So much for ol’ 10 Speed’s predictions for the Tour Down Under.

– Thought it would be less of a sprinter’s race. WRONG. Quick Step sprinter Allan Davis won three stages and the whole darn shooting match.

– Thought 7-time Tour de France winner/cancer crusader Lance Armstrong would be all Lance about it and try to win to make an early statement about his comeback. WRONG. Armstrong did attempt an escape with UniSA’s Jack Bobridge and he led a chase group in Stage 5.

– Thought Columbia was the team to beat. MOSTLY WRONG. I might have been correct if defending champ Andrei Greipel had not been injured in a crash in Stage 2 while wearing the leader’s jersey, though in my pre-TDU prognostication I wasn’t sure if Greipel would repeat because of the faulty non-sprinter logic.

As they say in France and in Quebec, “C’est la vie.”

Three interesting little nuggets from the TDU:

– Matt Wilson, who penned a diary for 10 Speed last year at the Tour de Georgia, finished seventh overall, 39 seconds behind Davis.

– Française des Jeux won the team title … FRANCAISE DES JEUX!!!! Victory was by eight seconds over Caisse d’Eparnge.

– Davis’ victory was on an American bicycle brand — Specialized.

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