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Renshaw wins Adelaide crit'
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Australian sprinter Mark Renshaw announced his aims for the five-day Tour Down Under stage race by winning a 50km inner-city criterium in Adelaide, Australia on Tuesday.
The on-form Credit Agricole rider got the better of sprint heavyweight Robbie McEwen in a tight bunch finish to continue his sizzling early season form. The criterium is classified as the TDU’s “prelude,” and does not count toward the Tour’s overall classification.
Hilton Clarke, of Navigators, finished second just ahead of SouthAustralia.com rider Simon Clarke, a promising 20-year-old who is no relation.
Early in the race several groups of riders tried their luck in breakaway groups but none succeeded and, as has been the case in past years, it all came together for a frantic, blanket finish.
"I'm still pinching myself, I don't know if it's a dream or not," Renshaw said. "Coming into the second-last corner, I thought 'I'm in a bit of trouble, I'm too far back,' but I managed to pop onto Robbie's wheel and then I was fighting with Hilton Clarke.
"It kind of went slo-mo for the last 300 meters and I timed it perfect and got the run down the right-hand side," said Renshaw.
McEwen, a winner of three previous criteriums and the record holder in nine editions of the race with 11 stage wins, finished fourth just ahead of Allan Davis.
Despite a significant victory last season in the French race Tro Bro Leon – a tough cobble-strewn classic in Brittany - Renshaw said he was disappointed with his season and fells he hasn’t really lived up to his potential during his spell in Europe so far.
The former track rider added this victory, which has no bearing on the race standings, to his overall win at the Bay Crits series in Melbourne.
The race proper begins with a 155.5km first stage from Mawson Lakes to Tanunda on Wednesday.
Prior to the Down Under Classic, thirty-one of Australia's top women cyclists lined up for race one of the UniSA Women's Criterium Series. Defending champion Jenny MacPherson (Victoria) made it clear she wants the title again with a convincing victory over Emma Mackie (Queensland) after the pair staged a successful escape in the later half of the race.
"I love this race and I love this series," said MacPherson. "When you've got such good feelings about a race it definitely helps to get the results."
Tasmanian Belinda Goss lead home the main field to claim third place. The women's series resumes Wednesday in Tanunda.
