Casper Pedersen takes the most combative rider of the day award.
Julian Alaphilippe produced a rock-solid ride on the penultimate stage of the Aussie race, which witnessed the return of the iconic Willunga Hill, the 3.4km climb averaging 7.4%, which has become synonymous with the Tour Down Under in the last decade.
But long before that, the day belonged to Casper Pedersen, the first rider to attack at the start of the stage and the last member of the breakaway that animated the day to be brought back, after more than 100 kilometers at the front. The Dane, victorious at the inaugural edition of Figueira Champions Classic last season, put in a phenomenal effort in the four-man group, which he helped open a gap of three minutes before the peloton decided to move into a different gear.
As they approached the first of the day’s two ascents of the iconic Willunga Hill, Casper dropped his companions and went solo, tapping out a solid rhythm even as the gradient began to bite. It took a huge effort from behind to bring him back just before the top of the climb, but our team remained prominent, coming at the front of the bunch with a strong contingent – including Casper, who at the end of the day got rewarded with the most combative trophy – that pushed the tempo on the fast descent.
This allowed Alaphilippe to arrive on the lower slopes of the ascent in a great position, and the double World Champion looked comfortable the entire time as more and more riders got dropped when the big attacks came. An important selection was made one kilometer from the line, and Julian continued to remain calm, waiting for the final 200 meters to make his move.
A sharp acceleration just before the last corner helped the Frenchman take fourth place on the stage won by Oscar Onley (DSM-Firmenich PostNL), a result that puts him in fifth overall, just eight seconds from the podium with one stage remaining, the uphill finish on Mount Lofty.
“I was very motivated for this stage, because I knew it was going to be an important one to test the legs, and also as I wanted to do something nice in this race. The entire team did a great job: Casper went in the break putting pressure on the other teams in the peloton, while the rest of my teammates protected me the whole stage. On the climb I gave my best to follow the others and I am content with my result, it felt good to be back at the front and fight for victory, on a day that due to the heat wasn’t easy at all”, explained Julian after the stage.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele / Getty Images
