**The very first World Tour race of the 2018 Cycling calendar, Stage 1 of the Tour Down Under, was won by the Lotto-Soudal sprinter André Greipel, edging out Michelton-Scott's home favourite Caleb Ewan and World Champion Peter Sagan.**

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It had looked to be Peter Sagan's day, but in the final stretch up to the finish he lost Bora's lead-out man in Sam Bennett due to a slipped chain. André Greipel used Caleb Ewan as a launchpad and sprinted to his first victory of 2018 - an outcome that I would not have predicted prior to the race!

Caleb Ewan has won the first stage for the past 3 years and dominated in the overall World Tour standings too, so it has come as a surprise that the talented Australian didn't win Stage 1.

Everyone knew that the race would come down to a sprint finish, so the breakaway only consisted of 3 riders at the start of the day, with Dimension Data's Nicholas Dlamini, EF Education First-Drapac's Will Clarke and University of South Australia's Scott Bowden. They led by over 5 minutes after just 10km, but Bowden's legs quickly forgave him and 35km left the other two by themselves.

Dlamini picked up the majority of the KOM jersey points but was caught by the peloton with 30km to go, making it very clear that a sprinter would be winning the stage.

Elia Viviani, riding this season for a much less financially strong Quick-Step Floors, did have the best lead-out train going into the sprint, but could not capitalise on his positioning and André Greipel sprinted to victory.

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**Results of Stage 1** (Same as GC):

1 **André Greipel** (GER) | Lotto-Soudal *in 3:50:21*
2 **Caleb Ewan** (AUS) | Michelton-Scott
3 **Peter Sagan** (SVK) | Bora-Hansgrohe
4 **Elia Viviani** (ITA) | Quick-Step Floors
5 **Simone Consonni** (ITA) | UAE Team Emeriates

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