Andre Greipel still writing Tour Down Under history books

ANDRE Greipel's Tour Down Under legend status continued as he extended the race's stage wins record with his 100th professional victory.

ANDRE Greipel's Tour Down Under legend status continued as he extended the race's stage wins record with his 100th professional victory yesterday.

In a typically exciting climax to the 15th edition of the TDU, Blanco's Australian sprinter Mark Renshaw blind-sided the German with less 100m to go before the King William Rd finish line.

The German watched Renshaw's wheel overtake arguably the planet's most explosive sprinter before Greipel used what he described as power from "Mother Nature'' to earn his 14th TDU stage victory record  and his third stage win over the six stage race this year.

"It was nearly the same scenario like last year,'' Greipel said. "I don't know if he (Renshaw) had my wheel but he surprised me a bit. But yeah I had some power left to pass him again. I think he did a really long fast sprint even our lead out was really fast of course it was fun what he did.''  

SA has been a remarkable stomping ground for Greipel after the Lotto-Belisol star sprinter
claimed a prologue win eight days ago in the People's Choice Classic.

It was his third TDU prologue victory since telling the world the SA race "had made him'' when he claimed two overall crowns in his six exciting visits to SA.

Greipel has vowed to return to Adelaide next year after equalling Robbie McEwen's 12 stage wins record on Tuesday at Lobethal.

He claimed his 13th win at Tanunda on Friday before sealing victory on the Adelaide City Council Street Circuit yesterday.

STAGE 6 RESULTS

1. Andre Greipel (LTB, GER) 1h52m59s

2. Mark Renshaw (BLA, AUS) st

3. Edvald Boasson Hagen (SKY, NOR) st

4. Matt Goss (GEC, AUS) st

5. Tyler Farrar (GRM, USA) st

6. Geraint Thomas (SKY, GBR) st

7. Klaas Lodewyck (BMC, BEL) st

8. Barry Markus (VCD, NED) st

9. Yauheni Hutarovich (ALM, BLR) st

10. Kenny Van Hummel (VCD, NED) st

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION

1. Tom-Jelte Slagter (BLA, NED) 18h28m32s

2. Javier Moreno (MOV, ESP) at 17s

3. Geraint Thomas (SKY, GBR) at 25s

4. Ion Izaguirre (EUS, ESP) at 32s 

5. Ben Hermans (RAD, BEL) at 34s

6. Wilco Kelderman (BLA, NED) at 34s

7. Gorka Izaguirre (EUS, ESP) at 36s

8. Daniele Pietropolli (LAM, ITA) at 36s

9. Tiago MacHado (RAD, POR) at 38s

10. Jussi Veikkanen (FDJ, FIN) at 41s.

SPRINT CLASSIFICATION

1. Geraint Thomas (SKY, GBR) 46 pts

2. Andre Greipel (LTB, GER) 45

3. Tom-Jelte Slagter (BLA, NED) 41

4. Javier Moreno (MOV, ESP) 37

5. Mark Renshaw (BLA, AUS) 36.

KING OF THE MOUNTAIN

1. Javier Moreno (MOV, ESP) 22 pts

2. Jack Bobridge (BLA, AUS) 20 2

3. Geraint Thomas (SKY, GBR) 16

4. Simon Gerrans (GEC, AUS) 16

5. Eros Capecchi (MOV, ITA) 16.

TEAM CLASSIFICATION

1. RADIOSHACK LEOPARD TREK 55h27m54s

2. MOVISTAR TEAM at 1m9s

3. LOTTO-BELISOL at 4m

4. BLANCO PRO CYCLING TEAM at 5m14s

5. EUSKALTEL-EUSKADI at 5m34s 5.

REPLAY our live coverage of the final stage of the Tour Down Under below