JENS VOIGT
Jens started his 2018 season Down Under and is revelling in how good the race was
Our race columnist on the latest events
The Tour Down Under provides some tough and fast racing. Look at this year's results: a grand tour rider like Richie Porte was tied for time with a puncheur like Daryl Impey
Just like a lot of the riders, my season started with the Santos Tour Down Under in Australia. Again there is no way around our reigning world champion, Peter Sagan. The first time we saw him was in the pre-TDU criterium, so it’s not the biggest race, but he still won his very first race of 2018. He beat Greipel, Ewan and Viviani, so there was nothing small about the competition. He is not into holding back or playing it safe; he is at the race and he wants to win or at least be spectacular. I simply love him.
The next great thing to watch was the return of André Greipel to his old strength and speed, with his two stage wins. He’s now got a total of 18 stage wins in the Santos Tour Down Under. I thought after last year that Caleb Ewan would one day overtake Greipel in career wins at that race, but Greipel has made that task more difficult. Ewan won four last year, but he did break through and win the uphill sprint in Stirling in fashionable style. That was followed by a stage win for Elia Viviani. Add that to one by Sagan, and four sprinters won a stage this year – it seemed that the competition was much closer.
That looks promising for the rest of the season. Some great battles will be fought between them once we add Mark Cavendish and Marcel Kittel to the bunch. It will be game on for them and thrilling to watch for us.
It was the 20th anniversary of the Tour Down Under, and I’ve participated in different ways in 16 or 17, either as a rider or a TV pundit. I have seen this race grow and it is one of the best-organised races in the world. It’s second to none and a few European organisers could learn a thing or two from the Aussies. In terms of safety, publicity, crowds, TV coverage, sponsor awareness and making life as convenient as possible for the riders and teams, it’s one of the best races to do. It’s a real team effort by a lot of people, with the support of the South Australia government. But we also have to thank Mike Turtur, the race founder and organiser. He’s not only won an Olympic gold medal (back in 1984), he’s also built this race into what it is since 1999.
The Tour Down Under provides some tough and fast racing every year. Look at this year’s results: a grand tour rider and great climber like Richie Porte was tied for time with a puncheur/sprinter type of rider in Daryl Impey. They are so different but they both had the same time after six days, leaving it to bonus seconds or the accumulated numbers of placings at each stage. How much closer and exciting can it be?
I cannot express my joy enough to see Porte and Alejandro Valverde coming back in style with such impressive wins, too. Porte won his annual stage on Willunga Hill, while Valverde won two stages and the Tour of Valencia GC. The last time we saw both riders was when they crashed out in last year’s Tour de France. Welcome back, boys – you made me smile with relief. You can see that both riders are fighters. I’m so excited for the rest of the season now – I feel like a real fanboy.