A sprinters’ day on paper still found a way to bite, with three trips over Menglers Hill, a nervous circuit finale, and a descent into Tanunda that kept speeds wickedly high and positioning even higher on the priority list.
In the end, Tobias Lund Andresen timed it perfectly. The Dane surfed the final lead-out battles, latched onto the right wheel when the sprint trains converged, and then hit the front at exactly the moment the favourites hesitated. Stage 1 and the ochre jersey went to the new Decathlon CMA CGM signing, with Matthew Brennan second and Sam Welsford third after a finish that changed shape in the last two kilometres.
“It’s not often you get to wear the leader’s jersey. So enjoy every time I have the opportunity, and also, in a WorldTour race like this is amazing,” Lund Andresen said afterwards.
A cooler start, then instant fireworks
The day began with a rare note of comfort for South Australia in January. Simone Giuliani’s on-the-ground weather check described “a cooler start this morning, with the temperature expected to be in the mid 20s.” Cooler, yes. Easy, no.
From the roll-out, the bunch was restless. A short neutral section did little to calm things down, and once the flag dropped, it took barely 50 metres for Uno-X Mobility to kick the door open.
Early moves, early shut-down, and bonus seconds on everyone’s mind
The first real attempt formed almost immediately as Martin Urianstad attacked and was joined by Guillaume Martin, with Marco Brenner bridging across soon after.
The peloton allowed a small gap, then quickly changed its mind as the first intermediate sprint and its time bonuses approached. UAE took control, Ineos stacked in behind, and the break was reeled in before it could settle.
The intermediate sprint itself brought a reminder that the Tour Down Under is often decided on the finest margins. Defending champion Jhonatan Narvaez positioned well and scooped the three-second bonus with the sprinters largely staying out of trouble.
Break established as Groupama commit
Urianstad went again, and this time the move stuck.
Groupama-FDJ United added force with Enzo Paleni and Guillaume Martin, forming a three-man break that finally gained traction. With Paleni the best placed of the trio on general classification, the virtual lead swung briefly their way as the gap stretched out, forcing Ineos and Visma to keep a watchful tempo rather than fully shutting it down.
Matthew Greenwood tried to bridge in classic home-race fashion, and the crowds in Tanunda responded, flags waving and noise rising as he chased through the finishing straight. But the road tilted, the gap drifted back out, and Greenwood eventually sat up and waited to be collected.
Crash in the peloton and the first test of Menglers Hill
A crash in the bunch brought a jolt of tension, with riders from several teams caught up. The pace reset quickly afterwards, but the mood changed. The fight for the front intensified as the race headed to Menglers Hill for the first time.
The climb itself was not savage, but repeated efforts were enough to drain legs and encourage teams to show their hand. Urianstad claimed the first set of mountain points, then repeated the feat on the second ascent, putting himself firmly on course for the climber’s jersey.
Between climbs, the descent and exposed roads kept the bunch stretched and wary. There were moments when the wind threatened to turn the stage into something messier, with teams fanned diagonally across the road to protect their leaders.
The bell lap and the slow squeeze
As the break took the bell to start the final lap, the gap began to shrink in a controlled, deliberate way.
Visma and Ineos shared the workload, both committed to a sprint finish. The calculation was clear. Catch the break too early and invite chaos. Leave it too late and risk a late survivor.
A third intermediate sprint offered Guillaume Martin one final opportunity to claw back seconds, and he took it before sitting up and slipping back into the bunch.
Final ascent and the last survivor caught
On the third and final ascent of Menglers Hill, the elastic finally snapped.
Urianstad took maximum points again, Paleni stayed with him over the top, and then the move fractured. Paleni pushed on alone, briefly holding a slender advantage as the peloton accelerated into the descent at extreme speed.
The solo effort was always on borrowed time. Paleni was caught with seven kilometres to go, and instantly the bunch reorganised into a full-scale fight for the final three kilometres.
Sprint trains collide in Tanunda
Once the break was neutralised, the run-in became a rolling battle for the best side of the road.
Soudal Quick-Step moved up for Alberto Dainese. Alpecin came forward. EF massed. Ineos tried to reassert control for Welsford, with Sam Watson shepherding him through the chaos. Brennan was briefly held up as the road narrowed and positions shuffled, forcing Visma to react.
Inside the final kilometre, Decathlon slipped into place with quiet precision. When the sprint opened, they were exactly where they needed to be.
Lund Andresen launched and held it to the line. Brennan came through for second. Welsford had to settle for third, unable to fully unwind after the late reshuffles.
“I think you need to be a little bit stupid to be a sprinter and enjoy this kind of finish,” Lund Andresen said. “But today, we managed to pull it off.”
Men’s Tour Down Under Stage 1 result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Main photo credit: Getty
