THIS WEEK IN PRO CYCLING
Caethoven grabs win at Tour Down Under
Young Belgian Steven Caethoven swept past two-time race winner Stuart O'Grady less than 300 meters from the finish line to claim victory in stage two of the Tour Down Under Thursday.
A textbook team tactic by Caethoven's Chocolade Jacques riders stunned the Australian after he had led a brave attack to close out the day's racing. CSC team leader O'Grady had worked hard throughout the day in pursuit of a stage win, a consolation of sorts after he finished Wednesday’s stage more than 26 minutes in arrears.
However, O’Grady’s hopes were scuppered when Pieter Ghyllebert, one of four Chocolade Jacques riders in a late breakaway, raced ahead in the closing few hundred meters, taking Caethoven with him.
The pair took a decisive lead, and Caethoven coolly overtook his teammate at the finish to leave O'Grady leading home a 10-man bunch just one second back.
"I was a bit disappointed after yesterday and wanted to put a bit of pain in the bunch and put the leaders under pressure," said O'Grady, who is now just over nine minutes adrift of race leader Karl Menzies, who dominated the opening stage.
"I think I did everything almost right. It was just unfortunate to fall on four guys from the same team at the finish."
The race was again aggressive from the start with an early attack at 15 kilometers which saw 20 riders go off the front but with Martin Elmiger (AG2R-Preovoyance) – second on GC - in the group there was no way it would succeed.
At the first intermediate sprint at Tungkillo (25.7km), 1997 world champion Laurent Brochard (Bouyges Telecom) attacked to claim the maximum bonus seconds and points with Tasmanian Wes Sulzberger (SouthAustralia.com-AIS) second and CSC debutant Matt Goss third. Five other riders joined them soon after and they worked together to gain a lead of almost one minute by the 28km mark.
The group held the advantage to the second intermediate sprint at Mt Torrens (44km) where Sulzberger claimed the honors ahead of Brochard with Giampaolo Cheula (Barloworld) third.
The race came back together by the 53km mark but as the peloton approached KOM mark at Lenswood the action picked up. Over the top it was Frenchman Samuel Dumoulin (AG2R-Prevoyance) grabbing the maximum points ahead of Navigators rider Sergey Lagutin and his teammate Hilton Clarke. The pressure applied on the climb left the field in bits and in the wake of the climb seven riders had formed a leading group with 14 others in pursuit. The two groups came together at 85 kilometers to form a 21 strong attack.
The race headed through Hahndorf for the first of three 20 kilometer circuits with six less riders in the lead group and by the time they crossed at the bell with one circuit to go the attacks were coming thick and fast before twelve riders regrouped to contest the final sprint.
The Chocolade Jacques team had been in the thick of the attacking action from the gun and their aggression paid off when they ended up with four riders in that lead group of twelve contesting the final sprint.
O'Grady, who was named the Century 21 Most Aggressive Rider of the stage, was a key player, throughout the day, particularly towards the end of the race when he launched an attack which saw him joined by Clarke and Spaniard Eduardo Gonzalo (Agritubel). The trio had been with a leading group of 15 but couldn't hold off the Chocolade Jacques counter attack that swept them up 300 meters from home.
The finish seemed tailor-made for Caethoven, who rides for Belgian outfit Chocolade Jacques, has forged a reputation at home for starring in the locally popular kermesse races.
The 25-year-old was delighted with his performance.
"It's just fantastic, a really important result for me," said the Belgian. "It was four against one but we know how strong Stuart is so we had to do everything we could to beat him.
"At the finish Pieter attacked, I followed and then a gap opened up behind us. It was easy from there. That's my 15th victory since I turned professional, and I hope it helps me get a stronger place in the team this season. It also proves that I'm not just a kermesse rider."
Big Tasmanian Menzies' lead was never under threat as none of the men in Thursday’s break had been a factor in the escape that gave him his formidable lead on Wednesday.
Nonetheless, Menzies knows that Danish ace Lars-Ytting Bak, of CSC, and Matthew Lloyd, of Predictor-Lotto, are waiting for their chance to strike.
Bak is third overall, seven seconds behind Menzies, while Lloyd is twoseconds further back. Both will be eyeing Saturday's penultimate stage where the steep Willunga hill will be decisive.
Menzies, said he enjoyed his first full day in the leader's ochre jersey.
"We're really not thinking about the overall classification. There'salways a chance, but it's a long shot. "CSC are the strongest team. They've got Lars Bak and Matthew Lloyd, and he can climb like a mountain goat so he will be a huge threat."
Friday's third stage undulates over a scenic 128km from Stirling to Victor Harbour.
