The profitable margin on the Tour Down Below has virtually at all times been a matter of seconds however will that be the case in 2025?
A newly designed stage 3 from Norwood to Uraidla could possibly be a game-changer, however riders have been nonetheless battling for bonus seconds on stage 2 in Tanunda.
Georg Zimmermann (Intermarché-Wanty) and Patrick Konrad (Lidl-Trek) went into the breakaway seeking to maximise their GC prospects, launching full-on sprints for the intermediate bonus seconds. Each got here away with 5 seconds in hand earlier than the transfer was caught.
5 seconds won’t look like loads, however over the 24 editions of the Tour Down Below, the common hole to second place is 15 seconds, the utmost was 1:13 in 2024. 3 times – in 2003, 2012 and 2018 the winner was selected a tie-breaker (stage ending positions).
Even 5 seconds may transform decisive within the normal classification come Sunday, for the ultimate podium locations but in addition for important high ten placings and the UCI rating factors that include them.
Konrad and Zimmermann at the moment are fourth and fifth total, respectively, with three sprinters: Sam Welsford (Purple Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), Arne Marit (Intermarché-Wanty) and Matthew Brennan (Visma-Lease a Bike) anticipated to undergo within the coming hilly phases.
Konrad and Zimmermann may even take the race chief’s ochre jersey on stage 3. That is the Tour Down Below route.
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Konrad instructed Cyclingnews he hadn’t essentially deliberate to enter into the breakaway.
“If it had been an enormous combat, I would not go, nevertheless it was fairly simple. I went give it a strive for the bonus seconds as a result of, on the finish of the week, it may possibly change loads.”
Zimmermann hoped that the transfer would have had extra of an opportunity, given the three ascents of Menglers Hill, however the pair together with mountains classification chief Fergus Browning (ARA Australian Nationwide Workforce) have been reeled in with 45km to go.
“My private purpose can be the go during the last climb within the entrance, then hope for a stronger group to return from behind,” Zimmerman stated on the rostrum after accepting the award for many combative rider.
“However the others did not decide to it. Alone, I did not wish to commit, so we went again to the bunch and took it a easier strategy to the end.
“The principle purpose of right this moment was to sneak some seconds like I did right here final 12 months,” when his three-second bonus on the identical stage meant the distinction between twelfth and thirteenth total.
“Tomorrow and on Saturday, we are going to see what these 5 seconds are value,” Zimmermann added.
“Tomorrow is a very tough day – there is a technical strategy to the ultimate climb, and that one is actually nasty and steep, and afterwards, there isn’t any time to get better. It is solely up and down for a few kilometres to the end. So tomorrow, I anticipate the primary large GC motion and a anxious day. So I am glad I may get a bit of benefit right this moment.”