Matt Goss took the first win for HTC-Highroad yesterday in the pre-Tour opening criterium race known as The Cancer Council Classic. The 51km route through Adelaide is a traditional prologue criterium for the Tour Down Under. Continuing a strong start to his season, Goss held off fellow team mate and compatriot Mark Renshaw and Robbie McEwan, making it an Aussie 1,2,3 in the charity race.
However it was the crash on the 2nd to last corner that really affected the final standings as the boys on bikes headed into the Tour proper; Henderson was eliminated by the spill that saw two time and defending chamption Andres Greipel out of the running. The expected showdown between hot favourites Greipel and former team mate and sprint rival Mark Cavendish has overshadowed the arrival of seven times Tour De France winner, Lance Armstrong who is racing in his last overseas event. Earlier in the day, Chloe Hosking kicked off the Aussie winning streak with a victory in the womens race.
The 13th edition of the Tour Down Under starts on Tuesday with stage one, a 138km route from Mawson Lakes to Angaston. The fairly flat stage includes one King of the Mountians climb and two intermediate sprints. With a flat run in the last 3km there are sure to be sprinter fireworks as they loop their way into the home stretch.
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