Greipel on top in crash-marred stage Down Under

CLARE, Australia, Jan 17 (Reuters) - German Andre Greipel won the opening stage of the Tour Down Under cycling as three riders and a spectator were taken to hospital following a crash on Tuesday.

Matteo Montaguti (collarbone), Frederic Guesdon (hip) and Juergen Roelandts (neck) went to hospital for checks after they were involved in a huge pile-up in the final part of the 149-km stage between Prospect and Clare in South Australia.

The 40-year-old Guesdon, who won the Paris-Roubaix race in 1997, fractured his hip and would have to undergo surgery, according to his FDJ-BigMat team.

The injury probably means that the Frenchman will have to bring down the curtain on a 17-year professional career.

One spectator, a 70-year-old woman, suffered minor injuries after being hit by a rider who skidded off the road.

Lotto-Belisol rider Greipel emerged unscathed from the incident and, two days after winning the Down Under Classic, outsprinted Italian Alessandro Petacchi to snatch his second win of the season.

Yauheni Hutarovich of Belarus took third place.

Wednesday's second stage will take the peloton over 148 kms from Lobethal to Stirling.

The Tour Down Under, the first World Tour (elite) race of the season, ends in Adelaide on Sunday.