Cycling: Henri Uhlig almost had a perfect start to the 2025 season. The German just missed out on victory in the Tour Down Under Classic this morning. Australian Sam Welsford can be happy about his success. Shortly before the decision, there was a mass crash.
Uhlig only loses against the Australian champion
The peloton is nervous at the start of the season. At the criterium in Adelaide, there was a mass crash in the last corner, involving around ten riders. The Australian escaped unscathed Sam Welsford (RB – Bora – hansgrohe), who had his team working all day long. New professional Albert Withen Philipsen (Lidl – Trek) from Denmark and his Austrian teammate Patrick Conrad attacked first. But the Australians were finally able to pull away seriously Jay Vine (UAE), the Briton Oscar Onlyy (Picnic – PostNL) and the Frenchman Jordan Labrosse (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale). However, the escape attempt failed under the speed dictated by the Raubling racing team. In the sprint for the day's victory, Welsford was finally able to win ahead of the German Henri Uhlig (Alpecin – Deceuninck) and celebrate in the Australian champion jersey on home soil.
Sam Welsford:
"We knew it would be tough to catch the breakaway riders in the final. In the last corner I was pretty close to the barrier. I had little distance, maybe a meter. So I thought: give it everything you've got. I knew that with the descent and a bit of a tailwind it would be difficult to overtake."
Defending champion Stephen Williams is there
Already last year, Sam Welsford (RB – Bora – hansgrohe) is in good shape for the start in his home country. In 2025, the Tour Down Under officially begins on January 21st in Prospect. The highlight of the six-day tour in Australia will once again be Willunga Hill. Before this has to be completed on the fifth stage, however, there are a few undulating stages on the program. The Pound Reserve climb on day three should not be underestimated, nor should Menglers Hill the day before. The punchers probably have the best chances of overall victory. Last year, the Briton was Stephen Williams (Israel – Premier Tech), who will also be competing this time. Luke Plop (Jayco AlUla), Jonathan Narvaez (UAE), Paul Lapeira (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), Oscar Onlyy (Picnic – PostNL) and Finn Fisher Black (RB – Bora – hansgrohe) could be his biggest rivals. Germany’s hopes rest on the mass sprints by Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain-Victorious), Tim Torn Teutenberg (Lidl – Trek) and that Henri Uhlig (Alpecin – Deceuninck).
SAM WELSFORD WINS
When my two favorite guys Sam and Henri battle it out. But of course Sam Welsford dominantly wins the Tour Down Under Criterium. And what is even more special, that in the Australian national champs jersey.
— Lukáš Ronald Lukács (@lucasaganronald) January 18, 2025