Written by: Justin Davis

ADELAIDE, Australia, Jan 17, 2012 (AFP) – Two-time race champion Andre
Greipel of Germany took the leader’s ochre jersey at the Tour Down Under
Tuesday in a crash-marred start to the season’s opening World Tour race.

Lotto sprinter Greipel, who won the pre-race criterium on Sunday, won a
photo finish decision from veteran Italian sprinter Alessandro Petacchi of
Lampre to set out his stall for a third overall win.

“I am lucky that I won today, there was a massive crash with 800 metres to
go,” said Greipel.

“My pedal got touched, and I lost positions from about fifth to 20th, but I
managed to bridge the gap.”

Now a WorldTour event, the Tour Down Under offers ranking points to
individual riders and their teams. And some believe that led to some erratic
behavior in the lead-up to a dramatic bunch finish.

As several teams jostled in a bid to put their main sprinters in a winning
position ahead of the home straight, one rider’s mistake caused a whole bunch
to hit the deck.

Yet some later claimed that wasn’t the main reason around 15 riders crashed
just under a kilometer from the finish line of the 149 km ride from Prospect
to Clare, during which temperatures were said to have reached 51 degrees
Celsius (124 degrees Fahrenheit).

Australian Matt Goss, hoping to score a first win for his new Australian
team GreenEdge, said he saw some questionable tactics.

“There were no doubt some idiots fighting for position who were going to do
nothing at the finish (line) anyway,” said Goss, the Milan-SanRemo champion
who finished runner-up here last year.

“Some of these guys have no care for what happens to themselves or what
happens to everyone else.”

Briton Adam Blythe also complained of suspect tactics.

“Two Vacansoleil riders caused the crash,” he told AFP.

“To have two teammates causing a crash when they’re not fighting against
each other is just stupid.

“Under-eights racing don’t do that, it’s just ridiculous. They’re not
riding with their eyes closed.”

One of the Vacansoleil riders in question, Kenny Van Hummel, took skin off
his left arm, buttocks and legs after hitting the tarmac.

After his team claimed their two riders had been brought down by another,
unidentified cyclist, Van Hummel said: “Someone came from the left and the
right, I couldn’t react and someone rode me off the bike.

“It was unbelievable.”

Van Hummel said the WorldTour status of the race had perhaps been a factor.

“It’s the first WorldTour race so everybody’s trying to score points, and
everybody wants to show his level and we’re all motivated, but that means
people are taking risks,” he added.

“Some people are trying for the sprint and they don’t yet have the level
for it.”

One rider in particular, veteran Frenchman Frederic Guesdon, was left
uncertain to start Wednesday after he was left with a suspected fractured hip.

Photo: Corvos