Hello and welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of the Santos Tour Down Under. Today marks the official start to the 2013 WorldTour season with Stage 1 from Prospect to Lobethal. I'm Alex Malone and I will be calling the race as the riders cov♒er the lumpy 135km route. Get involved in the conversation by using the hashtag #cntdu on Twitter or tweet to me @alexjmalone. Coverage will begin just before the start of today's stage.

Goodmorning and welcome to live coverage of Stage 1 at the Santos Tour Down Under. All the riders have signed on and we are just a few minut♏es away from the start.

The ri♐ders will have a short 5.4km neutral race start before the flag is dropped.

Today's stage to Lobethal features one KOM and three intermediate sprints. The first real heart-starter is the short and sharp climb of Checker Hill. Stuart O'Grady (Orica GreenEdge) gave his ꦅopinion of the climb earlier in the week and said "It never gets any easier". 

 You can read O'Grady's stage preview here.

Looking at the strength of the Lotto Belisol train during the 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:People's Choice Classic makes their sprinter Andre Greipel a huge favourite for today. A number of the riders were wearing skinsuits ▨at the start.

There's less than 2 minutes remaining for the start and all the riders are getting themselves o𝔍n the start line. It will be a nervous wait for many of the riders this morning.

It's expected to reach a top of 29 degrees today however, the harsh Ad𒁏elaide sun and clear blues skies will make it difficult for some of the riders coming from colder climates.

The bunch has rolled out for the start of a 5.4km neutral. Once the flag is dropped the attacks will come thick anꦏd fast.

It's not a flat run to the first KOM point. The race route heads uphill for the first 20km. This will suit those riders looking to enter the🔯 early breakaway.

Speaking of early breakaway, what🦄's the bet a rider fr♓om UniSA attacks once the flag is dropped?

UniSA's Zak Dempster went away wi🍨th Jens Voigt on the opening lap of the warm-up criterium so perhaps it's soওmeone else who will be given the nod.

Orica GreenEdge are using their sไponsored Suburu vehicle and forgot to install a race radio. Th🎃ey are trying to figure something out while on the road.

The Australian ProTeam has the benefit of being the 'home team' while the remaining teams are using the race vehicles - ꦉsupplied by Skoda𓂃.

The bunch is still cruising through the neutral zone as a number of team♑ cars have already ♏been called to the back of the bunch.

The race has officially started with 132 riders. The bunch is missing Garmin Sharp's Rohan Dennis. 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Dennis has been diagnosed with a virཧ♓al infection and had already missed the criterium.

A break of three has attacked the bunch wit🐈h four more riders in pursuit. Numbers coming...

The bunch is all back toge🥂ther as the pace has really increased. 

Jordan Kerby (UniSA) has attacked the peloton. ꦅHe's currently out there on his own.

Kerby is coming into the race with excellent condition having just won the 168澳洲✃5最新开奖结果:U-23 Australian national road race championships.

The young Queenslander also took out the opening prologue at the 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Jayco Herald Sun Tour. He had planned to fly to Europe shortly af🌊ter the championships but TDU cꦛhanged all of that.

Kerby remains out front solo and is being followed by Shimano neutral service. His gap has extended to over 50 seconds. There has been no reaction from the bunch yet.&🌜nbsp;

Race officials are being generous today as the ex💝pected temperature will reach approximately 30 degrees. Feeding from the cars will begin at 20km and finish just 10km from the end of the stage.

Kerby has reꦡally pushed his lead in the first few kilometres. He is nearly 3 minutes ahead of the bunch with less than 10km covered. ꦓIt looks like he could be out on his own for a while.

Wondering who is Jordan Kerby? He will be out front for quite at while at this rate so read about his early part of the year and how his 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:spot in the UniSA team for Down Under has confirmed his talent to the world.

Kerby will a short section of downhill soon before heading back up over the next 10km. The first 20km are really a slow drag uphil෴l, climbing approximately 400m.

Kerby signed for th🌺e Danish registered Christina Watches-Onfone team in late 2012 an♛d will join his new teammates after Tour Down Under.

Kerby should easily make it to the ဣfirst KOM point at Checker Hill as his time gap to the main peloton has blown out to nearl🥀y 5 minutes.

He's asked for his team car to come up, probably for some advi𝄹ce from team director Dave Sanders. It's a long way to the finish but Kerby may aim to get the first and only KOM points of the day and then wait for the peloton.

To wear the KO⛦M leader's jersey in tomorrow's s🐎tage would be another great achievement for the Kerby.

Kerไby is definitely pushing hard. His lead has been extended to over 7 minutes now.

Lotto Belisol and Argos-Shimano are controlling the head of the peloton and area allowing Kerby plenty of time off the front. They may give a few more minutes bef🔜ore starting to wind him back in.

Well, it seems I was wrong. The gap has already started t🧔o come down slightly but they won't want to catch him until much later. It looks to be a perfect day for 𒁃the sprinters. Andre Greipel and Marcel Kittel are not the only riders to be in with a serious chance today. 

Who's your pick for the s🐽tage today? Use #cntdu on Twitter and send me your bets.

Kerby has just gone passed and is on his way to the KOM at Checker Hill. He was a picture of concentrat💜ion as he 🔥pedaled hard on a downhill stretch.

Kerby is now just 5km away from the༒ KOM at Checker Hill. He will make it to the top easily now. Lotto Belisol🔥 and Argos-Shimano are still on the front and were making good use of the downhill run, moving at a significantly higher speed than the race leader Kerby.

We are having a few connection issues but Kerby will take maximum points at Checker Hill. He's still got nearly 5 ♋minutes approaching the 1km to go mark.

Kerby takes the points and moves into the🅰 KOM lead. He'll pull on the KOM jersey 🐻at the end of today's stage.

Jack Bobridge (B♋lanco) ꧋has attacked the bunch. He would be looking to put pressure on the Lotto and Argos riders.

The results from the KOM at Checker🍌 Hill: Kerby, Bobridge, Manuele Boaro (Saxo-Tinkof♛f) and Graeme Brown (Blanco).

Argos-Shimano have taken th💎e helm at the front of the race. Let's hope they have learnt from their mistakes during the People's Choice Classic. The♋ finish should should Kittel today.

Australian rℱoad champion Luke Durbridge (Orica GreenEdge) and Argos recruit Will Clarke are setting tempo on the front of the bunch.

Kerby 💜is starting to show signs of fatigue and would have been informed the bunch is closing in. He will be happy to keep chugging along until he is eventually caught.

We're sorry - there was difficulty with the internet service at the race, so we were unable to complete our live coveꦍrage. We hope to get this ironed out for tomorrow's stage 2.