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0 On the streets of Tanunda, Olympic medallist Sam Welsford launched his claim to be Australia’s leading fast-man, outsprinting Caleb Ewan (Jayco-AlUla) and last year’s opening victor Phil Bahuas (Bahrain-Victorious) to victory at Tour Down Under’s first stage and taking the overall lead.
It was a messy finale as the sprint trains began jostling early at the pointy end of Tuesday’s stage, but it was the patient and organised lead-out train of Bora-Hansgrohe that delivered Sam Welsford to pole position, unleashing the West Australian with only a few hundred metres to the line.
“We were lucky enough to stay safe and really be patient leading into the final. We knew it was a bit of a headwind, so we didn’t want to be on the front too early,” Welsford said.
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Earlier, Welsford made it clear he was all too aware of what was on offer for today’s victor, as the dual-Olympian sat, a picture of calm, casually going about his preparation ahead of the stage he would eventually win, the West Australian admitted he was anything but calm.
“Yeah, I’m pretty f—ing hyped. I really wanna get out there and, you know, give the sprint a really good crack,” he said.
“I think, you know, the sprinter that wins today, you can be in the (leaders) jersey, which is also a super nice bonus, and the boys are really hyped and really motivated”.
The intensity for victory was evident from the sprinter, signing onto a new team for 2024, taking up a role that shoulders a singular purpose – stage wins.
Tuesday’s victory was significant for the German squad, the win solidifying Bora-Hansgrohe’s decision to sign the West Australian for the next two years, especially after casting aside multiple Tour de France stage winner-Sam Bennett. It’s also a decision praised by Welsford’s lead-out man Danny Van Poppel, who believes the sprinter can become one of the greats of the sport.
“He can be the new big sprinter,” he said.
“It’s a little dream that comes through, we are waiting for a powerhouse like him and, uh, yeah, he’s just riding two years on world tour level.
“He’s an animal and I believed in him and the whole team”.
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While the West Australian is forging a successful career on the road, accumulating more victories in each consecutive season as pro, you’d be mistaken thinking the soon to be 28-year-old is content with his road racing ambitions, but it’s clear the dual Olympian can’t shake his desire for an Olympic gold.
“I think it’d be nice to try to have another crack at the team pursuit,” he said.
“Get that gold medal, it’s the one I don’t have.
“The track’s super important to me. I grew up doing it and you know, I’ve been to two Olympic cycles so to do one more I think it’s the kind of icing on the cake and my track career.”
Welsford’s pathway to the Olympics will see him take to the Giro D’Italia start line in May followed by a balanced calendar, aimed at catering to both road and the track, which he believes complement one another.
“I think it also brings a lot to my sprinting on the road, you know, that leg speed, that bunch awareness and that sprint mindset when you are, you know, shoulder to shoulder with, you know, two laps to go into a scratch race on the track,” Welsford said.
“But I think it’s a lot of preparation races we have to do. Still got some eyes on some of the classics, in Belgium. And then, yeah, all eyes may be on the Olympics after that.”
