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Welsford wins third stage as Narvaez takes out Tour Down Under / Photo: © AFP
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Welsford wins third stage as Narvaez takes out Tour Down Under
Australia's Sam Welsford powered to his third stage win as Ecuador's Jhonatan Narvaez safely negotiated the final stage Sunday to win the UCI World Tour season-opening Tour Down Under in Adelaide.
Welsford, once again well positioned by his lead-out Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe teammate Danny van Poppel, dashed to the front at the end of the 20-lap 90km street circuit to beat Frenchman Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) and Germany's Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious).
Narvaez, who only had to finish safely in the sixth and final stage of the 830.6km race, crossed in 31st place after narrowly avoiding a multi-bike pile-up inside the final lap.
It ensured that Narvaez (UAE Team Emirates) finished as the overall race winner by nine seconds from Spain's Javier Romo (Movistar Team) to become the first winner of the Tour Down Under from Ecuador.
"Finally we can enjoy it," Narvaez said. "Today's stage was one of the hardest of the week because we were not really safe.
"It's not easy when 150 guys are trying to go around the one corner at 70kmh, it's dangerous, but that's cycling and we saved the day."
It is Narvaez's first World Tour race victory and caps an unforgettable week when he seized the ochre leader's jersey with a memorable storming finish up Willunga Hill to beat the best climbers in Saturday's penultimate stage.
"This is really big. It means a lot for me and it's my first year with this team and a start like this is awesome," he said, after going one better than last year's runner-up behind Welshman Stephen Williams.
It was also a memorable Tour Down Under for Welsford. Three stage wins making it six overall -- and he even fell off his bike twice during the race.
"The boys were so good today, they took control in the end," said Welsford, who also took out the sprint classification from Coquard.
It capped a special day for Welsford, who along with his Australian pursuit teammates, was awarded with the Medal of the Order of Australia for securing an Olympic gold medal last year in world record time.
Dutchman van Poppel, so instrumental in Welsford's tour success with his outstanding lead-out rides, praised his teammate.
"He's amazing. He's so strong and the sprint was perfect, I'm so super happy that Sam won," he said.
Fergus Browning (ARA Australian Team) claimed the King of the Mountain classification from Swiss Mauro Schmid (Team Jayco Alula).
J.Peterson--SFF
