Cycling: Australian Sam Welsford wins first victory of the season at the Tour Down Under

Australian Sam Welsford won the first victory of the 2024 cycling season by winning the first stage of the Tour Down Under in a sprint on his native island on Tuesday in Tanunda, near Adelaide.

Welsford, who turns 28 on Friday, has had the perfect debut with his new team Bora-Hansgrohe, which he joined this winter after two seasons at DSM.

He was half a wheel ahead of the German Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain) and the Eritrean Biniam Girmay (Intermarché) to bag the sixth success of his career and take control of the general classification.

“First race with the guys and they supported me 100% and in the end I win. I am euphoric,” commented the Australian who managed to avoid numerous falls in a very nervous finale.

Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe, former double world champion, had to change bikes during the stage and make a big effort to get back up before finishing 98th in the stage, in the same time as the winner.

Ranking of the 1st stage

1. Sam Welsford (AUS/BOH) 144 km and 3 h 25:56 (average: 42.1 km/h)

2. Phil Bauhaus (GER/TBV) m.t.

3. Biniam Girmay (ERI/IWA) m.t.

4. Caleb Ewan (AUS/JAY) m.t.

5. Jhonatan Narváez (ECU/IGD) m.t.

General classification

1. Sam Welsford (AUS/BOH) 3h 25:46

2. Phil Bauhaus (GER/TBV) à 4.

3. Biniam Girmay (ERI/IWA) 6.

4. Corbin Strong (NZL/IPT) 7.

5. Georg Zimmerman (GER/IWA) 7.