Team Sky plan to attack on Arthurs Seat in Jayco Herald Sun Tour

TEAM Sky has promised fireworks in Sunday’s Jayco Herald Sun Tour showdown on Arthurs Seat, but there’s growing intrigue over who will ignite them.

The British team, who have had a vice-like grip on the race since Stage 1, have vowed to attack to keep the yellow jersey in a 121.8km final stage that culminates in a triple ascent of the steep 3km Mornington Peninsula climb.

Race leader and Sky domestique Peter Kennaugh will go into the final day with a 13 sec lead over superstar teammate Chris Froome, with rival teams deeming it impossible to dislodge the pair.

Kennaugh said a Herald Sun Tour title would “mean everything”, but his comments in recent days have added weight to the theory that Froome will rise to upstage him.

Kennaugh, who has served as a loyal lieutenant in both of Froome’s Tour de France wins, yesterday appeared to lay out the welcome mat for his senior teammate.

“I’ll take things one step at a time throughout the stage and if Froomey’s feeling super good then obviously it’ll be up to him — he can have an attack, he can do what he wants,” Kennaugh said. “But I’m sure we’ll have a strategy sorted by [Sunday].”

Thousands are expected to crowd the Arthurs Seat hairpins in an electric final day, where a Froome win would be a huge boon for the tour. But the world’s strongest stage racer was playing a straight bat, saying the plan was still to support Kennaugh.

“It would be a great win for him and a great win for the team so that’s the plan,” Froome said.

Asked if he would wait for Kennaugh’s permission to take over if he was fading, Froome said: “We’ll make that call on the road, but he’s in good nick and I think he’s feeling good.

“Arthurs is going to be the decisive stage and I think we’re in a great position going into it with pete in first and myself in second and hopefully a strong team around us to get the job done.”

Sky sports director Gabriel Rasch also left the door open for Froome.

“We’re definitely going to try to get both on the podium,” he said. In the current order? “Not necessarily, no.”

Rasch said the six-man team wouldn’t rest on its laurels and just defend the yellow jersey after surprising many with their aggressive approach.

“We will look for opportunities (to attack). Always,” he said. “We needed to take advantage of all the climbs as much as we could, especially that first stage, and not just wait until Arthurs Seat to attack.”

National champion Jack Bobridge (Trek-Segafredo) and emerging climber Jack Haig (Orica-GreenEDGE) sit 31 sec and 48 sec behind, respectively. The pair will lead a riveting battle for third place.

Former Sky rider Nathan Earle, now with Drapac, said his old team had the race tied up.

“Barring a disaster from them or an exceptional performance form someone else, it’s near impossible really. Froome and Pete are basically untouchable,” Earle said.

“But I think a lot of other teams have a point to prove up there. There’s like a race within a race for the minor placings and third is still very much up for grabs. It will be exciting.”

Orica-GreenEDGE sports director Matt Wilson admitted it would be “very hard” to put a major dent in the Sky armour.

“They’ve got it sewn up, more or less. Their two guys are well positioned and climbing well,” Wilson said.

“We knew they’d have a crack, but they’re definitely very serious about the race, which is good for the event.”