ID :
42599
Sun, 01/25/2009 - 20:37
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Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/42599
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Davis wins Tour Down Under
Queensland's Allan Davis scored his first stage race victory, taking out the six-day Tour Down Under in Adelaide on Sunday.
Riding for the Quick Step team, Davis coasted across the finish line on the final leg, safely protecting his 25-second overall lead over fellow Australian Stuart O'Grady (Saxo Bank).
Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Caisse d'Epargne) finished third overall a further five seconds behind.
Davis' team controlled the peloton for most of the final day over 18-laps of an inner-city circuit, the final stage dominated by a 13-man breakaway.
The group, which included two contenders for overall honours, went clear on the first lap and had an overall lead of more than a minute at one stage.
Davis admitted to having some nervous moments when the group was away, but praised the efforts of his team to bring the lead down.
"The break was a bit bigger than what I expected, but the guys had it all under control," he said.
"They progressed into it and as we got closer to the finish they closed the gap."
Tour de France legend Lance Armstrong also caused a stir when he burst from the peloton up the only hill on the course on the second to last laps.
Armstrong quickly closed a gap to a group of seven leaders and moved straight to the front but the strong work again by the Quick Step team ensured a bunch sprint.
Sunday's stage was won by the fast finishing Italian Francesco Chicchi of Liquigas who beat Robbie McEwen (Katusha) and Graeme Brown (Rabobank) to the line.
Riding for the Quick Step team, Davis coasted across the finish line on the final leg, safely protecting his 25-second overall lead over fellow Australian Stuart O'Grady (Saxo Bank).
Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Caisse d'Epargne) finished third overall a further five seconds behind.
Davis' team controlled the peloton for most of the final day over 18-laps of an inner-city circuit, the final stage dominated by a 13-man breakaway.
The group, which included two contenders for overall honours, went clear on the first lap and had an overall lead of more than a minute at one stage.
Davis admitted to having some nervous moments when the group was away, but praised the efforts of his team to bring the lead down.
"The break was a bit bigger than what I expected, but the guys had it all under control," he said.
"They progressed into it and as we got closer to the finish they closed the gap."
Tour de France legend Lance Armstrong also caused a stir when he burst from the peloton up the only hill on the course on the second to last laps.
Armstrong quickly closed a gap to a group of seven leaders and moved straight to the front but the strong work again by the Quick Step team ensured a bunch sprint.
Sunday's stage was won by the fast finishing Italian Francesco Chicchi of Liquigas who beat Robbie McEwen (Katusha) and Graeme Brown (Rabobank) to the line.
