Tour Down Under 2020: Bennett sprints to first ochre jersey

The 1st stage of the Tour Down Under comes down to a sprint finish with Sam Bennett taking the spoils. Young Jasper Philipsen finishes in second and Erik Baska in third. Obviously, Bennett is the first race leader. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 1st stage Tour Down Under

1. Sam Bennett (irl)
2. Jasper Philipsen (bel) s.t.
3. Erik Baska (slo) s.t.
4. Elia Viviani (ita) s.t.
5. André Greipel (ger) s.t.
6. Kristofer Halvorsen (nor) s.t.
7. Caleb Ewan (aus) s.t.
8. Marc Sarreau (fra) s.t.
9. Sam Welsford (aus) s.t.
10. Alberto Dainese (ita) s.t.

GC

1. Sam Bennett (irl)
2. Jasper Philipsen (bel) + 0.04
3. Erik Baska (slo) + 0.06
4. Daryl Impey (rsa) + 0.07
5. Jarrad Drizners (aus) + 0.07
6. Chris Lawless (GBr) + 0.08
7. Dylan Sunderland (aus) + 0.08
8. Nathan Haas (aus) + 0.09
9. Michael Storer (aus) + 0.09
10. Elia Viviani (ita) + 0.10

Race report
After roughly one hour in the saddle Daryl Impey wins the first intermediate sprint. The title defender gains 3 bonus seconds ahead of Chris Lawless and Nathan Haas.

Four riders are not waiting around and slip away. Joey Rosskopf, Jarrad Drizners, Dylan Sunderland and Michael Storer are the first attackers on this year’s UCI WorldTour. They race to a maximum lead of 4 minutes.

Drizners scoops the second intermediate sprint ahead of Sunderland and Storer. Rosskopf is the last attacker to be brought back inside the last 35 kilometers.

The race boils down to a close sprint finish. Bennett outguns Philipsen, while Baska finishes in third.

Another interesting read: route 1st stage Tour Down Under 2020.