Gerrans wraps up record third Tour Down Under triumph

Simon Gerrans (Australia/Orica-GreenEdge) stayed safe and wary on Saturday’s final stage of the Santos Tour Down Under, an 85.5-km circuit race of Adelaide, to take his third title of the Australian stage race. The day’s winner was German Andre Greipel (Lotto-Belisol), his second victory at this year’s Tour Down Under.

In Adelaide Gerrans hung on to the one second lead he had over compatriot Cadel Evans (BMC). Gerrans was able to leap over Cadel Evans on Friday’s queen stage that ended on Willunga Hill. Evans’ victory in Campbelltown, after an attack up and over the Corkscrew Hill, gave him a 12 second lead over Gerrans on Wednesday. Gerrans clawed back five seconds on Thursday via interim sprints and then gapped Evans on Willunga by four seconds, taking four bonus seconds by finishing third to Richie Porte (Australia/Sky).

Diego Ulissi (Italy/Lampre-Merida) completed the podium, five seconds in arrears, while Porte just missed out a further five seconds back.

Canadian Guillaume Boivin of Cannondale placed 90th on GC at +31:23