Greipel wins as Armstrong finishes in Tour Down Under

Lance Armstrong was upstaged by defending champion Andre Greipel on the first stage of the Tour Down Under today.

Seven-time Tour de France winner Armstrong, making his comeback after retiring three years ago, finished among the peloton as Greipel took the 140-kilometre stage through South Australia.

Australians Baden Cooke (UniSA) and Stuart O’Grady (Saxo Bank) finished second and third.

“That was tough, and this is the day they said was going to be the easy day,” Armstrong said.

The Texan was greeted at the finish line by Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd.

A time bonus in a sprint means Team Columbia rider Greipel will take an 11-second lead into the second stage (from Hanhdorf to Stirling in the Adelaide Hills) tomorrow.

Home favourite Robbie McEwen hurt his arm after he clipped a spectator’s camera in the sprint home. He may miss stage two with the injury.

German Greipel said his team-mates were keen to make amends after missing out on a victory in the Cancer Council Classic criterium on Sunday.

“Today we tried again and I think we were the strongest team today and I had a really good lead out from everyone. In the end we had good luck on our side,” Greipel said after the race.