January 25, 2013

BMC Holds Fulcrum and Lanterne Rouge After Stage 4

The French cyclist, Amaël Moinard, seen in 2008.

The BMC club now holds the Point d’Appui and the Lanterne Rouge of the 2013 Tour Down Under. Amaël Moinard of BMC, who shared the cusp after Stage 3, sits atop the Point d’Appui after Stage 4. Moinard is 7 minutes and 55 seconds behind the leader, Geraint Thomas, and slightly more than 21 minutes ahead of the Lanterne Rouge, Martin Kohler, also of BMC.

Moinard had a very good year in 2008, finishing 15th in the Tour de France, but he has since seen his star dim a bit.

On the Stage 4 competition, William Bonnet of FDJ finished at the fulcrum spot, while André Greipel of Lotto Belisol racked up another stage win to become all-time leader in number of stages won at the Tour Down Under.

Another rider abandoned the tour, Nathan Haas of Garmin Sharp, leaving the field with 129.

January 24, 2013

Another Abandon Leaves Race Down Under Without Fulcrum

Amael Moinard of BMC and Stuart O’Grady of Orica GreenEdge shared the cuspides for general classification after Stage 3 of the Tour Down Under. Moinard finished 65th and O’Grady 66th, both with a time of 7 minutes and 55 seconds behind the leader of the race, Geraint Thomas.

An abandon by Timothy Duggan of Saxobank brought the number of riders to 130. Simone Stortoni, who held the Point d’Appui after Stage 2, fell back to 75th place. Moinard’s teammate, Martin Kohler, holds the Lanterne Rouge after Van Popple moved up 10 places.