From Tour Down Under to Wellington tour

Jan 28th, 10.  1st and 2nd place getters in yesterday's opening stage of the Trust House Cycling Classic have only just completed the 800km pro-tour event the Santos Tour Down Under in Adelaide.

Matthews (Jayco Skins) congratulates McDonald (Drapac Porsche) ©RoadCycling.co.nz

In Adelaide Peter McDonald and Michael Matthews were racing for the same team, UniSA.  

Throughout the six stage tour, which finished on Sunday, the team raced aggressively and were represented in almost every early break.

McDonald had his turn out the front in the first break of the sweltering 40 degree stage 3 to Stirling.  

Like all but one break during the tour, his group was swallowed by the peloton before they could do damage to the overall results, but McDonald's consistent performance saw him finish well in 30th place 1m47s behind winner Andre Greipel.  

McDonald, the 2009 Australian Road Champion, was the best placed of the UniSA team with Matthews finishing a little further back in 82nd place.

Matthews had his early season results a few weeks earlier when he won the bronze medal at the Scody Australian National Championships in the U23 category.  (Malcolm Rudolph, who placed 3rd here in Wellington yesterday, won the silver.)

The Santos Tour Down Under is known as a sprinters tour whereas the Trust House Cycle Classic is more a climbers tour but McDonald told RoadCycling.co.nz the 800km warm-up definitely helped his form.

"It helps bring me up and have the legs for this tour. I wasn't sure if I'd either be tired or going well, and I'm going well," said the defending champion.

McDonald (Drapac Porsche)  is starting today's stage 2 of the Trust House Cycle Classic in the leader's yellow jersey while Matthews (Jayco Skins) is wearing the white U23 leader's jersey.

Leader's jerseys after Stage 1

l-r U23 - Michael Matthews, KOM - Lachlan Norris, Overall - Peter McDonald, Sprint - Jay Thompson

Related articles on the Trust House Cycle Classic

• Full results
• Team lists
• Torckler crowned Trust House Tour Champion
• Fast paced stage sets Torckler up for final tour defence
• Sprint Ace wins stage but Kiwi retains yellow
• Attacks expected in Trust House tour today
• Torckler gives Kiwis something to cheer about
• From Tour Down Under to Wellington tour
• Defending champion stakes his claim
• Summit fun on Rimutaka Hill
• Five NZ champions for Trust House tour
• Kiwi Aussie showdown looming
• Defending champion back for Trust House tour