With Robbie McEwen and Graeme Brown battling the final sprint in the third stage of the Jacob’s Creek Tour Down Under on Thursday, surprisingly much of the day’s attention was turned to a war of words between race leader Fabio Sacchi (Saeco) and Aussie Stuart O’Grady.

Sacchi blasted the Credit Agricole star for questioning the abilities of the visiting Italian team. Sacchi, who continued to hold the race leader’s jersey after the third stage from Glenelg to Hahndorf, was upset over comments made by O’Grady in his daily newspaper column.

Published in the local Adelaide newspaper The Advertiser, O’Grady accused Sacchi’s teammates of not being strong enough to help him defend the yellow jersey.

Sacchi: Handling the heat?

Photo: Graham Watson

O’Grady’s comments were made in reference to the expected 110-degree heat for Friday’s fourth stage from Unley Goolwa.

“I am not very impressed to hear that. He should not say those things. He has his team and I have mine and there is no way I would exchange mine for his,” said Sacchi.

After Thursday’s stage which was won by Australia’s McEwen (Lotto), Sacchi – 11th at the same time - said was even more confident of defending his yellow jersey.

But there was no doubt the words of O’Grady had fired him up as much as the 95-degree heat.

In his column, O’Grady wrote: “There’s a long way to go and there’s two days in over 40 C [105 F] coming up that will take a huge toll the on European riders.

“Sacchi may be stomping (flying) but I don’t think you can say the same of his teammates.

“At some stage he’s going to be isolated without his teammates and that’s when he is going to be under full attack.

“There are a few European guys who can handle the heat and maybe Sacchi can be one of them, but can his teammates?”

Meanwhile, McEwen and Brown didn’t fool anyone with their cleanly fought and nail-biting sprint for victory in Thursday's stage.

Despite their unusual sportsman-like conduct, McEwen (Lotto) and Brown (Panaria) made it clear that they openly dislike each other after placing first and second respectively in a photo finish.

After chief race commissaire John McDonnell awarded McEwen the win by less than a centimeter, they couldn’t resist firing a few verbal jabs at each other.

Comments from both suggested that neither had forgiven the other for his role in Tuesday night’s controversial stage one finish.

In that McEwen protested against Brown who was relegated to last place for an illegal and dangerous sprint – the outcome leading to some heated exchanges.

In the finale of Thursday’s stage from Glenelg to Hahndorf for once both riders enjoyed an unimpeded run to the line.

Podium boy

Photo: Graham Watson

So close was the margin that it was a full 15 minutes before the win was awarded to McEwen, the reigning Tour de France green jersey champion and world's number-four-ranked rider.

Brown openly praised McEwen, but not without exposing once again his long-standing ill feeling for the Queenslander.

“As much as I dislike Robbie, he is a true champion and he’s one of the best in the world.” said Brown.

On the other hand, McEwen credited Brown for finally sprinting cleanly, but his reference to the NSW rider’s past record showed relations are far from friendly.

“When he rides a straight line you see what he can do. He has done a good sprint today,” said McEwen. “If he can keep going in direction in the sprint he will be good.”

McEwen was the major beneficiary of a tough stage that saw four riders quit and two others fail to start.

He is still second overall, but a six second time bonus for the stage win saw McEwen cut back his deficit behind Italian race leader Fabio Sacchi (Saeco) to 10 seconds.

In third place overall at 18 seconds is Frenchman Cedric Herve (Credit Agricole). Defending tour champion Stuart O’Grady (Credit Agricole) is eighth at 27 seconds.

The 164km stage was action-filled, with numerous breaks going away. O’Grady and Sacchi were both prominent in chasing them down.

Tour de France hope Cadel Evans (Telekom) showed his first show of strength since the race began on Tuesday.

The former mountain bike star, who last year became the first Australian to wear the Pink jersey as leader of the Giro d’Italia, led over Checker Hill at 42km.

The steep 1.6km wall strung out the bunch and saw a break of eight riders form. After it was caught another group escaped at 57km.

However, that break was also reeled in, this time under the impulse of McEwen’s teammates.

Their tireless work on the dead and slow roads showed how committed and believing they are in his winning ability.

If there was an award for bravery, it would have gone to South Australian Russell van Hout for his bold solo attack with 8km to go.

The instigator of Wednesday’s main break, Van Hout still had a 23 second lead with 5km to go, although the pack was closing in with every pedal stroke.

His fate was sealed with 2km left, at which time McEwen and Brown were destined for their first showdown seen Tuesday night’s fireworks.

The tour continues Friday with the stage four, a 144km race from Unley to Goolwa on the mouth of the Murray River.

Even if tempers fuelled by dislike manage to cool down, they will still rise with tempertures expected to reach as high as 110 degrees.

Stage 3 Glenelg to Hahndorf, 164km
1. Robbie McEwen (Aus), Lotto Domo, 164km in 3:53:04 (42.2 kph),
2. Graeme Brown (Aus), Panaria Fiordo
3. Stuart O'Grady (Aus), Credit Agricole
4. Allan Davis (Aus), ONCE Eroski
5. Luca Paolini (I), Quickstep-Davitamon
6. Tom Boonen (B), Quickstep-Davitamon
7. Jaan Kirsipuu (Est), Ag2R
8. Dirk Reichl (G), Telekom
9. Andy Flickinger (F), Ag2R
10. Mark Scanlon (Irl), Ag2R
11. Fabio Sacchi (I), Saeco-Longoni Sport
12. Luke Roberts (Aus), UniSA
13. Stefen Wesemann (G), Telekom
14. Lilian Jegou (F), Credit Agricole
15. Tristan Hoffman (Nl), CSC
16. Angel Vicioso (Sp), ONCE Eroski
17. Mikel Astarloza (Sp), Ag2R
18. Geert Van Bondt (B), CSC
19. Thomas Bruun Eriksen (Dk), CSC
20. Gene Bates (Aus), UniSA
21. Michael Rogers (Aus), Quickstep-Davitamon
22. Cadel Evans (Aus), Telekom
23. Alexandre Botcharov (Rus), Ag2R
24. Baden Cooke (Aus), FDJeux.com
25. Paolo Lanfranchi (I), Panaria Fiordo
26. David Canada (Sp), Quickstep-Davitamon
27. Cedric Herve (F), Credit Agricole
28. Nicola Gavazzi (I), Saeco-Longoni Sport
29. Christopher Jenner (NZl), Credit Agricole
30. Erki Putsep (Est), Ag2R
31. Lennie Kristensen (Dk), CSC
32. Brett Lancaster (Aus), Panaria Fiordo
33. Kurt Van De Wouwer (B), Quickstep-Davitamon
34. Jens Voigt (G), Credit Agricole
35. Daniele Nardello (I), Telekom
36. Pierrick Fedrigo (F), Credit Agricole
37. Christian Werner (G), Telekom
38. Joerg Ludewig (G), Saeco-Longoni Sport
39. Andrea Tafi (I), CSC
40. Russell Van Hout (Aus), UniSA
41. Gianpaolo Caruso (I), ONCE Eroski
42. Patrick Jonker (Aus), UniSA
43. Xavier Florencio (Sp), ONCE Eroski
44. Kai Hundertmarck (G), Telekom
45. Mark Renshaw (Aus), United Water
46. Inigo Chaurreau (Sp), Ag2R
47. Mickael Pichon (F), FDJeux.com
48. Regis Lhuillier (F), FDJeux.com
49. Nicolas Portal (F), Ag2R
50. Stefan Schumacher (G), Telekom
51. Bobby Julich (USA), Telekom
52. Christian Pepoli (I), Saeco-Longoni Sport
53. Brendan Cato (Aus), United Water
54. Christophe Moreau (F), Credit Agricole
55. Alvaro Gonzalez De Galdeano (Sp), ONCE Eroski
56. Scott Davis (Aus), Panaria Fiordo
57. Joaquin Rodriguez (Sp), ONCE Eroski
58. Arvis Piziks (Lat), CSC
59. Davide Bramati (I), Quickstep-Davitamon
60. Peter Dawson (Aus), United Water
61. Julio Alberto Perez Cuapio (Mex), Panaria Fiordo
62. Stephen Cunningham (Aus), UniSA
63. Sergey Matveyev (Ukr), Panaria Fiordo, at 0:11
64. Hans De Clercq (B), Lotto Domo
65. Bernhard Eisel (A), FDJeux.com
66. Brad McGee (Aus), FDJeux.com, at 0:13
67. David Betts (Aus), United Water, at 0:48
68. Wim Vansevenant (B), Lotto Domo, at 0:50
69. Dario Pieri (I), Saeco-Longoni Sport, at 1:12
70. Juan Fuentes (Sp), Saeco-Longoni Sport
71. Igor Astarloa (Sp), Saeco-Longoni Sport
72. Igor Gonzalez De Galdeano (Sp), ONCE Eroski
73. Stefano Zanini (I), Saeco-Longoni Sport
74. Gert Steegmans (B), Lotto Domo
75. Kevin Van Impe (B), Lotto Domo
76. Glenn d'Hollander (B), Lotto Domo
77. Matt Wilson (Aus), FDJeux.com
78. Ashley Hutchinson (Aus), United Water, at 30:18
79. Jakob Piil (Dk), CSC
80. Ruben Bongiorno (Arg), Panaria Fiordo
81. Filippo Perfetto (I), Panaria Fiordo
82. Julian Dean (NZl), CSC
83. Thierry Marichal (B), Lotto Domo
84. Aaron Kemps (Aus), United Water
85. Nick Gates (Aus), Lotto Domo
86. Bram Tankink (Nl), Quickstep-Davitamon
87. Benoit Vaugrenard (F), FDJeux.com
88. Jacky Durand (F), FDJeux.com
89. Bernard Sulzberger (Aus), United Water
90. Adrian Laidler (Aus), UniSA
DNF Lee Godfrey (Aus), United Water
DNF Corey Sweet (Aus), Credit Agricole
DNF Jay Sweet (Aus), UniSA
DNF Brett Aitken (Aus), UniSA

Jacob's Creek General classification after stage 3
1. Fabio Sacchi (I), Saeco-Longoni Sport,  8:24:34
2. Robbie McEwen (Aus), Lotto Domo, at 0:10
3. Cedric Herve (F), Credit Agricole, at 0:18
4. Andy Flickinger (F), Ag2R, at 0:20
5. Mikel Astarloza (Sp), Ag2R
6. Lennie Kristensen (Dk), CSC
7. Russell Van Hout (Aus), UniSA, at 0:23
8. Stuart O'Grady (Aus), Credit Agricole, at 0:27
9. Xavier Florencio (Sp), ONCE Eroski
10. Daniele Nardello (I), Telekom, at 0:28
11. Angel Vicioso (Sp), ONCE Eroski, at 0:29
12. Michael Rogers (Aus), Quickstep-Davitamon
13. Thomas Bruun Eriksen (Dk), CSC
14. Tristan Hoffman (Nl), CSC
15. Geert Van Bondt (B), CSC
16. Luke Roberts (Aus), UniSA
17. Gene Bates (Aus), UniSA
18. Cadel Evans (Aus), Telekom
19. Paolo Lanfranchi (I), Panaria Fiordo
20. Patrick Jonker (Aus), UniSA
21. Gianpaolo Caruso (I), ONCE Eroski, at 0:30
22. Jens Voigt (G), Credit Agricole, at 0:31
23. David Canada (Sp), Quickstep-Davitamon, at 0:33
24. Mark Scanlon (Irl), Ag2R
25. Kurt Van De Wouwer (B), Quickstep-Davitamon
26. Pierrick Fedrigo (F), Credit Agricole
27. Inigo Chaurreau (Sp), Ag2R
28. Stefen Wesemann (G), Telekom, at 0:39
29. Bernhard Eisel (A), FDJeux.com, at 0:40
30. Brad McGee (Aus), FDJeux.com, at 0:42
31. Alvaro Gonzalez De Galdeano (Sp), ONCE Eroski, at 0:59
32. Andrea Tafi (I), CSC, at 1:59
33. Dirk Reichl (G), Telekom, at 2:05
34. Luca Paolini (I), Quickstep-Davitamon
35. Tom Boonen (B), Quickstep-Davitamon
36. Baden Cooke (Aus), FDJeux.com
37. Erki Putsep (Est), Ag2R
38. Nicolas Portal (F), Ag2R
39. Joerg Ludewig (G), Saeco-Longoni Sport
40. Alexandre Botcharov (Rus), Ag2R
41. Christian Werner (G), Telekom
42. Regis Lhuillier (F), FDJeux.com
43. Kai Hundertmarck (G), Telekom
44. Christopher Jenner (NZl), Credit Agricole
45. Bobby Julich (USA), Telekom
46. Joaquin Rodriguez (Sp), ONCE Eroski
47. Scott Davis (Aus), Panaria Fiordo
48. Peter Dawson (Aus), United Water, at 2:14
49. Hans De Clercq (B), Lotto Domo, at 2:16
50. Sergey Matveyev (Ukr), Panaria Fiordo
51. Graeme Brown (Aus), Panaria Fiordo, at 2:31
52. Wim Vansevenant (B), Lotto Domo, at 2:55
53. David Betts (Aus), United Water, at 3:02
54. Stefano Zanini (I), Saeco-Longoni Sport, at 3:17
55. Igor Astarloa (Sp), Saeco-Longoni Sport
56. Glenn d'Hollander (B), Lotto Domo
57. Igor Gonzalez De Galdeano (Sp), ONCE Eroski
58. Gert Steegmans (B), Lotto Domo
59. Stephen Cunningham (Aus), UniSA, at 11:33
60. Allan Davis (Aus), ONCE Eroski, at 11:34
61. Jaan Kirsipuu (Est), Ag2R
62. Nicola Gavazzi (I), Saeco-Longoni Sport
63. Mark Renshaw (Aus), United Water
64. Brett Lancaster (Aus), Panaria Fiordo
65. Mickael Pichon (F), FDJeux.com
66. Lilian Jegou (F), Credit Agricole
67. Stefan Schumacher (G), Telekom
68. Christian Pepoli (I), Saeco-Longoni Sport
69. Brendan Cato (Aus), United Water
70. Arvis Piziks (Lat), CSC
71. Christophe Moreau (F), Credit Agricole
72. Julio Alberto Perez Cuapio (Mex), Panaria Fiordo
73. Davide Bramati (I), Quickstep-Davitamon
74. Matt Wilson (Aus), FDJeux.com, at 12:45
75. Juan Fuentes (Sp), Saeco-Longoni Sport, at 12:46
76. Dario Pieri (I), Saeco-Longoni Sport
77. Kevin Van Impe (B), Lotto Domo
78. Adrian Laidler (Aus), UniSA, at 30:51
79. Bram Tankink (Nl), Quickstep-Davitamon, at 32:32
80. Ashley Hutchinson (Aus), United Water, at 41:50
81. Ruben Bongiorno (Arg), Panaria Fiordo, at 41:52
82. Julian Dean (NZl), CSC
83. Aaron Kemps (Aus), United Water
84. Filippo Perfetto (I), Panaria Fiordo
85. Thierry Marichal (B), Lotto Domo
86. Jakob Piil (Dk), CSC
87. Bernard Sulzberger (Aus), United Water
88. Nick Gates (Aus), Lotto Domo
89. Benoit Vaugrenard (F), FDJeux.com
90. Jacky Durand (F), FDJeux.com

SA Lotteries Sprints classification
1 Andrea Tafi (I), CSC - 22 pts
2 Robbie McEwen (Aus), Lotto Domo - 20
3 Fabio Sacchi (I), Saeco-Longoni Sport - 12
4 Russell Van Hout (Aus), UniSA - 12
5 Matt Wilson (Aus), FDJeux.com - 12
6 Baden Cooke (Aus), FDJeux.com - 8
7 Gianpaolo Caruso (I), ONCE Eroski - 6
8 Cedric Herve (F), Credit Agricole - 4
9 Stuart O'Grady (Aus), Credit Agricole - 4
10 Xavier Florencio (Sp), ONCE Eroski - 4
11 Jens Voigt (G), Credit Agricole - 4
12 Luca Paolini (I), Quickstep-Davitamon - 4
13 Ashley Hutchinson (Aus), United Water - 4
14 Daniele Nardello (I), Telekom - 2
15 Stephen Cunningham (Aus), UniSA - 2

Laubman & Pank King of the Mountain classification
1 Lennie Kristensen (Dk), CSC - 20 pts
2 Russell Van Hout (Aus), UniSA - 16
3 Cadel Evans (Aus), Telekom - 16
4 Paolo Lanfranchi (I), Panaria Fiordo - 12
5 Inigo Chaurreau (Sp), Ag2R - 8
6 Kurt Van De Wouwer (B), Quickstep-Davitamon - 6
7 Brad McGee (Aus), FDJeux.com - 6
8 Fabio Sacchi (I), Saeco-Longoni Sport - 4
9 Gianpaolo Caruso (I), ONCE Eroski - 4

Share the Road U23 rider classification
1 Gene Bates (Aus), UniSA,  8:25:03
2 Bernhard Eisel (A), FDJeux.com, at 0:11
3 Dirk Reichl (G), Telekom, at 1:36
4 Peter Dawson (Aus), United Water, at 1:45
5 David Betts (Aus), United Water, at 2:33
6 Mark Renshaw (Aus), United Water, at 11:05
7 Stefan Schumacher (G), Telekom
8 Brendan Cato (Aus), United Water
9 Kevin Van Impe (B), Lotto Domo, at 12:17
10 Adrian Laidler (Aus), UniSA, at 30:22
11 Aaron Kemps (Aus), United Water, at 41:23
12 Bernard Sulzberger (Aus), United Water
13 Benoit Vaugrenard (F), FDJeux.com

Century 21 Most aggressive rider
1 Stephen Cunningham (Aus), UniSA

Monroe Teams classification
1 Ag2r Prevoyance, 25:14:55
2 Team CSC, at 0:05
3 Credit Agricole, at 0:09
4 UniSA, at 0:14
5 ONCE-Eroski, at 0:18
6 Quick Step-Davitamon, at 0:22
7 Team Telekom, at 0:24
8 FDJeux.com, at 1:50
9 Saeco-Longoni Sport, at 3:03
10 Ceramiche Panaria-Fiordo, at 3:26
11 Lotto-Domo, at 4:18
12 United Water, at 14:49