Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Saturday, January 25, 2025
Back to news and opinion index page for links to archived stories | Commentary | Our YouTube page
2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
Isn't it amazing how much stuff we get done the day before vacation? - Zig Ziglar
Bill and Carol McGann's book The Story of the Tour de France, Vol 2: 1976 - 2018 is available in print, Kindle eBook & Audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Current racing:
- January 17 - 26: Tour Down Under
- January 25: Ruta de la Cerámica - Gran Premio Castellón
Upcoming racing:
- January 26: Classica Comunitat a Valenciana 1969
- January 29 - February 2: Challenge Vuelta a Mallorca
- February 2: GP La Marseillaise
Latest completed racing:
- January 3: X20 Trofee Koksijde-Vlaamse Druivenveldrit Cross
- January 1: GP Sven Nys Cross
- December 30: Diegem Cyclocross
- December 26: Gavere Cyclocross
- December 27: Exact Cross Loenhout-Azencross
- December 15: Namur Cyclocross-Citadelcross
- November 17: Flandriencross
- November 3: European Cyclocross Championships
- November 1: X20 Trofee Oudenaarde-Koppenbergcross
We posted the report from the race organizer with the results.
Here's the report from second-place Phil Bauhaus' Team Bahrain Victorious:
Stage 4 of the Tour Down Under, the longest day of the race, saw a competitive field of fast men battle it out on the way to Victor Harbor. The stage concluded with a thrilling bunch sprint on the Fleurieu Peninsula, where Phil Bauhaus (Team Bahrain Victorious) narrowly missed victory, finishing second behind Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) in a tight finish. Jhonatan Narváez completed the podium in third place.
Phil Bauhaus finishes second. Sirotti photo
The day showcased the teamwork of Team Bahrain Victorious. In the final 10 kilometers, Afonso Eulálio played an active role at the front, urging teams to chase down breakaways. Within the peloton, Eulálio, along with Robert Stannard, worked to keep Bauhaus positioned at the front, ensuring he was ready for the sprint finale.
Phil Bauhaus timed his effort well, staying on the wheels of the Ineos Grenadiers and then Bryan Coquard before launching his sprint in the final 50 meters. Despite his strong effort, Coquard edged him out, leaving Bauhaus to take second place on the longest stage of the race. The result demonstrated Bauhaus’s good form and his readiness to challenge for his first victory of 2025.
Reflecting on the race, Bauhaus shared:
“Ineos set a strong pace. Robert and I did not find each other really well. I was a bit on my own then I tried to position myself as good as possible in the right-left combination. I did quite okay, but I was also quite on the limit. I think for me it was already a step forward to be in that group. I think in the end Coquard was a little bit fresher than I was. He is a really good rider in a reduced sprint. Maybe he suffered a bit less so he has more energy for the sprint. I tried my best. I came close in the end but I need to say he was a bit stronger than me.”
Bauhaus also commented on the challenges of the day:
“It was a pretty easy day, a bit stressful with the wind. I knew the final for me was super hard, so I knew I needed to relax as long as possible and spend the minimum amount of energy. The team, especially Roman (Ermakov), did a good job positioning me, Nikias and Robert into the last climb. Then I went around 15th place into the climb, like the second row of the bunch. They set a really hard pace for me. The legs felt super sore, I was super in pain on the climb, but for me I felt good. So I could be on top being in the second small group with 20 or 30 guys.”
The final stretch was all about survival:
“Then it was just surviving. There were still ups and downs with crosswinds. And like I said I was just full gas and trying to do the best possible result for the team. Tomorrow I hope we do a good race with Afonso. He is in the same time with 10 guys in GC. I think it would be a great goal to see him slip into Top 10. To get maybe somewhere bonus seconds or being in the first group on top there are most of the time like 3-5 guys going a bit clear, so it would be really nice if he is there.”
Looking ahead, Bauhaus is optimistic about the remaining stages:
“We have another sprint in Adelaide which I think will be super hot. At the moment the forecast says like 35, 36 degrees so it would be another super hard day. But we saw today that my legs are good. The team was doing good. I hope to be again on the podium and perfectly one step higher.”
Content continues below the ads
Here’s the Tour Down Under report from third-place Jhonatan Narvaez's UAE Team Emirates:
Moving like a whippet through the final 500m of stage 4, Jhonatan Narváez powered his way to third place over the line, a result that could have been so much more had the Ecuadorian not been boxed in through the decisive moments.
Advancing his way over the right-hand shoulders of his rivals, Narváez carried speeds that looked set to assure him victory and with it, the lead of the race. However, both Phil Bauhaus and Bryan Coquard jostled for the shortest line to the finish, causing Narváez to be inadvertently blocked off, with Coquard sprinting to his first victory of the season.
The peloton races across the Australian countryside. Sirotti photo
Behind Coquard and Bauhaus, Narváez was forced to settle for third and the four bonus seconds which come with it. The 27-year-old was frustrated to have come close for the second day in succession without reward, but his performance has seen the Ecuadorian close the gap to race leader Javier Romo to just four seconds heading into the penultimate stage on Saturday.
Despite disappointment, sports director Fabio Baldato sees lots of positives from the performance and is clear in his view of the sprint.
“With the finish turning to the right, it is normal that the rider in front tried to take the shorter line. I have spoken to the jury and the president two or three times, and I trust them in the end. They are expert guys who I know well and it is not the case that we look to fight this decision,” he clarified.
“I am optimistic. We need to be in the top three again [tomorrow] to get the bonus, that can be one solution, but the guys in the team look really strong. Today they pulled all day without being afraid and it was an interesting attack from [Mauro] Schmid, who went really fast until the end. We will go for it with the stage but for the most we are thinking about the GC with Jhony.”
Another strong team performance tees up Narváez for bonuses:
Heading south from Glenelg to Victor Harbor, stage 4 was always going to require aggressive racing to put the purer sprinters into difficulty, and so it proved. From the flag drop, there was a healthy battle for the breakaway and in the end, five riders headed up the road to seek their fortune.
Unfortunately, UAE Team Emirates-XRG’s Jay Vine hit the deck in a crash from within the peloton, leaving the Australian with abrasions to his right hip and knee. The former Tour Down Under winner also suffered from further misfortune with punctures – just as with stage 3 – but having been seen to by the race doctor, Vine returned to the peloton and rode strongly through the rest of the day.
Elsewhere, Julius Johansen once more spearheaded the peloton for most of the afternoon, whilst Rune Herregodts returned to form to play his part in the efforts.
Following a hard chase to catch the day’s break, UAE Team Emirates-XRG went on the offensive through Spanish duo Pablo Torres and Marc Soler, both of whom had their time in front of the peloton and ensured that the pace was hard enough to drop some of the heavier sprinters.
With the peloton whittled down in size by the finish in Victor Harbor, Rui Oliveira used his track pedigree to position Narváez strongly within the closing kilometres. The Portuguese’s efforts almost played their hand in a stage victory, but Narváez was denied his shot at success.
Narváez looked the fast in the sprint, but was denied his shot at the line
Coming with speed towards the right-hand barrier, Narváez’s path was blocked by Coquard, who had moved towards the right in an effort to seek an empty slice of road. As noted by Baldato, the move was legal, but alongside Bauhaus’ acceleration, proved enough to block Narváez of his own path to the line. Behind the pair, Narváez handily placed third to take the four bonus seconds.
“That was special today, with the energy going into the sprint,” said Narváez during his evening massage. “It was full strength from all the guys and the team did a great job, that was our plan. We wanted to go hard into the last climb and then pull until the end for a chance to take the victory or bonus seconds. In the end, ok we didn’t get a chance at the stage win but it is positive that we took the bonus seconds.”
Looking ahead to Willunga Hill on Saturday, Narváez was determined to bounce back and continue his assault on the leader’s ochre jersey.
“It is a hard climb. We have a good team so we have to think about how we can win the race, but we will give it our best shot.”
Friday’s result is enough to see Narváez reduce his deficit to the leader to just four seconds, with the man lying second overall positioned strongly heading into stage 5 at the weekend.
Vine, meanwhile, remains eighth, some 11 seconds behind his teammate, whilst Pablo Torres sits third in the young rider’s classification. In the team classification, UAE Team Emirates-XRG lay third and in the sprint classification, Narváez has jumped up seven places to fourth.
On Saturday, the peloton will be challenged by two ascents of Willunga Hill, the latter of which looks likely to decide the winner of this year’s Tour Down Under. With two riders sitting within 15 seconds of the race leader Romo, UAE Team Emirates-XRG are well set for stage 5.
Content continues below the ads
Here's the report from Team Picnic PostNL:
After a day suited to climbers and puncheurs in stage three, stage four offered another chance for the sprinters. Four riders formed the breakaway of the day, but the group fell apart on the final climb. The last remaining rider was caught in the fast-paced final kilometers leading to the finish.
In a hectic finale, Oscar Onley and Bjoern Koerdt responded attentively to attacks while Tobias Lund Andresen prepared for the sprint. With the finish rapidly approaching in the fast final kilometer, Lund Andresen had to launch from too far back, coming across the line in 7th. After the relegation of another sprinter, he was moved up to 6th place in the classification for the day.
Warned about Kangaroos, the peloton proceeds. Sirotti photo
Lund Andresen said: “Today was a great opportunity for us. We had Oscar for when the race would get tough on the final climb, and myself if I could manage to survive it. We approached the final climb in a really good position; I was sitting in 20th place, which gave me some room to drop a few wheels.
"Over the top, it was just me, Oscar, and Bjoern Koerdt left. They were covering the moves, and as we got closer to the sprint, I was navigating on my own. I might have underestimated how close we were to the finish, so I ended up having to launch my sprint from too far back. That said, I felt good today, the sensations were strong, and I think we have a great chance with Oscar tomorrow.”
Here's the Tour Down Under report from Team Groupama-FDJ:
The sprint could not be avoided on Friday on stage 4 of the Tour Down Under, but the Groupama-FDJ cycling team tried to liven the race up in the last ten kilometers leading to Victor Harbor. Sven-Erik Bystrøm in particular showed himself several times before positioning Lewis Askey for the sprint, in which the Briton placed eleventh. Thanks to the addition of positions, Rémy Rochas entered the top-10 overall (9th), on the eve of the decisive stage of Willunga Hill.
Groupama-FDJ rider Quentin Pacher signs in before the start of stage four. Sirotti photo
The week’s longest stage took the riders from Glenelg to Victor Harbor on Friday over 157, somewhat bumpy kilometers. A hectic uphill start also opened up the race on this fourth day of competition on the Tour Down Under. “A breakaway of three went from kilometre 0, the peloton let it go at first, but Jayco-AlUla then made a big push, and the peloton broke into several pieces”, reported Jussi Veikkanen. “Mauro Schmid and Junior Lecerf, who were not very far on the overall, attacked and joined the leading group. In the back, there were a few crashes, and it made the peloton very nervous“. From this nervousness came a watchfulness which meant the breakaway quintet couldn’t really take a large lead.
“We also knew that there were several spots of the course where the wind could be a risk”, added Jussi. “Given the start of the race that we’d had, the peloton always remained very nervous, but nothing actually happened before the last climb”.
With about twenty-five kilometres to go, the riders tackled the climb of Nettle Hill (1.8 km at 8.4%), where Schmid went solo at the front while a selection was made in the pack. “We had done a recon of the climb last week”, continued Jussi. “Knowing that there was a headwind in the last twenty kilometres, we were confident that Matt could get over it, but he eventually got distanced with other sprinters because Israel-Premier Tech really made things hard. We still had Lewis in front, with Quentin, Sven-Erik and Rémy, and the goal was then to go with him for the sprint”.
The Englishman did not wait until the final straight to leave his mark, however, as he shook up the peloton on a small uphill section ten kilometres from the finish after Schmid was caught. Sven-Erik Bystrøm also launched two attacks while Rémy Rochas and Quentin Pacher remained very attentive.
However, the attacks did not succeed, and the peloton headed towards Victor Harbor for a large sprint. “In the last two kilometres, Sven perfectly positioned Lewis, who held his position well until the last 300 metres, then he was overtaken in the sprint”, commented Jussi. He eventually took eleventh place while the victory went to Bryan Coquard. “I had told Rémy to do the sprint because the GC can also be decided by the addition of positions”, said Jussi. “That’s what he did, and he gained two places overall (9th). It was the day’s good outcome”.
The French climber will tackle Willunga Hill tomorrow hoping to gain a few more positions. “Rémy is going well, and as I said yesterday, we will have to race as cleverly as possible while being opportunistic,” concluded Jussi. “It’s a climb that suits us and Rémy will be able to get his bearings on the first ascent. In the end, the strongest will be up front.”
Content continues below the ads
Here's the Tour Down Under stage four report from Team Visma | Lease a Bike:
Team Visma | Lease a Bike encountered no issues during the fourth stage of the Santos Tour Down Under. On the decisive climb of the day, Matthew Brennan and Thomas Gloag were among the strongest riders, but the duo ultimately couldn’t contend for the stage victory. The Dutch team now shifts its focus to the queen stage.
Stage 4 gets started.
The fourth stage featured a hilly profile. The summit of Nettle Hill, a steep climb of a few kilometers, was situated 20 kilometers from the finish line. For the GC contenders and riders eyeing the stage win, it was crucial to stay alert.
Both Brennan and Gloag managed to do so, staying with the top 20 riders. The pace in the peloton was so high that no attacks could materialize. In the final kilometers, a mass sprint became inevitable. Brennan tried to position himself at the front, but ultimately, his efforts were in vain. The young rider finished 20th in the stage, crossing the line in the same time as stage winner Bryan Coquard. Menno Huising, Tijmen Graat, and Gloag also finished in the same group, with Gloag maintaining his 15th place in the overall classification.
“I had a good day,” Brennan admitted after the stage. “On the climb, I managed to crest with the best. We came over the top with a group of about 20 riders, and there were some gaps behind us. Unfortunately, a few of our teammates couldn’t make the connection. In the final kilometers, the speed was so high that I wasn’t able to move up any positions. Nevertheless, it was another solid day. I think that goes for the whole team as well.”
The young sprinter looks ahead to tomorrow’s stage, which finishes on Willunga Hill. “We still need to finalize our strategy, but we’re aiming for a strong performance. With Thomas, we have someone in good form, and he’s definitely set his sights on tomorrow’s stage. It’s up to me and the rest of the team to support him in that. We’re going to give it everything we’ve got,” concluded the 19-year-old Brennan.
And here's the report from Team Soudal Quick-Step:
It took only a couple of kilometers for a breakaway to form on Friday, and when this happened, Soudal Quick-Step’s Junior Lecerf was there. The team’s best placed rider on the previous stage, the young Belgian spent 80 kilometers at the front of the race, part of a five-man group, taking some solid pulls at the front and picking up three important bonus seconds at the two intermediate sprints.
The day's break. Sirotti photo
Having accomplished his main objective – scoring those bonifications in Aldinga and Yankalilla – Lecerf decided to sit up and wait for the peloton, knowing that Saturday would be a big and draining day in the saddle at the Tour Down Under, with the finish atop Willunga Hill.
The bunch rode a ferocious pace to bring back the remaining escapees, and helped by the 1.8km Nettle Hill, they managed to do that with just 12 kilometers to go. A flurry of attacks soon followed, on a small climb not far from the line, but despite the peloton being reduced to some 70-odd riders, they managed to keep things together for a bunch sprint in Victor Harbor, where Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) prevailed after a hectic finish.
The general classification didn’t see too many changes at the top, which means Junior Lecerf remains the highest-ranked rider of our team going into the crucial penultimate stage of the Tour Down Under.
Back to news and opinion index page for links to archived stories | Commentary