By a hair

So after all the ranting about how this year's edition is too hard for the pre-season, nothing seems to be breaking up the now-familiar shape of the TDU. As usual, there are only a few seconds covering the first placings, with sprinters Davis and Brown 5 clicks ahead of local hero O'Grady.

Word on the street is that organisers were a little stung by the accusations that last year's tour was a little easy, evidenced by Greipel's dominant sprinting display. To make up for it, and no doubt hoping to impress their new protour overlords, the course was 'toughened', adding countless hill drags, a double up Willunga and that stage 2 uphill sprint finish. Even the wind has been called in to break things up a little, but to no (real) avail. All we've had are a weary peleton, some suicide breaks and more sprint finishes. 

So is there any way to change the shape of the TDU? Is it cursed to become just another flat mans warm-up, much like the Qatar slug-fest starting next weekend? I hope not. Adelaide has some hills, and a few of the stages have shown promise - though perhaps making them shorter and sharper might do more for the riders and encourage the escapes.

Still anyone's game today (except poor Greipel) so lets see some fightin.