Caleb Ewan won the criterium prelude to the Tour Down Under for the fourth time in five years on Sunday.
Ewan unleashed his powerful sprint at just the right time to easily win the 51 kilometer race over 30 laps of a street circuit in downtown Adelaide.
Elia Viviani was second and his compatriot and Cofidis teammate Simone Consonni was third.
Light rain made the circuit treacherous in places and some of the leading riders took a conservative approach, saving themselves for the tour proper that begins Tuesday with the first of six stages in the countryside around Adelaide.
WOW. CALEB EWAN WINS!
After sitting at the back for half the race, Ewan finishes a mile in front ??#tourdownunder pic.twitter.com/npFUkZ71qO
— 7Sport (@7Sport) January 19, 2020
Schwalbe Classic 2020 results (Adelaide – Adelaide):
| 1 | Caleb Ewan (Lotto Soudal) | 1:04:29 |
| 2 | Elia Viviani (Cofidis) | ,, |
| 3 | Simone Consonni (Cofidis) | ,, |
| 4 | Japser Philipsen (UAE Team Emirates) | ,, |
| 5 | Kristoffer Halvorsen (EF Pro Cycling) | ,, |
| 6 | Alberto Dainese (Team Sunweb) | ,, |
| 7 | Michael Mørkøv (Deceuninck-Quick-Step) | ,, |
| 8 | Sam Welsford (Australia) | ,, |
| 9 | Christopher Lawless (Team Ineos) | ,, |
| 10 | Giacomo Nizzolo (NTT) | ,, |
