"I’m shaking my head here" - Frustration for Sam Welsford on BORA - hansgrohe debut at Down Under Classic
Cycling
It wasn't to be for Sam Welsford on his debut for BORA - hansgrohe at the Down Under Classic this Saturday. The Aussie sprinter having to settle for 15th on the day.
“We did what we could. There was, I would say, six teams not present [in the chase] that had a sprinter on the start line, so the question remains why they didn’t ride, why they didn’t help," BORA - hansgrohe sports director, Bernie Eisel told GCN post-race. “We did what we could, then ran out of people. Well played by the other teams but then you also have to bring it to the line, and if they are happy to sprint for seventh, then… There’s always a first in the Down Under Classic, and that’s never happened before, so a very strange race I would say.”
Riding in front of his home crowd, Welsford would have had big expectations of an early success. Now though, there is arguably added pressure on the 27-year-old heading into the Tour Down Under. “We have our strategy and we stick to that plan. If they continue being happy just finishing seventh and let the break get to the finish, then let it be, but we do our plan. I have to say it’s a little bit frustrating, I’m shaking my head here, because it was an hour effort, everybody was waiting to start the season. I’ve never seen it before,” Eisel continues.
Nevertheless, he remains optimistic with his views of the Welsford leadout train. “We see it here, they’re all still here,” he concludes. “They know they didn’t do anything wrong, they didn’t do anything wrong and they’re happy with the outcome and their work as a team. If there’s no help from other teams, that’s the outcome of the race.”
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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🇦🇺 #TourDownUnder Leading the chase 🚂
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