Tour Down Under (2010) Photos Jan 17-Jan 24

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Stage 0:  Adelaide, 51 km (crit)  Full Results and Report

Team Sky on stage during the team presentations with the eventual Cancer Classic winner, Greg Henderson, acknowledging the crowd	The new Captain America. George Hincapie and his BMC/US champions kit	They're off. 25 laps of a 2 km circuit.
Former Tour de France champions, Oscar Pereiro and Lance Armstrong, initiated the main break of the race	Oscar Pereiro and Lance Armstrong where later joined by Mathieu Perget (Caisse d'Epargne), Mikael Cherel (Francaise des Jeux) and Peter Sagan (Liquigas)	Around they go. The peloton chases in front of a large crowd
The break was caught of course. Team Sky then went to the front for the final two laps to setup...	A 1-2 Team Sky finish in their first race. Greg Henderson wins ahead of teammate Chris Sutton. Last year's Cancer Classic winner, Robbie McEwen (left), was third.	New Zealander, Greg Henderson, issues another victory salute on the podium

Stage 1:  Clare → Tanunda, 141 km (rolling)  Full Results and Report

Rolling through wine country after the start in Clare	The main break R-to-L: Tim Roe (UniSA), Martin Kohler (BMC Racing) and Biel Kadri (Ag2R La Mondiale) attacked after 20 km and gained a max advantage of 10 minutes.	HTC-Columbia's Bert Grabsch leads the peloton as they pass through the finish for the first time with 37 km to go and a diminishing break up the road
HTC-Columbia's Andre Griepel had a healthy lead during the sprint finish in Taununda	The photo finish documents Griepel's two bike lengths margin of victory (courtesy of Phoenix Sports Technology)	Another Tour Down Under stage win for the 2008 overall winner with time to celebrate.
L-to-R: 4th Danilo Wyss (BMC Racing Team), 1st Andre Greipel (HTC-Columbia), 5th Greg Henderson (Sky), 7th Graeme Brown (Rabobank), 2nd Gert Steegmans (Radio Shack)	Lance Armstrong finished 46th in the same time as the winner	Euskaltel-Euskadi riders sucking down Powerade post-race. The Tour Down Under isn't the ideal stage race for this climbing team.
Andre Greipel looks very comfortable in the role of a stage winner and overall leader	Young Tim Roe riding for UniSA got some lipstick on his cheek and the Mountains classification jersey for his hard work in the main break. Don't you think he looks and sounds like a young Keith Richards?

Stage 2:  Gawler → Hahndorf, 133 km (rolling)  Full Results and Report

Two sprinters on good form: Radio Shack's Gert Steegmans and Katusha's Robbie McEwen at the start in Gawler.	Sky's Greg Henderson was upset at Robbie McEwen after the finish today for cutting into Sky's leadout train. He placed 2nd just ahead of McEwen today.
Omega Pharma - Lotto had two of the three men in the main break. Michael Delage and Olivier Kaisen with David Kemp of UniSA in between.	The rolling run into Hahndorf with the sprint finish in full flight.	HTC-Columbia's Andre Greipel was well back when the sprint started, but he was given a huge hole up the middle and took full advantage.
2-for-2 this year and now 7-for-11 lifetime at the Tour Down Under	The photo finish reveals another convincing win for Griepel (courtesy of Phoenix Sports Technology)	Andre Griepel and his boss Bob Stapleton are clearly pleased with their start to this year's Tour Down Under
Greipel now has a 14 second overall lead to go with the other perks of winning the first two stages

Stage 3:  Unley → Stirling, 133 km (hilly)  Full Results and Report

Signing an autograph or is there some other story here? Alejandro Valverde prior to the start in Unley.	Race leader Andre Greipel lining up for a hot, difficult stage. The temperature hit 40 degrees Celsius.	Simon Clarke (UniSA-Australia) and Karsten Kroon (BMC Racing) got away at the 70k mark and were later joined by Maciej Paterski (Liquigas-Doimo), Jens Voigt (Saxo Bank) and Jack Bobridge (Garmin-Transitions)
Caisse d'Epargne chasing. Word before the start was "Caisse d'Epargne plan to smash the field today." Apparently, they achieved part of their goal. "Coming into the last kilometre it was like riding a race in slow motion, everyone was so exhausted," said Cadel Evans post race.	Simon Clarke (Team UniSA), right, is about to drop Jack Bobridge (Garmin-Transitions) to become the last break survivor. He was awarded the day's most aggressive rider, the third straight day UniSA has won that honor.	A surprise finish. Footon-Servetto rider, Manuel Cardoso, in his Portugese national champion's jersey rounded the final uphill corner first.
Evidently, Cardoso benefited most from a hot day and the fast pace set by Caisse d'Epargne	He left some big names in his wake. The ProTour winner (Alejandro Valverde) was 2nd and the World Champ (Cadel Evans) was 3rd	Would Manuel Cardoso have won wearing the ugly, standard issued Footon-Servetto cycling kit? (As modeled here by his teammates. His National Champions kit isn't much better.)

Stage 4:  Norwood → Goolwa, 150 km (rolling-flat)  Full Results and Report

Caisse d'Epargne and hospitality at the morning sign in	Wherever you see the media and Lance Armstrong at a race, you'll often spot the former Astana now Radio Shack Press Officer, Philippe Maertens (center in black t-shirt), supervising	Speaking of supervising, the UCI big shooter has arrived in town. Is cycling a well run sport? Pat McQuaid won an uncontested re-election as president last fall.
Cadel Evans looking quite smart in his World Champions/BMC kit	We are underway with the peloton hunkering together in the shelter of the HTC-Columbia spearhead amidst very strong wind conditions.	The main, but once again unsuccessful, break this time featured Thomas Rohregger (Milram), Stef Clement (Rabobank), Jonathan Castroviejo (Euskaltel - Euskadi), Miguel Minguez (Euskaltel - Euskadi), David Kemp (Uni Sa - Australia) and BMC rider
HTC-Columbia still leading the peloton, setting obligatory tempo expected of the team with the race leader and best sprinter	The battle for the line with 25m to go in Goolwa	Lets have a closer look
In front of a massive crowd for a town of only 5000 residents, Andre Greipel takes out another sprint Down Under denying Aussies Robbie McEwen (2nd/right) and Graeme Brown (3rd/behind the giant)	The photo finish (courtesy of Phoenix Sports Technology)	Tomas Vaitus leads in his Radio Shack captain, Lance Armstrong, 17 seconds back after their failed break attempt late in the stage

Stage 5:  Snapper Point → Willunga, 148 km (flat then hilly)  Full Results and Report

Clean nails may be the key to winning a stage at this year's Tour Down Under. The lone stage winners, Andre Greipel and Manuel Cardoso, on the Snapper Point start line	The early climb along Aldinga Beach	Here's a real climb that would be pivotal today. Two passes of Willunga hill added the drama race organizers and fans were hoping for.
Cadel Evans would instigate the key break of the race on the second trip over Willunga hill. Here he is biding his time the first time over.	With 20k to go, Evans' move drew out young Peter Sagan (Liquigas) and the Caisse d'Epargne deadly duo of Alejandro Valverde and Luis Leon Sanchez	Luis Leon Sanchez, one of cycling's most exciting riders, jumped the break with 1k to go and adds another thrilling win to his impressive palmares. Luke Roberts (left) of Milram bridged up and took 2nd.
Valverde and Evans finished 3rd and 4th. And the revelation of this year's Tour Down Under, 19 year-old Peter Sagan, then crosses 5th. Sagan later commented on the successful break among illustrious company: "We never talked, we just went all out."	Jose Rojas, Sanchez and Valverde about to break into full celebratory mode	Genuine camaraderie
Spanish Eyes now moves into 2nd on GC, 11 seconds back of Andre Greipel who is expected to win this year's Tour Down Under.

Stage 6:  Adelaide, 90 km (flat)  Full Results and Report

We've gone all week without posting a big photo of last year's overall winner, Allan Davis, riding for Astana this year. He showed up overweight (compared to last year), but did place Top 10 in three of the sprints including the Classic and today's stage 6.	Jose Rojas of Caisse d'Epargne attempting to get a break started for his teammate Luis Leon Sanchez, 11 seconds back on GC	A fisheye view of a tight corner. 18 laps of a 5 km circuit.
On the last day, Sky's Christopher Sutton wins the sprint finish to get Australia on the board for the first time this week.	A double victory salute with teammate and 2nd place, Greg Henderson. Reminiscent of the Cancer Classic finish when Team Sky went 1-2, but in the reverse order.	The podium girls getting passionate with Stage winner, Christopher Sutton
Top Three Overall: (L-to-R): 2nd Luis Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Epargne), 1st Andre Greipel (HTC-Columbia) and 3rd Greg Henderson (Sky)	The jersey winners: Francaise des Jeux's Wesley SULZBERGER (Most Aggressive Rider), Milram's Thomas ROHREGGER (King of the Mountains), HTC-Columbia's Andre GREIPEL (GC) and Omega Pharma Lotto's Jurgen ROELANDTS (Best Young Rider)	On behalf of HTC-Columbia, thanks for tuning in and so long from South Australia