Greig Leach

As the break started up the penultimate climb of Willunga Hill (and of the day and the Tour Down Under), it was the leader of the King of the Mountains, Nicholas Dlamini (Dimension Data) that was battling it out for points with Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal) and Scott Bowden (UniSA-Australia). The effort was being watched intently by the race commisare sticking his out through the roof of the following car. When I titled this piece I didn't know just how prophetic I was being. As they approached the banner that had marked the KOM points line in every previous stage, De Gendt motioned for Dlamini to go ahead and claim the points. After apparently giving Dlamini enough points to secure the jersey, De Gendt pressed on crossing the line at the top of the mountain (that would be the finishing line next time up) first. It turned out that was where the KOM points were awarded placing Dlamini second over the summit. It may not effect the final destination of the jersey, but it shouldn't have happened.