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Crashes cause chaos at Tour Down Under One cyclist is in hospital, several others are bloodied and debate is raging after the chaotic finish to stage two in the Tour Down Under. New race leader Robbie McEwen and race director Mike Turtur had sharply-divided opinions on what caused the carnage inside the last 4km of the 146km stage from Tailem Bend to Mannum on the Murray River. McEwen was blaming gravel on the road but Turtur fiercely disagreed and put it down to the frenetic jockeying for position ahead of the high-speed sprint finish. Link: http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-sport/crashes-cause-chaos-at-tour-down-under-20110119-19wfa.html Cavendish crashes as Swift swoops at Tour Down Under Team Sky sprinter Ben Swift claimed his first major win of the season after surviving the crash-marred finale to the second stage of the Tour Down Under. British tyro Swift on Wednesday was one of the few sprinters to emerge unhindered in the final few hundred metres of the 146-kilometre stage from Tailem Bend to Mannum after a series of late spills caused mayhem in the peloton. Swift finished ahead of Australian pair Robbie McEwen (RadioShack), in second, and Rabobank's Graeme Brown, who was third. McEwen took the overall race leader's ochre jersey from overnight leader Matthew Goss, who slipped to second overall with Swift moving up to third. Link: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jBGfocRaumThFsmICSKHKD8GYq1w?docId=CNG.6d766131923947fefa8d4cd43080b5e0.8d1 Cav to Carry on Down Under Despite suffering cuts and bruises following a crash on stage two of the Tour Down Under, Isle of Man cyclist Mark Cavendish is vowing to carry on at the first race of his season. He came off in one of several crashes during the closing moments of the day - this one was 4 kilometres from the finish line. Link: http://www.manxradio.com/newsread.aspx?id=49718 Bloody Cavendish hopes to ride on A GOOD night's rest will determine if Mark Cavendish continues to race today after being involved in a sickening pile-up that claimed Tasmania's Bernie Sulzberger at the end of a helter-skelter finish to yesterday's stage. Cavendish, the winner of 15 stages at the Tour de France, sustained deep lacerations above and below his left eye and extensive skin abrasions and road rash in a fall about 4km from the finish that also brought down HTC-HighRoad teammate and race leader Matt Goss and Team Sky's Chris Sutton. Link: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/bloody-cavendish-hopes-to-ride-on/story-e6frg7mf-1225991339331 Cavendish down but not out after horror fall Mark Cavendish will ride on in the Tour Down Under despite requiring stitches in his face following a crash at the end of Stage Two. The Manx Missile suffered a sickening fall when jostling for position for the finish into Mannum and crossed the line with blood streaming from a facial wound, as well as scrapes to his legs and arms. He was treated for his injuries and emerged to say he will sign in for Thursday's stage. Link: http://www.espn.co.uk/cycling/sport/story/68651.html Clean up the carnage, says McEwen TOUR Down Under race leader Robbie McEwen has called for roads to be cleared of loose debris and gravel to help avoid the carnage that marred yesterday's finale, in which more than a dozen riders were victims of three crashes over the last four kilometres. Yesterday's stage from Tailem Bend to Mannum on the banks of the Murray River was won by British sprinter Ben Swift (Sky) from McEwen (RadioShack) and fellow Australian Graeme Brown (Rabobank). McEwen, who was third overall to Australian Matt Goss (HTC-Highroad) before the stage began, took the overall leader's ochre jersey with his second place yesterday. He is on equal time with Goss and Swift overall, but his first place was given on a countback on stage places. Link: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cycling/clean-up-the-carnage-says-mcewen-20110119-19wo6.html Official blames 'fierce sprinting' for crashes Tour Down Under race director Mike Turtur angrily played down suggestions on Wednesday that poor course planning caused a series of crashes during a dramatic second stage finale. Tour de France sprint king Mark Cavendish was among around a dozen riders caught up in at least three crashes inside the final five kilometres of the 146 km stage from Tailem Bend to Mannum. Young Australian Bernard Sulzberger was ruled out of the race after he suffered a broken collarbone and compatriot Chris Sutton, of Team Sky, is uncertain to start Thursday after suffering a knee injury. Link: http://supersport.com/cycling/international/news/110119/Official_blames_fierce_sprinting_for_crashes Swift avoids crashes to take stage Team Sky's Ben Swift took the honours on a crash-heavy second stage of the Tour Down Under from Tailem Bend to Mannum. Swift capitalised on a chaotic final four kilometres, which saw a number of riders sustain cuts and bruises in a succession of crashes, to claim victory. At least a dozen riders, including HTC-Colombia's sprint king Mark Cavendish, were left nursing injuries, with Bernard Sulzberger (Fly V Australia) thought to have suffered the worst with a suspected broken collarbone. Link: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/19012011/58/swift-avoids-crashes-stage.html Swift lives up to his name at Tour Down Under Britain’s Ben Swift gave the Sky Procycling team victory in the second stage of Australia’s Tour Down Under after crashes near the finish skittled some of the top sprinters. Robbie McEwen, from Lance Armstrong’s RadioShack team, took second and jumped atop the general classification. Fellow Australian Graeme Brown took third for the Rabobank squad. McEwen, 38, was third in Tuesday’s first stage, which was won by Australia’s Matthew Goss, an HTC Highroad rider and among those who went down. Link: http://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/other/article859574.ece/Swift-lives-up-to-his-name-at-Tour-Down-Under Tour Down Under 2011 winds through Adelaide Hills The riders are travelling along the 146km route which finishes at Mannum about 2.40pm. Enjoying a coffee at Millie's bakery in Nairne, Martin and Kathy Mason, of Sydney, said they were having as much fun during the Tour Down Under as they did when they travelled to Europe for the Tour de France several years ago. "This is a great race, I have only been to Adelaide on business and you do not realise these beautiful towns are here," Mr Mason said. Link: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/in-depth/tour-down-under-2011-winds-through-adelaide-hills/story-e6freawu-1225991045873
