Caleb Ewan wins prelude to Tour Down Under

Australia's Caleb Ewan won the criterium prelude to the Tour Down Under cycle race for the fourth time in five years on Sunday. Riding for the Belgium-based Lotto-Soudal team, Ewan unleashed his powerful sprint at just the right time to easily win the 51 kilometer race over 30 laps of a street circuit in downtown Adelaide.

Elia Viviani of Italy was second and Viviani's compatriot and Cofidis temmate Simone Consonni was third.

Light rain made the circuit treacherous in places and some of the leading riders took a conservative approach, saving themselves for the tour proper that begins Tuesday with the first of six stages in the countryside around Adelaide.

Ewan rode a well-timed race, hanging back in the peloton for most of the event, then working his way up through the field in the later laps to be in the perfect place to launch his winning sprint. He won in a time of 1 hour, 4 minutes, 29 seconds.

His winning streak in the race, which began in 2015, has been broken only by the win of world champion Peter Sagan in 2018.

The prelude does not count towards overall classification in the Tour Down Under but Ewan will wear the tour leader's jersey in Tuesday's 150 kilometer (90 mile) opening stage.

The Tour Down Under is the first event of the 2020 UCI World Tour.