Beating a world champion to put further gloss on his win, Anthony Giacoppo was best on day three of the Jayco Bay Cycling Classic in Portarlington earlier today.
The 25-year-old Bike Bug rider outsprinted the under 23 world time trial champion and world team pursuit champion Luke Durbridge (Mitchelton Wine- Lowe Farms) to the line at the end of the one hour two minute race, proving clearly faster in the flat-out gallop.
Koen de Kort (Urban Hotels) came in 25 seconds later for third, getting clear of Johnnie Walker (Degani Bakery Cafe) before the line. Mark O'Brien (Budget Forklifts) finished over a minute back but rounded out the top five.
“I’d say this would be my biggest win just because of the depth of the field,” said Giacoppo. “I felt pretty good all day, I was using the hill to my advantage just taking it nice and easy up there and it all came to plan in the end.
“Luke went on the hill, I kind of expected that. He was sitting behind me on the hill most of the laps so I knew that he was probably just watching for my weak point.”
His rival was assessing him, but he also knows Durbridge’s abilities. “I train with Luke a little bit at home and I know how strong he is once he gets wound up. So as soon as he joined me, I thought ‘yep, we’re sweet’.”
Peculiarly, the riders from sixth place back finished before the leaders; they were being lapped and so race organisers requested that they sprint for the minor placings before being caught. That gallop took place five laps from the line and saw Mitch Docker (GreenEDGE) nab sixth.
Overnight series leader Allan Davis (Mitchelton Wines – Lowe Farms) finished eighth and held onto his lead. He ends the day on 21 points, four clear of Giacoppo and a further one ahead of yesterday’s victor, Caleb Ewan (NSWIS).
He’s got just one day of racing to go and acknowledges that he is in a strong position. “This is probably one of the hardest criterium circuits in the world but I was pretty comfortable there today; that’s what makes me confident for tomorrow,” he stated.
“I’ll never count my chickens before they hatch though, you have got to always be on your toes.”
One of the reasons for his caution is because of the nature of the events. “That’s the beauty of these tight circuit races…it’s a hell of a race each day there’s sort of two races in one with the individual stages and the overall.
“It always comes down to one or two seconds in the end and that makes for a great finale and tomorrow will be no different.”
Gillow clocks up first win for women’s GreenEdge AIS team:
After going close with second place by Melissa Hoskins and Amanda Spratt in the first two days of competition, Australian TT champ Shara Gillow clocked up the first win for the new GreenEdge AIS squad when she soloed to a very impressive victory.
The Giro d’Italia stage winner made an early move when she clipped away three laps after the start with Jayco-AIS rider Rowena Fry, then pushed on ahead alone.
She reached the line 23 seconds ahead of Jayco-AIS’ Grace Sulzberger and her own team-mate Tiffany Cromwell, while Spratt and Jessie Maclean (Greenedge-AIS) were fourth and fifth.
Gillow was overjoyed to start what she believes should be a strong run by the GreenEdge AIS women this year. “It was so awesome, such a team effort and we got our first win,” she said. “A credit to all the girls for their hard effort, it’s an awesome win for us today but we have many more to come I hope.”
Overnight series leader Chloe Hosking, the day one winner, lost the yellow jersey to her Total Rush/Hyster’s Choice team-mate Melissa Hoskins. The latter took victory yesterday and was then seventh today, one place ahead of Hosking.
“I had team mates up the road, we knew we had a win under our belt so I wanted to try and top it off with the yellow,” she said.
“We’ve done everything we’ve come here for. Tomorrow will be another big day again, we’ve got to try and hold onto it. But we’ve got a win under our belt now and we’ve got the yellow, so tomorrow’s going to be a very big day.
“For sure we’ve got the team to do it and we’ve proven we’re the strongest team here by far.”
The final races take place tomorrow in Williamstown. Attention then turns to the Australian championships.
Jayco Bay Cycling Classic day 3, Portarlington:
Elite men:
1, Anthony Giacoppo (Bike Bug) 1 hour 2 mins 21 secs
2, Luke Durbridge (Mitchelton Wines / Lowe Farms) at 1 secs
3, Koen de Kort (Urban Hotels) at 25 secs
4, Johnnie Walker (Degani Bakery Cafe) at 28 secs
5, Mark O'Brien (Budget Forklifts) at 1 min 8 secs
6, Mitch Docker (GreenEdge Cycling) at 52 mins 28 secs
7, Chris Sutton (Urban Hotels)
8, Allan Davis (Mitchelton Wines / Lowe Farms)
9, Caleb Ewan (NSWIS)
10, Steele Von Hoff (Bike Bug)
11, Zak Dempster (Degani Bakery Cafe)
12, Bernie Sulzberger (Urban Hotels)
13, Taiji Nishitani (Geelong Mazda)
14, Baden Cooke (Mitchelton Wines / Lowe Farms)
15, Dean Windsor (Degani Bakery Cafe)
16, Kazuhiro Mori (Geelong Mazda)
17, Blake Hose (Genesys Wealth Advisers) at 8 secs
18, Alex Carver (Bike Bug)
19, Greg Henderson (NZ) Degani Bakery Cafe) at 10 secs
20, Neil van der Ploeg (Rapido Cycles / Four Points Geelong) at 13 secs
21, Tom Leezer (Rapido Cycles / Four Points Geelong) at 17 secs
22, Sam Witmitz (Budget Forklifts) at 19 secs
23, Jack McCulloch (NSWIS)
24, Oliver Kent-Spark (John West Cycling)
25, Eya Hashimoto (Geelong Mazda)
26, Luke Ockerby (Budget Forklifts)
27, Wesley Sulzberger (GreenEdge Cycling) at mins 25 secs
28, Bert de Backer (Urban Hotels)
29, Campbell Flakemore (Genesys Wealth Advisers) at 28 secs
30, Robbie McEwen (GreenEdge Cycling) at 42 secs
31, Leigh Howard (GreenEdge Cycling) at 1 min 2 secs
32, Michael Hepburn (Mitchelton Wines / Lowe Farms) at 1 min 4 secs
33, Heinrich Haussler (Bike Bug) at 1 min 9 secs
DNF:
Matthew Goss (GreenEdge Cycling)
Patrick Lane (Mitchelton Wines / Lowe Farms)
Richard Lang (Urban Hotels)
Nathan Haas (Bike Bug)
Mark Jamieson (Degani Bakery Cafe)
Joel Pearson (Genesys Wealth Advisers)
Nic Sanderson (Genesys Wealth Advisers)
Peter Loft (Budget Forklifts)
Blair Windsor (Budget Forklifts)
Michael Knoff (John West Cycling)
Rene Kolbach (John West Cycling)
Nicholas Brian (John West Cycling)
Trent Derecourt (WA) John West Cycling)
Nathan Bradshaw (NSWIS)
Luke Williams (NSWIS)
Tirian McManus (NSWIS)
Kazushige Kuboki (Geelong Mazda)
Takuya Takashi (Geelong Mazda)
James Mowatt (Rapido Cycles / Four Points Geelong)
Scott Liston (Rapido Cycles / Four Points Geelong)
Sprint 1:
1, Leigh Howard (GreenEdge Cycling) 3 pts
2, Dean Windsor (Degani Bakery Cafe) 2
3, Robbie McEwen (GreenEdge Cycling) 1
Sprint 2:
1, Anthony Giacoppo (WA) Bike Bug) 3 pts
2, Luke Durbridge (WA) Mitchelton Wines / Lowe Farms) 2
3, Mark O'Brien (Budget Forklifts) 1
Sprint 3:
1, Anthony Giacoppo (WA) Bike Bug) 3 pts
2, Luke Durbridge (WA) Mitchelton Wines / Lowe Farms) 2
3, Johnnie Walker (Degani Bakery Cafe) 1
General Classification after Stage 3:
1, Allan Davis (Mitchelton Wines / Lowe Farms) 21 pts
2, Anthony Giacoppo (WA) Bike Bug) 17
3, Caleb Ewan (NSWIS) 16
4, Bernie Sulzberger (Urban Hotels) 15
5, Chris Sutton (Urban Hotels) 14
6, Greg Henderson (NZ) Degani Bakery Cafe) 12
7, Luke Durbridge (WA) Mitchelton Wines / Lowe Farms) 10
8, Koen de Kort (Urban Hotels) 8
9, Johnnie Walker (Degani Bakery Cafe) 8
10, Mitch Docker (GreenEdge Cycling) 8
11, Dean Windsor (Degani Bakery Cafe) 8
12, Nathan Haas (Bike Bug) 7
13, Steele Von Hoff (Bike Bug) 7
14, Zak Dempster (Degani Bakery Cafe) 7
15, Mark O'Brien (Budget Forklifts) 6
16, James Mowatt (Rapido Cycles / Four Points Geelong) 5
17, Leigh Howard (GreenEdge Cycling) 3
18, Trent Derecourt (WA) John West Cycling) 2
Sprint Ace Competition after Stage 3:
1, Bernie Sulzberger (Urban Hotels) 12 pts
2, Mitch Docker (GreenEdge Cycling) 9
3, Anthony Giacoppo (WA) Bike Bug) 6
4, Nathan Haas (Bike Bug) 6
5, Luke Durbridge (WA) Mitchelton Wines / Lowe Farms) 4
6, Dean Windsor (Degani Bakery Cafe) 4
7, Caleb Ewan (NSWIS) 3
8, Leigh Howard (GreenEdge Cycling) 3
9, Johnnie Walker (Degani Bakery Cafe) 1
10, Mark O'Brien (Budget Forklifts) 1
11, Zak Dempster (Degani Bakery Cafe) 1
12, Baden Cooke (Mitchelton Wines / Lowe Farms) 1
13, Wesley Sulzberger (GreenEdge Cycling) 1
14, Robbie McEwen (GreenEdge Cycling) 1
15, Trent Derecourt (WA) John West Cycling) 1
Teams Classification after Stage 3:
1, Urban Hotels, 37 pts
2, Degani Bakery Café, 35
3, Mitchelton Wines/Lowe Farms, 31
4, Bike Bug, 31
5, NSWIS, 16
6, GreenEDGE, 11
7, Budget Forklifts, 6
8, Rapido Cycles/Four Points Geelong, 5
9, John West Cycling, 2
Elite women:
1, Shara Gillow (Greenedge-AIS) 36 mins 41 secs
2, Grace Sulzberger (Jayco - AIS) at 23 secs
3, Tiffany Cromwell (Greenedge-AIS)
4, Amanda Spratt (Greenedge-AIS) at 50 secs
5, Jessie Maclean (Greenedge-AIS) at 52 secs
6, Sinead Noonan (Jayco - AIS)
7, Melissa Hoskins (Greenedge-AIS) at 59 secs
8, Annette Edmondson (Pitcher Partners)
9, Chloe Hosking (Total Rush/Hyster)
10, Gracie Elvin (Jayco - AIS)
11, Sue Forsyth (Pitcher Partners) at 1 min 2 secs
12, Rebecca Werner (Port Adelaide CC) at 1 min 5 secs
13, Rosara Joseph (New Zealand)
14, Nicole Cooke (BikeExchange Dream Team)
15, Loren Rowney (Total Rush/Hyster)
16, Rowena Fry (Jayco - AIS) at 1 min 17 secs
17, Kate Finegan (Spencers Race) at 1 min 27 secs
DNF:
Rochelle Gilmore (BikeExchange Dream Team)
Peta Mullens (BikeExchange Dream Team)
Kirsty Broun (BikeExchange Dream Team)
Myfanwy Galloway (BikeExchange Dream Team)
Rebecca Henderson (Suzuki-Trek Women)
Imogen Jelbart (Suzuki-Trek Women)
Ailie Mcdonald (Suzuki-Trek Women)
Allison Rice (Suzuki-Trek Women)
Rebecca Wiasak (Suzuki-Trek Women)
Isabella King (Pitcher Partners)
Elizabeth Phillipou (Pitcher Partners)
Sequoia Cooper (Torq)
Nadine Le Mescam (Torq)
Katherine O'Shea (Torq)
Chloe Mcintosh (Total Rush/Hyster)
Kimberley Wells (Total Rush/Hyster)
Carly Williams (Total Rush/Hyster)
Delphine Astier (Spencers Race)
Ella Hopkins (Spencers Race)
Liza Rachetto (Spencers Race)
Jessica Mundy (Spencers Race)
Holly Heffernan (NSWIS)
Laura Triggs (NSWIS)
Alice Wallett (Canberra Cycling Club)
Antonia Abbisogni (Bendigo & District CC)
Jamie Leigh Edwards (Geelong Cycle Club)
Carla Franson (Central Districts C.C.)
Ella Scanlan-Bloor (Southern Highlands CC)
Melina Bernecker (Le Grange)
Nicole Whitburn (Degani Bakery Cafe)
Tanya Matthewson (Degani Bakery Cafe)
Sarah Riley (Degani Bakery Cafe)
Laine Hammond (Degani Bakery Cafe)
Anna Kauffmann (Degani Bakery Cafe)
Sprint 1:
1, Shara Gillow (Greenedge-AIS) 3 pts
2, Rowena Fry (Jayco - AIS) 2
3, Peta Mullens (BikeExchange Dream Team) 1
Sprint 2:
1, Shara Gillow (Greenedge-AIS) 3 pts
2, Tiffany Cromwell (Greenedge-AIS) 2
3, Grace Sulzberger (Jayco - AIS) 1
General Classification after Stage 3:
1, Melissa Hoskins (Greenedge-AIS) 22 pts
2, Chloe Hosking (Total Rush/Hyster) 21
3, Amanda Spratt (Greenedge-AIS) 17
4, Tiffany Cromwell (Greenedge-AIS) 15
5, Rochelle Gilmore (BikeExchange Dream Team) 14
6, Shara Gillow (Greenedge-AIS) 12
7, Loren Rowney (Total Rush/Hyster) 12
8, Jessie Maclean (Greenedge-AIS) 12
9, Grace Sulzberger (Jayco - AIS) 10
10, Annette Edmondson (Pitcher Partners) 9
11, Sinead Noonan (Jayco - AIS) 5
12, Kirsty Broun (BikeExchange Dream Team) 5
13, Peta Mullens (BikeExchange Dream Team) 4
14, Isabella King (Pitcher Partners) 4
15, Rebecca Henderson (Suzuki-Trek Women) 3
16, Liza Rachetto (Spencers Race) 3
17, Kate Finegan (Spencers Race) 2
18, Lucy Coldwell (Carnigie Caulfield CC) 2
19, Gracie Elvin (Jayco - AIS) 2
Sprint Ace Competition after Stage 3:
1, Shara Gillow (Greenedge-AIS) 10 pts
2, Chloe Hosking (Total Rush/Hyster) 5
3, Jessie Maclean (Greenedge-AIS) 3
4, Kirsty Broun (BikeExchange Dream Team) 3
5, Peta Mullens (BikeExchange Dream Team) 3
6, Tiffany Cromwell (Greenedge-AIS) 2
7, Amanda Spratt (Greenedge-AIS) 2
8, Loren Rowney (Total Rush/Hyster) 2
9, Rowena Fry (Jayco - AIS) 2
10, Grace Sulzberger (Jayco - AIS) 1
11, Sinead Noonan (Jayco - AIS) 1
12, Sue Forsyth (Pitcher Partners) 1
13, Chloe McConville (Carnigie Caulfield CC) 1
Teams classification after day 3:
1, GreenEdge-AIS, 68 pts
2, Total Rush/Hyster, 33
3, BikeExchange.com.au Dream Team, 23
4, Jayco – AIS, 17
5, Pitcher Partners, 13
6, Spencers Race, 5
7, Suzuki-Trek Women, 3
8, Carnegie Caulfield CC, 2