Tour Down Under: Stage Four - Energy

Cooler, but humid.

The teams ride out of Unley and head to the hills.

Team Crustacean is back. No one noticed they missed five loops yesterday.

They have oodles of energy.

Too-bee-too-be-too! whoops Blue Claw.

La-la-lah, warbles Pinky.

Even Ageless is humming. Hum-hum.

They pass Daryl Impey, who also is humming. Hmm hmm.

And Richie Porte, busy working on his poem.

How's it going? shouts Blue Claw?

Missing YOU! shouts Richie.

That's an even worse rhyme with fishing, thinks Blue Claw.

But he's passed Richie, so has no chance to say it.

Why is Richie Porte missing you? asks Ageless. Have you been collaborating?

No way, says Blue Claw. Our styles are too different.

Richie is left to complete his next line without feedback.

But he is inspired by the Adelaide Hills and the beauty of Stirling and Aldgate.

The beauty of your grasses, fresh with rain

(Richie has invented the rain, poetic licence)

And close by your window the music of pines.

(Richie sneezes. He has not invented the pines).

Luis León Sánchez zooms past, looking for a victory.

He passes Gaius and Humboldt.

There goes Luis León Sánchez, says Gaius. Perhaps he'll win today.

Vello and David ride up.

Gaius! What do snails like? asks Vello.

Gaius is taken aback. Does Vello think he is slacking? He decides to answer in a straightforward manner.

Lettuce, cucumber, dandelion greens and carrots.

Wonderful! says Vello. Dandelion greens. They will serve the purpose.

Vello speeds ahead to catch up with Sweezus.

Dandelion greens, says David. That's made him happy.

Is he hungry? asks Humboldt. What's all this about snails?

Something to plant in Candide's Garden, says David. The young ones devised cruel means to deal with the snails. Crushing and poison. Vello has been trying to think of something snails like.

Very commendable, says Gaius. But it's not like Vello to care about the welfare of snails.

Ha ha, laughs David. That's true. But this is his play. Not his garden.

By now they have arrived at the Corkscrew, and their minds turn from snails.

At the bottom of the Corkscrew, they are some way behind the group sprint to the finish.

So let's watch the group sprint to the finish.

Twenty riders pelt down Montecute Road into Athelstone.

Who is winning? Will it be Luis León Sánchez today?

No. Looks like it won't be. Daryl Impey whizzes past him. Hmmmmm!

And then Patrick Bevan.

Third, Sánchez. Okay.