Peter Sagan: I didn’t expect to climb like that

Adelaide : On its 20th birthday, the Tour Down Under has a stage win by a world champion. The new finish into Uraidla Friday afternoon promised to shake up the race and duly delivered. The stage finish is sure to go down as an all-time highlight due to the exploits of Peter Sagan.

The new finish, via the category 1 Norton Summit climb, was a stage that had no outright favourite. Predictions were mixed, with riders and sports directors alike suggesting the result could go the way of a climber or a puncheur, but with no one discounting Sagan.

On the climb up Norton Summit, BMC Racing drilled the pace to thin the field but couldn’t shake Sagan. The ascent was just seconds slower than when they raced up Norton Summit two years ago. Over the top of the climb, Richie Porte (BMC Racing) and George Bennett (LottoNL-Jumbo) led the attacks and briefly got clear before Sagan made his counter-attack with 3.5 kilometres to race.

Despite being reeled in by the 34-rider group in his wake, Sagan then finished off his early work with a canny sprint finale to take the win ahead of a charging Daryl Impey. With victory came the race leader’s ochre jersey.

“It was a really tough day. It was really hot and when we came to the bottom of the last climb, it was not about pain or legs,” Sagan said after his finishing his podium duties as stage winner, race leader and holder of the points jersey.

“It was a really strange feeling. I didn’t expect I could climb like that in this period.”