After being edged out yesterday, the Orica GreenEdge team clocked up its first win of the year in the Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic, hitting the line first in the race in Portarlington.
Second year pro Luke Durbridge showed his form is strong prior to his defence of his national time trial title, beating Rapha Condor JLT rider Kristian House, James Oram (Grays Online New Zealand), 2013 Garmin-Sharp rider Steele Von Hoff (Huon Salmon – Genesys Wealth) and Leigh Howard (Orica - Greenedge).
Durbridge attacked early on and while he was reeled in by House and Oram, that break gave him the platform to then leap clear closer to the finish of the race.
“I wasn’t thinking about the win as I got out front so early and thought I would ride tempo just to see if I could stay away,” he said of his first move.
However the chance to ride steady was advantageous in that it made things more consistent in terms of his workload. “It was good as everyone was foxing with each other, and I just kept riding tempo,” he explained. “When I came back I had a little bit left so I went away again, was pushed by Kristian and after Oram came across I had to sit on for a bit.
“I got my legs back and started to feel good, I thought I had one attack in me, so I went on a dummy attack up the climb and it didn’t really work, then we looked at each other and I came from behind and launched them down the hill and I was away.”
Durbridge admitted that he had it tough on stage one, but said that he was positioned far better in today’s race. “This is a super hard course with a solid climb,” he said. “This type of racing suits me. The sprinters had their day yesterday around the hot dog while I struggled. Today was one for riders like me.”
Given that most of his victories come in time trials, he said that the experience of riding clear and staying away in front of passionate fans made the win extra special.
House is a former British champion and a rider who has plenty of background in riding circuit races. Durbridge said that he was wary of leaving it to a sprint, and that he knew he had to get clear of him before the end.
Yesterday’s victor Caleb Ewan (Bikebug) said that he thought he’d be able to defend his yellow jersey and duly did so. Although the race was a tough one and placed major demands on the riders, the talented eighteen year old was able to ride strongly enough to hold the lead in the points-driven classification.
“Today ended up being alright as I’m still in the yellow jersey,” he said. “That’s what we wanted after today. No one in the break was really a threat from yesterday so we didn’t really have to bring it back…so it worked out really well.”
The future star took two stages last year and in returning to the location of one of those victories, tomorrow’s venue of Williamstown, he’s optimistic.
“I feel good going into tomorrow, [have a] bit of confidence. I know what to do, so I’m really comfortable,” he said.
Ewan has a total of seventeen points, five more than Durbridge and six more than Graham Briggs (Great Britain). House, Howard and Jens Mouris (Orica GreenEdge) are on ten points.
Cromwell makes it two successes for the Orica team:
Durbridge gave the Orica GreenEdge/AIS squads one reason to celebrate; Melissa Hoskins gave another as she took over the general classification with another runner-up slot. Hoskins was second yesterday to Kimberley Wells (Specialized Securitor) but with the latter missing out on the points today, she moved to the top of the classification.
She led home the chase behind lone victor Tiffany Cromwell, who is riding these races unattached. The latter clipped away early on and after twenty minutes of racing, she was thirty seconds clear and looking good.
“I had a good feeling this morning and I wanted to go out and win this,” she said. “The only way I seem to know how to win races is going out solo, go early and not have to worry about sprinting.
“That climb can really take it out of your legs but I used that to my advantage. I didn’t feel great to start with, rode into it and got better as the race went on. We wanted to make it tough, I’m racing as an individual here, so I had a bit of free range with what I can do.”
Picking her own line through the corners and avoiding the surging, uneven pace of the bunch behind, she said that she was able to maintain a more consistent pace and to eke out a lasting advantage.
“I do a lot of training on my own and with the men and that gives me the confidence and strength to keep on going,” she said. “The longer the race, the better for me.”
Hoskins galloped home ahead of Peta Mullens (Anytime Fitness Trek), Gracie Elvin and Carla Ryan (Crino Cycles – Casa & Bottega), thus taking over the lead.
“ I’ve done the maths, roughly that puts me in the yellow,” she said afterwards. “I needed to get more than two points on Kimberley Wells and get a little bit of a buffer ahead of tomorrow.”
Like Ewan, she is also feeling positive about her chances. “I don’t have to win tomorrow, so we can play a few more cards.”
Meanwhile Joseph Cooper (Grays Online New Zealand National Team) clipped away early on and finished almost half a minute ahead of race leader Alexander Morgan (Jayco VIS) in the men’s teams support race.
In the men’s individual support race, former Australian points race champion Cameron Parleviet won and grabbed the yellow jersey. He beat breakaway companion Mitchell Barry, while Sam Crome took third.
2013 Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic:
Stage 2: The Esplanade, Portarlington
Elite men:
1, Luke Durbridge (Orica Greenedge) 12
2, Kristian House (Rapha Condor Jlt) 10
3, James Oram (Grays Online New Zealand) 8
4, Steele Von Hoff (Huon Salmon – Genesys Wealth) 7
5, Leigh Howard (Orica - Greenedge) 6
General classification after stage two:
1, Caleb Ewan (Bikebug) 17
2, Luke Durbridge (Orica - Greenedge) 12
3, Graham Briggs (Great Britain) 11
4, Kristian House (Rapha Condor Jlt) 10
5, Leigh Howard (Orica – Greenedge) 10
6, Jens Mouris (Orica – Greenedge) 10
7, James Oram (Grays Online New Zealand Team) 8
8, Thomas Scully (Grays Online New Zealand Team) 8
9, Steele Von Hoff (Huon Salmon – Genesys Wealth) 7
10, Greg Henderson (Degani Bakery Café) 6
Elite women:
1, Tiffany Cromwell, 12
2, Melissa Hoskins (Orica Greenedge – Ais) 10
3, Peta Mullens (Anytime Fitness Trek) 8
4, Gracie Elvin, 9
5, Carla Ryan (Crino Cycles – Casa & Bottega) 7
General classification after stage two:
1, Melissa Hoskins (Orica Greenedge – Ais) 20
2, Peta Mullens (Anytime Fitness Trek) 13
3, Tiffany Cromwell, 12
4, Kimberley Wells (Specialized Securitor) 12
5, Rochelle Gilmore (Wiggle Honda) 8
6, Gracie Elvin, 7
7, Kate Finegan (Specialized Securitor) 7
8, Carla Ryan (Crino Cycles – Casa & Bottega) 6
9, Sarah Roy (Crino Cycles – Casa & Bottega) 6
10, Nicole Whitburn (Liv / Giant) 6
Sprint Ace Classification:
Elite Men’s Results
1, Greg Henderson (Degani Bakery Cafe) 9
2, Luke Durbridge (Orica Greenedge) 6
3, Mitchell Docker (Orica Greenedge) 5
Elite Women’s Results
1, Tiffany Cromwell, 8
2, Loes Gunnewijk (Orica Greenedge - Ais) 5
3, Gracie Elvin, 4