Team Garmin-Cervélo wins Tour Down Under!
Cameron Meyer of Australia, riding for the Castelli-equipped Team Garmin-Cervélo team, won the 2011 Santos Tour Down Under race on general classification by two seconds from countryman Matthew Goss (Team HTC-Highroad) while Britain’s Ben Swift (Team Sky) was third overall after winning the final stage.
This is the first overall victory for the 23 year-old Meyer who won his first pro race two days earlier on stage 4. The battle for the overall came down to just a few seconds, some tough riding by the Garmin-Cervélo team helped neutralize the intermediate time bonuses, and the hard-fought final sprint went Meyer’s way.
“I am absolutely shocked but so excited a the same time,” said Meyer. “I just crossed my fingers hoping that Goss didn’t run first or second.” “I’m over the moon and thanks so much to my teammates — I wouldn’t have finished like this without them.”
Santos Tour Down Under – Final GC:
| 1 | Cameron Meyer (Aus) Team Garmin-Cervelo | 17:54:27 | |
| 2 | Matthew Goss (Aus) HTC-Highroad | 0:00:02 | |
| 3 | Ben Swift (GBr) Sky Procycling | 0:00:08 | |
| 4 | Michael Matthews (Aus) Rabobank Cycling Team | 0:00:09 | |
| 5 | Laurens ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team | 0:00:10 | |
| 6 | Francisco Ventoso (Spa) Movistar Team | 0:00:17 | |
| 7 | André Greipel (Ger) Omega Pharma-Lotto | 0:00:26 | |
| 8 | Blel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | ||
| 9 | Allan Davis (Aus) Astana | 0:00:27 | |
| 10 | Luke Roberts (Aus) UNI SA – Australia | 0:00:28 |
A happy Cameron Meyer
Tough riding by the Garmin-Cervélo team helped neutralize the intermediate time bonuses.
Tyler Farrar and Jack Bobridge
Brett Lancaster and Julian Dean
Cameron Meyer
Cameron Meyer
Jack Bobridge and Travis Meyer
Photo: Team Garmin-Cervélo