Victorious in the recent Jayco Herald Sun Tour and Japan Cup with Nathan Haas, the Genesys Wealth Advisors team clocked up another strong win today when Joel Pearson soloed to victory in the Eastern Oak Melbourne to Warrnambool Classic.
The 28 year old, who won the race two years ago, beat team-mate Haas by 13 seconds. Search2Retain rider Luke Fetch, who had been in a two man break with him until near the end, finished a further two seconds back and just ahead of Samuel Davis (Plan B Racing).
A third Genesys Wealth Advisers rider Steele Von Hoff (Genesys Wealth Advisers) led a 15 man chase group in some 36 seconds back, with five other riders scattered between 45 seconds and one minute 53 seconds back. The rest of the field was at least five minutes down, with the 262 kilometre Classic taking its toll.
“This is a dream, the biggest thrill of my life,” he said at the end of the wet race. “I don’t think I have ever won a decent race in a solo breakaway before. This is a new one for me.”
He and Fetch clipped away approximately 15 kilometres from the end of the marathon event, pushed ahead into rain and strong headwinds. Five kilometres later, Pearson dropped his younger rival and soloed from there to the line. Haas got clear before the finish and passed Fetch to take second, continuing his strong run of form. He will race with the Garmin-Cervélo team next year while Van Hoff will be with its sister squad, the development Chipotle SugarLabs team.
Pearson has often found himself in a supporting role on the team and so he was delighted to have the chance to top the podium in a big race. “I have been playing second fiddle to the likes of Nathan and Steele this year,” he stated. “I was happy to do that, but to win a second Warrnambool is an incredible feeling.”
The victory was all the more sweet as his season was plagued by crashes. One came in the Australian open criterium championship in Ballarat back in January when he was looking like being the likely winner; six other crashes then occurred in August when he tried to defend his 2010 victory in the Tour of Murray River.
“I’m embarrassed by all those crashes…I don’t even want to talk about them,” he stated, understandably preferring to concentrate on what he had achieved today.
Team-mate Haas may have liked to have taken his third big win this month today, but insisted he was pleased for Pearson. “We are excited for Joel,” he said. “He is one of the good guys.”
Melbourne to Warrnambool Classic, 29 Oct:
1, Joel Pearson (Genesys Wealth Advisers) 262 kilometres in 7 hours 24 mins 14 secs
2, Nathan Haas (Genesys Wealth Advisers) at 13 secs
3, Luke Fetch (Search2Retain) at 15 secs
4, Samuel Davis (Plan B Racing)
5, Steele Von Hoff (Genesys Wealth Advisers) at 36 secs
6, Luke Davison (Team Budget Forklifts)
7, Bradeley Hall (Plan B Racing)
8, Chris Jory (Bikebug.Com)
9, Brendan Johnston (Suzuki Trek)
10, Nicholas Mitchell (Wyndham City Council)
11, Charles Howlett (Search2Retain)
12, Russell Gill (Eastern Oak)
13, Steven Waite (Flagstaff Hill)
14, Jason Spencer (Team Budget Forklifts)
15, Dylan Hately (Eastern Oak)
16, Stephen Fairless (Eastern Oak)
17, Sam Rutherford (Bikebug.Com)
18, George Tansley (Sasi/Team O’Grady)
19, Mark O’Brien (Fenton Green P/B Spencers Race) at 45 secs
20, Jay Bourke (Search2Retain)
21, Patrick Shaw (Genesys Wealth Advisers)
22, Tom Leaper (Wyndham City Council) at 54 secs
23, Joshua Taylor (Bikebug.Com) at 1 min 53 secs
24, Adam Murchie (Bikebug.Com - Forza Capital) at 5 mins
25, Andrew Christie (Tifosi Eyewear) at 5 mins 49 secs
26, Edward White (Bikebug.Com)
27, Anthony Kellen (Wyndham City Council)
28, Travers Nuttall (Bikebug.Com - Forza Capital)
29, Danny Kah (Cycling-Inform Team)
30, Aaron Salisbury (Bikebug.Com - Forza Capital)
31, Harry Carpenter (Sasi/Team O’Grady)
32, Benjamin Johnson (Bikebug.Com - Forza Capital)
33, Joel Stearnes (Warrnambool City Council)
34, Jason Rigg (Genesys Wealth Advisers)
35, Mark Guirguis (Sole Devotion)
36, Scott Mcphee (Sasi/Team O’Grady)
37, Rene Kolbach (John West Cycling) at 5 mins 55 secs
38, Lachlan Ambrose (Warrnambool City Council)
39, Andrew Martin (Plan B Racing) at 6 mins 2 secs
40, Brian Mcleod (Team Budget Forklifts)
41, Matthew Lloyd (Fenton Green P/B Spencers Race) at 6 mins 14 secs
42, Kel Chaffey-Jones (Fenton Green P/B Spencers Race) at 12 mins 55 secs
43, Joel Strachan (Tkm Slattery)
44, Nick Bensley (Sole Devotion)
45, Conan Daley (Sew-Eurodrive)
46, Callum Fagg (Warrnambool City Council)
47, Luke Aggett (Eastern Oak)
48, Brendan Rowbotham (Cycling-Inform Team)
49, Ben White (Tkm Slattery)
50, James Love (Ma Cycling - Jarasport)
51, James Bennett (John West Cycling)
52, Reece Stephens (Tkm Slattery)
53, David Mulhall (Bikebug.Com - Forza Capital)
54, Daniel Strauss (Zoom Video Racing)
55, Luigi Vecchio (Wyndham City Council)
56, Kyle Marwood (Genesys Wealth Advisers)
57, Pascal Lussier-Duquette (Ma Cycling - Jarasport)
58, Steven Robb (Search2Retain)
59, Trent Stevenson (Eastern Oak)
60, Tim Hucker (Fenton Green P/B Spencers Race)
61, Josh Egbers (Flagstaff Hill)
62, Mitchell Flynn (Suzuki Trek)
63, Dave Edwards (Evolution Cycles)
64, Steven Pilson (John West Cycling)
65, Gabriel Carey (Independent Cranes)
66, Julian Hamill (Bikebug.Com)
67, Rowan Dever (John West Cycling)
68, Michael Cupitt (Team Budget Forklifts)
69, Chris Beeck (Plan B Racing)
70, Christopher Joustra (Latrobe City Cycling Club)
71, Michael Knoff (John West Cycling) at 13 mins 5 secs
72, David Tozer (Fenton Green P/B Spencers Race)
73, Andrew Hutcheson (Flagstaff Hill) at 24 mins 6 secs
74, Timshel Knoll-Miller (Warrnambool Sheetmetal)
75, Michal Krodkiewski (Tkm Slattery) at 24 mins 9 secs
76, Cameron Winton (Tifosi Eyewear) at 24 mins 11 secs
77, Simon Knowles (Ma Cycling - Jarasport) at 24 mins 13 secs
78, Samuel Rix (Lady Bay Resort) at 24 mins 14 secs
79, Kane Fraser (Shipwreck Coast Marketing) at 29 mins 48 secs
80, Cameron Mcdonald (Zoom Video Racing)
81, William Raisin-Shaw (Sole Devotion) at 29 mins 51 secs
82, Ryan Macanally (Team Budget Forklifts) at 29 mins 53 secs
83, Michael Brown (Zoom Video Racing) at 29 mins 56 secs
84, Brendan Mahony (Tifosi Eyewear)
85, Fraser Northey (Sasi/Team O’Grady) at 29 mins 59 secs
86, Boon Yeo (Tifosi Eyewear) at 30 mins 1 secs
87, Geoffrey Robertson (Footscray Cycling Club) at 30 mins 6 secs
88, Ben James (Lady Bay Resort) at 32 mins 38 secs
89, Brad James (6Am-Ers Cycling)
90, Mat Tippett (Evolution Cycles)
91, Mitchell Lovelock-Fay (Warrnambool City Council)
92, Daniel Gafa (Latrobe City Cycling Club)
93, Tim Jones (Cheese World) at 33 mins 35 secs
94, Karl Evans (Eastern Oak) at 33 mins 36 secs
95, Lee Turner (Sole Devotion) at 38 mins 2 secs
96, Anthony Seipolt (Lady Bay Resort)
97, Michael Skerritt (Vip Packaging)
98, Matt Hand (The Standard)
99, Tony Mcgann (Radio 3Yb)
100, Paul La Cava (Independent Cranes) at 38 mins 22 secs
101, Mitchell Cooper (Ma Cycling - Jarasport) at 40 mins 26 secs
102, Matthew Opperman (Tifosi Eyewear)
103, Iain Clark (The Standard)
104, Lewis Garland (Sew-Eurodrive)
105, Neil Robinson (Cheese World)
106, Nicholas Mceniry (Tkm Slattery)
107, Jack Carecos (Independent Cranes)
108, Jake Morgan (Warrnambool Sheetmetal)
109, Chris Halley (Shipwreck Coast Marketing)
110, William Murray (Footscray Cycling Club)
111, Brett Van Berkl (Latrobe City Cycling Club)
112, Neale Adams (Radio 3Yb)
113, Paul Volk (Shipwreck Coast Marketing)
114, Glenn Schoer (Latrobe City Cycling Club)
115, Gus Gollings (6Am-Ers Cycling)
116, John Marcan (Vip Packaging)
117, Andrew Caune (Evolution Cycles)
118, Vince Condello (Crino Cycles)
119, John Dam (Crino Cycles)
120, Tim Mcgrath (Sole Devotion)
121, Peter Apps (Tifosi Eyewear)
122, Philip Turnbull (Lady Bay Resort)
123, Stephen Bomball (Suzuki Trek)
124, Nicholas Squillari (Cheese World) at 40 mins 36 secs
125, Caleb Jones (Bikebug.Com)
126, Colin Bell (Vip Packaging) at 42 mins 47 secs
127, Paul Hearne (Shipwreck Coast Marketing) at 43 mins 21 secs
128, Rian Douglas (Ma Cycling - Jarasport) at 51 mins 22 secs
129, Liam Mccrory (Ma Cycling - Jarasport) at 51 mins 25 secs
130, Alejandro Jimenez (Independent Cranes) at 53 mins 31 secs
131, Daryl Stewart (Radio 3Yb) at 54 mins 50 secs
132, Brad Fogg (6Am-Ers Cycling) at 1 hours 12 mins 46 secs
133, Gavin De Kretser (Ma Cycling - Jarasport) at 1 hours 12 mins 51 secs
134, Thomas Mcdonough (Crino Cycles) at 1 hours 12 mins 54 secs
135, James O’Keefe (The Standard) at 1 hours 22 mins 10 secs
136, Glynn Matthey (Vip Packaging) at 1 hours 31 mins 15 secs
137, Patrick Mcintyre (Vip Packaging)
138, Erich Gstrein (Radio 3Yb)
139, Glen Bowen (The Standard)
Did not finish:
Anthony Giacoppo (Genesys Wealth Advisers)
Nathan Earle (Genesys Wealth Advisers)
Peter Ladd (Fenton Green P/B Spencers Race)
Andrew Crawley (Bikebug.Com)
Jake Magee (Bikebug.Com)
Peter Herzig (Team Budget Forklifts)
Chris Savage (Team Budget Forklifts)
Michael Verheyen (Plan B Racing)
Steven Del Gallo (John West Cycling)
William Lind (Suzuki Trek)
Ivan Michelin-Beard (Suzuki Trek)
Tom Donald (Search2Retain)
Phillip Mundy (Sasi/Team O’Grady)
Andrew Roe (Sasi/Team O’Grady)
Nicholas D’Ambrosio (Eastern Oak)
Tom Paton (Wyndham City Council)
Michael Smith (Wyndham City Council)
Andrei Tonello (Wyndham City Council)
Rhys Gillett (Warrnambool City Council)
Jacob Sutherland (Warrnambool City Council)
Harry Hanley (Cycling-Inform Team)
James Bell (Footscray Cycling Club)
Adam Trewin (Footscray Cycling Club)
Nathan Wilson (Footscray Cycling Club)
Trevor Perry (Footscray Cycling Club)
Justin Matthews (Ma Cycling - Jarasport)
Byron Davy (Tkm Slattery)
Adrian Jackson (Tkm Slattery)
Andrew Clark (Zoom Video Racing)
Wesley Cordingley (Zoom Video Racing)
Leigh Clifford (Sew-Eurodrive)
Anthony Fewster (Sew-Eurodrive)
Dermot Healy (Sew-Eurodrive)
David Kelly (Lady Bay Resort)
Ben Hilleard (Lady Bay Resort)
Peter Malcolm (Lady Bay Resort)
Reece-Emerson Van Beek (Lady Bay Resort)
Tim Claeys (Tifosi Eyewear)
Ben Aigner (Crino Cycles)
Brent Hall (Crino Cycles)
James Ciuffetelli (Crino Cycles)
Tony Piacquadio (Evolution Cycles)
Daniel Standen (Evolution Cycles)
Samuel Beveridge (Latrobe City Cycling Club)
Wayne Flint (6Am-Ers Cycling)
Richard Read (6Am-Ers Cycling)
Benjamin Douglas (Warrnambool Sheetmetal)
John Forrest (Warrnambool Sheetmetal)
Vincent Geluwie (Warrnambool Sheetmetal)
Peter Clarke (Cheese World)
Tony Escott (Independent Cranes)
Ross Hamilton (Independent Cranes)
Mitchell Allen (Vip Packaging)
Sam Evans (The Standard)
Peter Markey (The Standard)
Gary Mclennan (Radio 3Yb)
Peter May (Radio 3Yb)
Gareth Knight (Flagstaff Hill)
Peter Reid (Flagstaff Hill)
Jason Farnell (Shipwreck Coast Marketing)
Ray Forbes (Shipwreck Coast Marketing)
Antony Dimitrovski (Warrnambool City Council)
Did not start:
Alexander Malone (Bikebug.Com)
Chris Jongewaard (Team Budget Forklifts)
Samuel Witmitz (Warrnambool City Council)
Rodney Andonopoulos (Sew-Eurodrive)
Danny Cohen (Sew-Eurodrive)
Steven Martin (Sew-Eurodrive)
Mike Edgar (Crino Cycles)
Matthew Gstrein (Warrnambool Sheetmetal)
Tim O’Leary (Cheese World)
Derek Bogaert (Cheese World)
Daniel Chalhoub (Flagstaff Hill)