Blog - Tour Down Under 2012

3rd stage victory for André Greipel, the overall victory of the Tour Down Under 2012 for Simon Gerrans

It was quite sure that on the circuit in the centre of Adelaide the last Tour Down Under 2012 stage would finish in a sprint. The suspense however was for the final victory because, as you might remember, after yesterday's stage the numbers one and two of the general classification had exactly the same time!

The biggest sprint expert present in SOuth Australia, André Greipel (Lotto-Belisol), sprinted to victory in this 6th and last stage while Simon Gerrans (GreenEDGE) kept his precious leader's jersey in the general classification ...

The summary of the stage 6/ Adelaide City Council Street Circuit

Tour Down Under 2012 : Old Willunga Hill keeps its promises, Alejandro Valverde makes his comeback

It was a promise: the 5th stage of the Tour Down Under 2012 would be the queen stage. It was a promise as well that this stage would not get a bunch sprint at the finish but would rather have a good climber as its winner.

The promises have been kept, Alejandro Valverde (Movistar Team) showed to be the strongest on the climb of Old Willunga Hill and the general classification of the Australian race has been completely modified once again. The recent Australian Champion, Simon Gerrans, of the brand new UCI ProTeam GreenEDGE, takes the first place in this classification but shares his time with Alejandro Valverde, on the day before the final stage on a circuit in the centre of Adelaide.

The summary of stage 5/ McLaren Vale > Old Willunga Hill

Oscar Freire wins the sprint of the 4th stage of the Tour Down Under 2012, Menglers Hill leads to a shuffle in the general classification

A new stage, a new sprint in the Tour Down Under 2012. In 3 of the 4 stages, the Tour Down Under for now remains faithful to it's image of a sprinters race. This time it was up to the Spanish rider Oscar Freire, now part of Katusha Team, who won the stage, while the leader's jersey of the general classification again changes shoulders and goes back to the Swiss rider Martin Kohler (BMC Racing Team). By getting in the right group when the peloton split up in two on the climb at 22 kilometers from the finish, he takes over the leader's jersey from André Greipel.

The summary of the stage 4/ Norwood > Tanunda

A new stage victory for André Greipel in the Tour Down Under 2012, he also takes back the leader's jersey

The third stage of the Tour Down Under 2012 between Unley and Victor Harbor ended in a sprint in the coast city and in this sprint, André Greipel took yet another stage victory. He also seized the occasion to get back the ochre leader's jersey of the general classification.

The summary of the stage 3/ Unley > Victor Harbor

Tour Down Under 2012: Will Clarke (UniSA-Australia) solo to victory on the tops of Stirling

Already briefly in a breakaway in yesterday's stage, Will Clarke (UniSA-Australia) got in the breakaway of the day today right from the start of the stage. Finishing the stage solo, he won the stage in Stirling with an over one minute gap on last year's winner of this stage, Michael Matthews.

The Swiss rider who animated yesterday's stage, Martin Kohler (BMC Racing Team) takes over the lead in the general classification.

The summary of the stage 2/ Lobethal > Stirling of the Tour Down Under 2012

André Greipel sprints to victory in the first stage of the Tour Down Under 2012 (Prospect > Clare)

Since this morning, the 2012 edition of the UCI WorldTour officially started with the first stage of the Tour Down Under from Prospect to Clare and this stage was won by André Greipel (Lotto-Belisol) who also won the Down Under Classic last Sunday.
A longlasting breakaway and a serious crash in the last kilometer were the most important events in this stage which was won by the gorilla.

The summary of the Prospect > Clare stage of the Tour Down Under 2012

The Tour Down Under 2012 race route on Google Maps/Google Earth

In one week, the Tour Down Under will start in South-Australia, in Prospect to be more precise. 803 kilometers further, in Adelaide, we'll know who will be the winner of the first race of the UCI WorldTour 2012.

This will all, as usual, be preceded by the Down Under Classic, which is not officially part of the Tour Down Under but which is part of the official UCI criterium calendar which thus allows the riders of the UCI ProTeams to participate.

In this article you'll find all information about the race route of the Tour Down Under 2012 including most importantly ...