan De Bod (EF Education-EasyPost), Jacopo Mosca (Lidl-Trek), Gil Gelders (Soudal Quick-Step), Maurice Ballerstedt (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Simon Geshke (Cofidis), António Morgado (UAE Team Emirates) and Franck Bonnamour (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale).
Break has 2:55 on the field with 88km to go.
It’s Mosca’s turn to talk with his team director.
Stage 5 winner Oscar Onley (dsm-firmenich PostNL), who is tied on time with the GC leader, said before the stage this morning:
“Coming in with quite high ambitions for today, and really, it's just keeping it simple and good for the stage, and then we'll see where that takes me.”
“[Sports director] Luke [Roberts]’s been really good this week. He knows all these roads like the back of his hand so it's been pretty useful. Emils [Liepins] and Chris [Hamilton] did this stage last year as well, so they know it pretty well, so we're well equipped.”
Simon Clarke is doing the pacemaking at the front of the peloton, keeping a very close eye on the gap, holding it close to 3:00 with 83km to go.
75km to go
Breakaway is riding well together, with 3:19 ahead of the Israel-Premier Tech-led peloton. Williams, in the ochre leader's jersey, is sitting behind his five teammates, he lost Corbin Strong who did not finish the stage yesterday.
Ballerstedt accelerated in the final 100 metres to cross the line first at the intermediate sprint in Mylor.
Simon Yates (Jayco-AlUla) sits in 7th place, 13 seconds back. Yates won the stage last year that finished on Mt Lofty and said before the stage:
“Last year was a little bit different because we did an extra lap or two, so I think it made it a bit of a bit of a harder race but at the same time, I think it's it's with it being less laps. I think it's also gonna open up the race earlier.”
“I just had great legs that day, and I managed to do the business but a very tactical game coming up today. I hope to be amongst it, and I'll see what I can do.”
68km to go. Gap is up to 3:49 with Israel-Premier Tech setting the pace, with a dsm rider coming up to the front to assist with controlling the gap.
Around 8km to go before the first time up Mt Lofty.
The peloton will be passing over Mount Lofty twice this year before then taking one more run up to the top to decide the final winner on the summit of the 1.3km ascent with an average gradient of 7.3% and a maximum of 13.3%.
Break goes through the feedzone with 64km to go and a lead of 3:41 on the peloton.
Big crowd in Stirling where the feedzone is located - they will the riders again on this closing circuit.
The break is still riding together as they pass the Dutch fans on Mt Lofty climb.
No battle for the KOM in the break with Gelders taking maximum points. A good sign for the escapees that they are working well together. Ballerstedt is sitting at the back of the break.
With De Bob sitting at 90 seconds down and in the breakaway, Israel-Premier Tech will need to keep the gap at 79 seconds at the finish line to win the overall. There are 10, 6 and 4 time bonus seconds at the finish line.
Peloton is sticking together as they crest Mt Lofty for the first time. Gap is 3:15 with 56km to go.
Israel-Premier Tech and dsm-firmenich PostNL are sharing the pacemaking at the front of the peloton
Peloton is stretched out on the technical descent off Mt Lofty.
50km to go
The 7-rider break has 3:27 on the strung-out peloton. So far, only dsm and IPT have put in a rider at the front of the field to control the gap.
Ineos Grenadiers adds a rider at the front as time is running out for the peloton. Break has 2:45 with 43km to go.
De Bod is working hard at the front of the break while Ballerstedt is still at the back. Geshke is also close on GC to De Bod. The German is only 18seconds behind the South African
It's now Jayco's turn to set the pace, followed by an Ineos rider. The break has 2:33 with 39km to go.
Jayco's Steward is replaced by Ineos' Ganna at the front. The gap is coming down!
Ganna has settled into a rhythm, picking seconds away. More Jayco riders come to the front to assist.
35km to go
Gap under the 2-minute mark. Jayco and Ineos have committed to bringing it back.
Inside of 4km to the top of the second KOM on Mt Lofty. Gap now at 1:33.
1.5km to the top of Mt Lofty, and Ganna has brought back the break to 1:14. Therefore De Bod is no longer the virtual leader on the road.
30km to go
A break of 7 riders have 1:06 to the peloton which is gaining on them.
Gelders crosses the KOM line first and De Bod attacks at the front. Gelders reacts immediately, splitting the break. Mosca, Geshke and Ballerstedt could not follow the acceleration.
Job done for Ganna who pulls off and goes to the back of the peloton.
Break rejoins but De Bod is still pushing the pace, trying to get rid of some of the riders.
Bell lap for the break on the finishing circuit.
Ineos is driving the train, massed at the front of the peloton with 28km to go.
A real sense of urgency in the break and field as they descend 66km/hr off Mt Lofty.
Intense chase by Ineos, the British squad is all in for Narvaez. The gap is now only 39 seconds with 23km to go.
Gelders, Morgado and De Bod are now driving the break, and the others are trying to hang on.
5 Ineos riders at the front, Jayco, Visma are massed behind.
Crash - clip of wheels on the side of the road. Bahrain Victorious rider Johan Price Petersen is down.
Sprinters are labouring at the back of the peloton. Patrick Bevin and Sam Welsford are barely hanging on.
Once again, Del Toro is at the back of the peloton.
Williams, in the ochre jersey, is three bikes behind Narvaez who is sitting behind his teammates setting the pace at the front of the peloton
15km to go
De Bod, Gelders and Morgado are not giving up in the break, still pushing the pace with a gap of 38 seconds. Do they have anything left in their legs?
Alaphilippe reaches over Onley, who ducks, to take a water bottle from his soigneur at the side of the road.
Split in the peloton caused by road furniture, Del Toro got caught on the wrong side, and is back in the peloton, a long way from the front with 10km to go. Gap at 30 seconds.
Still Ineos at the front with Movistar and Visma massing behind them.
Ochre jersey Williams is in the middle of the peloton and teammate Bennett is working to move him up.
Morgado is doing everything he can in the break to stay away. The 7 riders still have a 23-second lead
Big crash in the peloton.
10 riders hitting the ground, and a lot of riders held up with 7km to go.
Geshke drops from the break, he's done.
5km to go
De Bod goes again, being chased by Morgado as the break has a slim few seconds to the peloton.
Williams is back up with the help of his teammates.
Morgado refuses to sit up as the other riders in the break are caught.
All together with 4km to go - just in time for the final climb up Mt Lofty.
Big peloton facing the big ascent. Ineos back at the front with Movistar next to them.
2.5km to go. Ineos still in control as Del Toro has moved up closer to the front.
And Harper is winding things up for Yates with 2km to go.
Split in the peloton under the pressure by Harper.
Del Toro attacks with 1.6km to go! And he's stringing out the reduced peloton. Williams has been distanced.
Narvaez is on Del Toro, followed by Williams. Onley has been distanced.
Groupama rider attacks and Del Toro, Williams, Narvaez and Lemmen are together
Del Toro goes again with Narvaez on his wheel and Williams.
Williams wins the stage and the Tour Down Under!
Narvaez finished a close second, and Del Toro was third in the final stage and the general classification.
Stephen Williams (Israel-Premier Tech) wins stage 6 ahead of Jhonatan Narvaez (Ineos Grenadiers) and Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates)
Williams won the overall classification with nine seconds on Narvaez and 11 seconds on Del Toro Not able to follow the final attacks, Onley dropped from second to fourth place, 20 seconds down, and Simon Yates who finished seventh overall, 33 seconds back.
“What a stage, so over the moon, Honestly, the support the team have given me the last few days. Incredible, I can't thank them enough.”
“Just really proud to come down here to start the season like this on the front foot and head back to Europe and continue on.”
“Everything goes through your mind. Just how hard this sport is and to win races, they don't come around very often. To do it here in Australia, the first world tour race of the season is fantastic.”
“That finish is perfect for me. It's so punchy. I've got a knack of being able to hold and hold and hold. And luckily I was able to get back on the wheel, read the situation and, yeah, capitalised, opened up with, like, 250 to go and everyone's legs was dead by then, so if I thought if I got the jump, then I'd be in with a good chance.”
Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates) finished third on the stage and in the overall classification. The stage 2 winner, who is the best young rider of the 2024 Tour Down Under, said after the stage:
"It's good, but at the same time it's not the best because I try, but I can take the seconds but now it's nice for the first time in the first race WorldTour. I enjoy a lot, but I need to keep learning more and try to do my best always."
"When I get up in pedals, I only want to do 100% and a little bit more on plus and yeah, I tried two times but I can’t do it. But now the next time, maybe it's better. Let’s see."
Triple stage winner Sam Welsford (Bora-hansgrohe) won the points classification. The Australian rider said this at the end of the stage:
"It's been a crazy week. And for me, it's been the dream start to the year, to come to my home race here Down Under and win three stages with the team. And, more importantly, start working in a really good way for the new season, that’s really what I’m looking forward to, building on this for the upcoming races."
"I would probably say the Giro d’Italia, is one of my big goals to do. I think there are lots of sprint days there that suit me. and obviously, I’ve got my eye on being a grand tour stage winner but we'll have to see. Hopefully, I can keep this form rolling on for the rest of the season."
Luke Burns (Australian National Team) won the king of the mountain classification and said this at the end of the stage:
"It feels awesome, a little bit of a scare there when one rider we had to watch went in the first move, but we shut down that pretty quick. And then, I was there for the points on the first one, so locked it up at the first KOM."
"It was nice when Matt Wilson came on the radio and said ‘I’ve got an unassailable lead now’, so then it was just all all focused on helping Damo and Michael."
"Even though I didn't feel like I was too far off the front at the end today, it's funny, today was probably the best I felt the whole tour. So good confidence into Cadel [Evans Road Race] next week."
