ProTour Logo

UniSA-Australia's Allan Davis has put a tumultuous 18 months behind him with a strong win in stage 3 of the Tour Down Under. Davis proved strongest in another bunch sprint on a day that closely mirrored the first two.

Credit Agricole's Mark Renshaw put aside yesterday's confusion and disappointment to claim 2nd - enough to see him regain the Ochre's Leader Jersey.

The day kicked off from Unley and after a 14 kilometre neutral zone, the attacks were expected to come thick and fast. The peloton was humming along at over 65 km/h before the tempo drop, allowing again, another trio of riders to break free.

Frenchman Mickael Delage (Francaise Des Jeux), Dane Kjell Carlstrom (Liquigas) and Australian Wesley Sulzberger (UniSA-Australia) were granted permission by the peloton to escape and they had soon built up a sizeable lead.

The three work together well, and by the 33 kilometre mark had increased their gap to over 5 minutes.

Delage protected his team mate, Philippe Gilbert's lead in the KOM by beating Carlstrom and Sulzberger over Sellicks Hill. Although they were working well as a team, the leading three appreciated how valuable the bonus seconds were at the intermediate sprints.

The two sprints were fiercely contested but again saw Delage pip Carlstrom and Sulzberger to the line. With 47 kilometres of racing to go, their lead had increased to 6.30 and it appeared touch-and-go if they would be caught before the finish in Victor Harbor.

With 20 kilometres left to race, the lead had been slashed to just 2.30 as riders had to contend with a strong breeze on the run home. The peloton calculated the catch to perfection, with just 3 kilometres of racing left.

That didn't stop the counter-attacks, with Gilbert and Team CSC's Stuart O'Grady looking to pull off a surprise win. But the peloton, driven at top speed, made sure the sprinters would once again battle for the win.

Afterwards Davis dedicated the win to his UniSA-Australia teammates, the only non-ProTour squad invited to the Tour Down Under. The former Discovery rider however, has had a past 18 months to forget.

Barred from riding the 2006 Tour de France with his then Astana team, Davis has had to contend with much unfair rumour and innuendo about his involvement in Operacion Puerto. 12 months ago, Davis signed with Discovery and after claiming second in Milan-San Remo, his luck looked like it was changing. Of course, his team folded at the end of last season, leaving the likeable Queenslander without a ProTour ride for 2008.

"It's a big relief personally. The boys did a great job in the last couple of kilometres; I'd just like to dedicate this to UniSA." Davis admits they have been through a "roller coaster ride" in the past 18 months, and wants to "stick this right up anyone who has doubted him".

For Renshaw, after the confusion following stage two where he was originally told he had retained the Ochre Jersey only to lose it on a count back to Brown, today was also a day to make amends. The Credit Agricole rider started his sprint far too early in stage 2 and faded into 7th place. Claiming 2nd place to Davis, and more importantly the 6 seconds that comes with it, has leaped frogged him back into the lead.

Stage Results:
1. Allan Davis (Aus) UniSA-Australia 3.13.48
2. Mark Renshaw (Aus) Credit Agricole
3. Mathew Hayman (Aus) Rabobank
4. Davide Vigano (Ita) Quick Step
5. Andre Greipel (Ger) Team High Road
6. Stuart O’Grady (Aus) Team CSC
7. Pieter Jacobs (Bel) Silence-Lotto
8. Aurelien Clerc (Swi) Bouygues Telecom
9. Martin Elmiger (Swi)Ag2R-La Mondiale
10. Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Francaise Des Jeux

General Classification after Stage 3:
1. Mark Renshaw (Aus) Credit Agricole 10.14.00
2. Allan Davis (Aus) UniSA-Australia @ 0.02
3. Andre Greipel (Ger) Team High Road @ 0.06
4. Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank
5. Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne @ 0.10
6. Mickael Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis
7. Mickael Delage (Fra) Francaise Des Jeux
8. Yoann Offredo (Fra) Francaise Des Jeux @ 0.11
9. Matthew Hayman (Aus) Rabobank @ 0.12
10. Kjell Carlstrom (Fin) Liquigas

© Michael Holden