Adelaide (Australia) (AFP)
Irishman Sam Bennett (Deceuninck-Quick-Step) won the 1st stage of the Tour Down Under, sprint start and finish circuit in Tanunda (Australia) of 150 km, marked on Tuesday by the return of Romain Bardet (AG2R La world).
The 29-year-old Auvergnat, no longer riding a bike in competition since the last Tour de France completed with the polka dot jersey, finished 35th. The first Frenchman, Marc Sarreau (Groupama-FDJ), finished in 8th position.
In Tanunda, a town north of Adelaide, whose aboriginal name means "water hole", the Irish champion Bennett, who just joined the formation of Patrick Lefevere in December, cut the line with a bike ahead of the Belgian Jasper Philipsen UAE-Team Emirates.
The Slovakian Erik Baska finishes third of this 1st stage of a Tour which marks the opening of the WorldTour season.
The Italian Elia Viviani (Cofidis), winner of the opening stage of the event last year, finished fourth.
The next two stages will see the peloton cross landscapes devastated by the fires ravaging the south-east of Australia.
Classification of the 1st stage:
1. Sam Bennett (IRL / Deceuninck-Quick-Step), the 150 km in 3 h 28:54.
2. Jasper Philipsen (BEL / UAE-Team Emirates) mt
3. Erik Baska (SVK / BORA-hansgrohe) mt
4. Elia Viviani (ITA / Cofidis) mt
5. Andre Greipel (GER / Israel Start-Up Nation) mt
6. Kristoffer Halvorsen (NOR / EF Pro Cycling) mt
7. Caleb Ewan (AUS / Lotto Soudal) mt
8. Marc Sarreau (FRA / Groupama-FDJ) mt
9. Sam Welsford (AUS / UniSA-Australia) mt
10. Alberto Dainese (ITA / Team Sunweb) mt
...
35. Romain Bardet (FRA / AG2R La Mondiale) mt
...
58. Bruno Armirail (FRA / Groupama-FDJ) mt
...
70. Kenny Elissonde (FRA / Trek Segafredo) mt
...
88. Axel Domont (FRA / AG2R La Mondiale) mt
...
123. Geoffrey Bouchard (FRA / AG2R La Mondiale) 59.
...
132. Mathias Le Turnier (FRA / CofidisJ) 1:30 a.m.
...
136. Mickaël Delage (FRA / Groupama-FDJ) 2 h 15:00.
General classification:
1. Sam Bennett (IRL / Deceuninck-Quick-Step) 3:28:44 a.m.
2. Jasper Philipsen (BEL / UAE-Team Emirates) at 04.
3. Erik Baska (SVK / BORA-hansgrohe) 06.
4. Daryl Impey (RSA / Mitchelton-SCOTT) 07.
5. Jarrad Drizners (AUS / UniSA-Australia) mt
6. Christopher Lawless (GBR / Team Ineos) 08.
7. Dylan Sunderland (AUS / NTT Pro Cycling Team) mt
8. Nathan Haas (AUS / Cofidis) 09.
9. Michael Storer (AUS / Team Sunweb) mt
10. Elia Viviani (ITA / Cofidis) 10.
...
38. Romain Bardet (FRA / AG2R La Mondiale) mt
...
60. Bruno Armirail (FRA / Groupama-FDJ) mt
...
71. Kenny Elissonde (FRA / Trek Segafredo) mt
...
88. Axel Domont (FRA / AG2R La Mondiale) mt
...
123. Geoffrey Bouchard (FRA / AG2R La Mondiale) 1:09.
...
132. Mathias Le Turnier (FRA / Cofidis) 1:40.
...
136. Mickaël Delage (FRA / Groupama-FDJ) 2:25.
© 2020 AFP