cycling: Tour Down Under Stage #2: Ewan Takes Stage & Ocker

Cycling: Caleb Ewan (Mitchelton-Scott) secured stage win and leader's jersey on stage two of the Tour Down Under. The 23-year-old Australian won ahead of teammate Daryl Impey and Jay McCarthy (Bora-hansgrohe). World champion Peter Sagan (Bora-hansgrohe) was fourth, André Greipel (Loto Soudal) caught up early on the last uphill kilometers.

Dlamini extends lead in mountains classification

With one man less than yesterday, the peloton tackled the 148,6 kilometers from Unley to Stirling today. Daniel Hoelgaard (Groupama-FDJ), a relatively unknown 24-year-old Norwegian, fell the day before and was unable to continue the race. Speaking of the day before: Immediately after the start, the same three drivers who had organized the escape yesterday pulled away today. The South African Nicholas Dlamini (Dimension Data) and the Australians William Clarke (EF Education) and Scott Bowden (UniSA-Australia) were joined to form a quartet by the Spaniard Jaime Castrillo (Movistar). Dlamini, the wearer of the mountain jersey, only had his sights set on the mountains classification, actually snagged the full number of points there and then dropped back into the field. There, the Lotto Soudal and Bahrain-Merida teams set the pace.

He's done it again!! @nich_dlamini showing he's not going to be easy to beat in the @SubaruAustralia KOM classification!!! That's another 10 points in the bag 🤴⛰#TDU #COM pic.twitter.com/ssxRzPu7RA

— Santos Tour Down Under 🐨🚴 (@tourdownunder) 17 January 2018

Clarke takes the overall lead

The escapees were given a little more than five minutes today. But William Clarke didn't necessarily only have his sights set on winning the stage. The Australian won both sprint classifications yesterday. He should be able to do the same today. With the 4 x 3 seconds, he gained a time of 12 seconds - with which he suddenly virtually drove in the leader's jersey, although he was put together with compatriot Scott Bowden shortly afterwards. Only the 21-year-old Spaniard Jaime Castrillo was in front. The soloist fought bravely, but of course, as expected, he had no chance against the superiority of the peloton. Steve Morabito (Groupama-FDJ) should also have no chance of a good placement today. The Swiss fell and had to have his shoulder set again. Continue anyway? No problem!

A nasty fall for @steve_morabito!!! He dislocated a shoulder, popped it back in, and got back on his bike. How tough are cyclists? ...Very!! 💪🏼#TDU pic.twitter.com/IJyZMC8180

— Santos Tour Down Under 🐨🚴 (@tourdownunder) 17 January 2018

Caleb Ewan with the seventh day win

Since the last kilometers of the stage were slightly uphill, very few experts expected a classic mass sprint. The past has shown that here in Stirling the punchers tend to have the advantage. Accordingly, André Greipel (Lotto Soudal) had difficulties very early on and had to be torn down. The Mitchelton-Scott and Bora-hansgrohe teams are completely different. In the last few meters, they each took the scepter in their hands in a duo and started sprinting. At first it looked like Peter Sagan (Bora-hansgrohe) would pull away in his inimitable manner, but little Caleb Ewan (Mitchelton-Scott) hid behind the world champion and sprinted past in superior fashion. Daryl Impey made the double victory perfect for his team. Behind, Sagan let his leader Jay McCarthy pass him so that he could rake in the all-important bonus seconds.

🇦🇺 CALEB CRACKS SAGAN 🇦🇺

You little ripper 🙌🏻 @CalebEwan has just blitzed world champion @petosagan on the line to win Stage 2!!!#TDU pic.twitter.com/dy6igT9rRM

— Santos Tour Down Under 🐨🚴 (@tourdownunder) 17 January 2018

Result of the 2st stage of the Tour Down Under 2018

Overall standings after stage 2 of the 2018 Tour Down Under