The 147 kilometres long stage in and around Willunga started with an incredible high pace. But nonetheless after 3 kilometres
three riders attacked, one of them is Heinrich Haussler (Gerolsteiner). The bunch didn't like it and caught them after only one kilometre. Andoni Lafuente (Euskatel - Euskadi) immediatley
launched the next attack but he didn't really get away either.
After 10 kilometres Lloyd Mondory (AG2R) attacked, soon he was joined by Benoit Joachim (Astana), Sebastien
Portal (Cofidis) and again Andoni Lafuente. But the peloton reacted an after 15 kilometres the group was caught again.
After 20 kilometres the next attack, three riders broke off and sonn they were joined by two more riders. This break could
work. After 23 kilometres Greg Henderson (Team High Road), Carlo Westphal (Gerolsteiner), Aitor Galdos Alonso (Euskaltel -
Euskadi), Julien Mazet (Astana) and Renaud Dion (AG2R) had a lead of 1' 20". The breakaway group had a maximal lead of
4' 45" (after 89 kilometres) and that was the sign for the bunch to start the chase. After an escape of almost 90 kilometres
the group was caught by the bunch with 33 kilometres to go.
Caise d'Epargne moves to the front. The team tries to get rid of some of the sprinters at the climb.
Denis Flahaut (Saunier Duval - Scott), Scott and Greg Henderson (both Team High Road) are the first riders who were dropped
at the climb. High Road is hitting the hammer on the climb and overall leader Mark Renshaw got dropped. High Road prepared
an attack of Adam Hansen, Alessandro Proni (Quick Step) and Philippe Gilbert (FD Jeux) joined the High Road rider. But the
bunch came back and David Montcoutier (Cofidis) launched the next attack. Luis Sanchez (Caisse d'Epargne) started
a counter attack and managed to reach Moncoutier. Behind them the bunch has split at the climb.
With 17 kilometres to go Moncoutier and Sanchez had a lead of 10 seconds of a chasing group of about 25 riders. Andre Greipel,
second overall, is in this group while race leader Mark Renshaw is in a group 400 meters behind the Greipel group which caught
Moncoutier and sanchez with 14 kilometres to go.
With 5 kilometres to go the Renshaw group is 26 seconds behind the Greipel group. But the front group is racing with 50
km/h now so it will be very hard for Renshaw to defend the jersey.
With 2 kilometres to go there were several riders who attacked but none of them really got away. Greipel wins the sprint
of the leading group and takes his third win at this years Tour Down Under and probebly he will take the overall win tomorrow.
Allan Davis (Unisa - Australia) came in second and Saunier Duvals Jose Alberto Benitez Roman came in third.
"Last year I would have told you that would be impossible," said Greipel who hopes be the first rider awarded the UCI ProTour
Leader's Jersey for 2008. "Now I am the leader of the Tour Down Under, this is fantastic."
Tomorrow the riders contest the sixth and final stage of the Tour Down Under, an 88km race around the 5.5 kilometre Adelaide
City Council Street Circuit. A maximum of 26 seconds is up for grabs in time bonuses for the two intermediate sprints and
the stage finish with Davis and Greipel expected to do battle right to the line to decide the 2008 Tour Down Under Champion.
"I look forward to tomorrow, I think it will be a fantastic final stage in Adelaide," said Greipel.
Davis says he's very pleased with the way his team rode today and the race is far from over.
"We’ve got 88km to go yet and we’ll be fighting to the last centimetre,' said Davis. "We’ve had a stage
win so far and if we pull the overall off … even if we stay second … it’s still an awesome tour for (Australia)
UniSA.
"We’re here to win and we’ll sit down tonight with Davo (Team Director Dave Sanders) and talk through a few
tactics," said Davis. "On the day is when it really counts and as long as we go down fighting."
"This morning I thought if I am not in the front group, that would be ok, but I felt good on top of the climb and we were
able to chase back the front group, for me, I don't know why I feel really good here," said Greipel who praised Hansen for
his work to keep the race together at the front. "That was awesome, he chased every rider and did a fantastic job."
"I worked with the UniSA boys to keep the gap because we heard that Renshaw was with the back group at 20-something seconds,
so we made sure the gap was as big as possible. I finished with 800m to go, my work was done, I just rode in," said Hansen.
Renshaw never regained contact with the leaders and crossed the finish line in 50th place, 56 seconds after the stage winner.
"I went over the top 15-20 seconds behind the second group which included Davis and Greipel," said a disappointed Renshaw.
"We worked really hard to get back on and we nearly got there but didn’t have the legs on the climb.
"I’m disappointed now, but I think later on I’ll be okay because never did I imagine I’d come to this
week and … I’d hope to win, but never to wear the leader’s jersey and be a chance at winning the race,"
said Renshaw who now sits 39th overall at 1min02sec.
Gerolsteiners Heinrich Haussler publishes a riders diary at our website and radsport-aktiv.de (German version). Haussler finished 73rd today, 2' 27" behind stage winner Andre Greipel.
