Win for Stannard in Aussie

Ian Stannard has won the final stage of the Australian Sun Tour whilst the overall goes to Damien Howson

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Win for Stannard in Aussie

Ian Stannard has won the final stage of the Australian Sun Tour whilst the overall goes to Damien Howson

Damien Howson (ORICA-Scott) has finished safely in the bunch to hold on to his overall lead in the 2017 Jayco Herald Sun Tour in Kinglake, the South Australian crowned winner of the 64th edition of Australia’s oldest stage race on Sunday.

Photos: Con Chronis

Howson maintained his lead from Thursday, where he claimed victory on the queen stage atop of Falls Creek. Howson joins a list of names including Tour de France winners Chris Froome and Brad Wiggins, along with Russell Mockridge, John Trevorrow and Simon Gerrans on the Jayco Herald Sun Tour’s honour roll.

“I’m really happy to join that list of guys and to get my first win only a couple of days ago to continue all the way through and keep the yellow jersey on the final day, it’s my first overall win ever,” said Howson. “It’s also nice to break into new territory for myself.”

Photos: Con Chronis

Team Sky’s Ian Stannard came out on top on Sunday’s final day of racing, having survived in the remnants of the breakaway that spent the majority of the 121km stage at the front of the race. It was a third victory for Team Sky this week, Stannard finishing ahead of a late charge from Aaron Gate (Aqua Blue Sport), and Taco van der Hoorn (Roompot – Nederlandse Loterij).

“We’ve come here and wanted to have some fun and some good racing – that’s what it’s been about and it’s worked well for us,” Stannard said. Defending champion, and Team Sky leader Froome said that Stannard’s stage victory said a lot about the classics specialist’s strength.

Photos: Con Chronis

“He’s an absolute beast of a rider,” Froome said. “That’s the thing about Ian. He’s so versatile. He’s 85 kilos or something but still wins on top of a climb. It’s scary.” Froome also paid tribute to the efforts of Howson. “Damien Howson was really strong. He rode a great stage on Falls Creek and has defended the jersey really well. Chapeau.”

The story of the race
The Jayco Herald Sun Tour departed Kinglake Village for four laps of a 31.1km circuit through the Kinglake National Park under threatening skies. The summer storms rolled across the hills on the outskirts of Melbourne, with minimal rain falling on the peloton throughout the stage, while the circuit remained wet.

Britain’s Ali Slater (right) in the break. Photos: Con Chronis

Before the start of the first ascent of the four and a half kilometre long KOM, the beginning of the day’s breakaway started to form with 12 riders soon joined by six more. Stannard, Tim Ariesen, Taco van der Hoorn (Roompot – Nederlandse Loterij), Sergey Nikolaev (Gazprom – Rusvelo), Tanner Putt, Travis McCabe (UnitedHealthcare), Aaron Gate, Larry Warbasse (Aqua Blue Sport), Alistair Slater (Condor JLT), Ben Hill, Tim Guy (Attaque Team Gusto), Robbie Hucker (IsoWhey Swisse Wellness), Daniel Fitter (NSWIS), Jason Christie, Sam Dobbs (New Zealand National Team), and Cyrus Monk (Drapac Pat’s Veg). Darcy Ellerm-Norton (St George) was among the group, but a mechanical saw him relegated to the peloton.

Hill added to his overnight tally in the battle for the polka dot jersey, taking 20 more points on the first KOM of the day for his lead in the Subaru King of the Mountains Classification. On the second lap, Hill again took maximum points, ensuring his victory.

Jake Kauffmann (NSWIS) back in the bunch need not worry about his lead in the Metro Trains Sprint Classification, with the breakaway unable to do any damage to the former rugby union player’s hold of the green jersey.

Ian Bibby and Luke Rowe racing in the rain. Photos: Con Chronis

“I had a decent enough lead after the first two days, there was a couple of guys I had to watch but as long as they didn’t get up the road, it was plain sailing,” Kauffmann explained. “This is definitely the biggest thing I’ve won in my career, probably the biggest thing I will ever win,” he said. “It’s a big deal for me.”

The breakaway hit maximum advantage with just over two laps of the course remaining, 4:30 of clear air ahead of the peloton. That advantage diminished steadily, and it was on the penultimate lap that Froome and Team Sky teammate Luke Rowe attempted an ill-fated attack.

“I knew the guys wanted to spice it up behind,” said Stannard after the race. “I wasn’t sure how I felt. I had a big day chasing that last 30km yesterday, I went pretty deep and felt not great early and came around towards the end of the race. I knew they wanted to come up so thought they might as well try as well and see if I can play the game as well.”

Stannard would hang tough, with his teammates unable to bridge the gap, the breakaway’s advantage over the peloton whittled down to 2min26sec at the bell lap with ORICA-Scott and the KordaMentha Australian National Team doing the bulk of the chasing. The KordaMentha Australian National Team was keen to protect their leader, Jai Hindley who was second on the general classification, 38 seconds behind Howson.

The bell would signal a series of attacks from within the breakaway group, Stannard, Gate, van der Hoorn, Slater and Monk splintering away with a few other stragglers eventually able to make up lost ground.

Photos: Con Chronis

Monk was the first man over the final KOM, but Hill’s earlier efforts had been enough to ensure he had a double celebration for his 27th birthday. “I think I was the last rider to get across to the break so I was pretty relieved,” Hill said. His efforts come a year on from securing the sprint classification and give Hill an impressive collection of jerseys.

The attacks came thick and fast from the peloton, with Ben Dyball (St George) attempting a last push, but it was Howson following his wheel. Froome would go on the offensive again and so would his teammate Sebastian Henao, with the tail end of the breakaway in sight on the final climb. The stage however belonged to Stannard and the race, to Howson.

The 2017 Jayco Herald Sun Tour will be presented by Jayco and the Herald Sun, along with the continued support from the Victorian State Government.

… continued after advert

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Stage 4 Result
1 Ian STANNARD (SKY) GBR 2h52:44
2 Aaron GATE (ABS) NZL 0
3 Taco VAN DER HOORN (RNL) NED 0
4 Benjamin HILL (ATG) AUS 0
5 Robbie HUCKER (IWS) AUS 0
6 Alistair SLATER (JLT) GBR 0
7 Jason CHRISTIE (NZL) NZL 0
8 Daniel FITTER (NIS) AUS 0
9 Cyrus MONK (DPV) AUS 0
10 Travis MCCABE (UHC) USA 0
11 Cameron BAYLY (IWS) AUS 17
12 Cameron MEYER (AUS) AUS 17
13 Dylan SUNDERLAND (NIS) AUS 17
14 Jai HINDLEY (AUS) AUS 17
15 Lucas HAMILTON (AUS) AUS 17
16 James ORAM (NZL) NZL 8
17 Janier Alexis ACEVEDO CALLE (UHC) COL 17
18 Timothy ROE (IWS) AUS 17
19 Tim ARIESEN (RNL) NED 8
20 Damien HOWSON (ORS) AUS 17
21 Nathan EARLE (AUS) AUS 17
22 Sebastian HENAO GOMEZ (SKY) COL 13
23 Benjamin DYBALL (STG) AUS 17
24 Jesse FEATONBY (DPV) AUS 17
25 Kenny ELISSONDE (SKY) FRA 17
26 Ian BIBBY (JLT) GBR 12
27 Michael STORER (AUS) AUS 17
28 Tanner PUTT (UHC) USA 31
29 Jhoan Esteban CHAVES RUBIO (ORS) COL 17
30 Ivan SAVITCKII (GAZ) RUS 55
31 Nick VAN DER LIJKE (RNL) NED 55
32 Marcelo FELIPE (7RP) PHI 55
33 Martijn TUSVELD (RNL) NED 55
34 Jesper ASSELMAN (RNL) NED +1:08
35 Michel KREDER (ABS) NED +1:08
36 Pavel BRUTT (GAZ) RUS +1:21
37 Alistair DONOHOE (ATG) AUS +1:21
38 Jonathan CLARKE (UHC) AUS +1:21
39 Luke ROWE (SKY) GBR +1:29
40 Peter KONING (ABS) NED +1:29
41 Christopher FROOME (SKY) GBR 17
42 Sergey NIKOLAEV (GAZ) RUS +1:21
43 James GULLEN (JLT) GBR +1:43
44 Josh BERRY (7RP) AUS +2:28
45 Jesse EWART (7RP) AUS +2:28
46 Alexandr SHUSHEMOIN (ATG) KAZ +2:28
47 Nicholas KATSONIS (DPV) AUS +2:28
48 Michael HEPBURN (ORS) AUS +2:28
49 Nikolay TRUSOV (GAZ) RUS +3:06
50 Mathew ROSS (DPV) AUS +3:06
51 Sam DOBBS (NZL) NZL +3:20
52 Lachlan NORRIS (UHC) AUS +3:36
53 Alex FRAME (JLT) NZL +3:36
54 Conor DUNNE (ABS) IRL +3:36
55 Edgar Nohales NETO (7RP) ESP +4:08
56 Samuel JENNER (AUS) AUS +4:34
57 Steve LAMPIER (JLT) GBR +4:50
58 Simon GERRANS (ORS) AUS +4:50
59 Brad EVANS (DPV) NZL +5:30
60 Rustom LIM (7RP) PHI +5:30
61 Aleksei TCATEVICH (GAZ) RUS +5:30
62 Joseph COOPER (IWS) NZL +5:30
63 Mario VOGT (ATG) GER +5:30
64 Mitch DOCKER (ORS) AUS +5:30
65 Calvin WATSON (ABS) AUS +5:30
66 Greg HENDERSON (UHC) NZL +5:55
67 Timothy GUY (ATG) AUS +5:55
68 Mark John Lexer GALEDO (7RP) PHI +6:18
69 Artur ERSHOV (GAZ) RUS +6:50
70 Drew MOREY (DPV) AUS +6:50
71 Jesse KERRISON (IWS) AUS +7:33
72 Hamish SCHREURS (NZL) NZL +8:10
73 Thomas HUBBARD (STG) NZL +8:10
74 Lawrence WARBASSE (ABS) USA +8:10
75 Leigh HOWARD (ABS) AUS +8:10
76 Brenton JONES (JLT) AUS +8:10
77 Angus LYONS (AUS) AUS +8:10
78 James FOUCHE (NZL) NZL +8:10
79 Kaden GROVES (STG) AUS +8:10
80 Jeroen MEIJERS (RNL) NED +8:10
81 Oliver KENT-SPARK (DPV) AUS +10:00
82 Matthew ZENOVICH (NZL) NZL +10:00
83 Jacob KAUFFMANN (NIS) AUS +10:00
84 Alex WOHLER (NIS) AUS +10:00
85 Joshua TAYLOR (NIS) AUS +10:00
86 Taylor GUNMAN (NZL) NZL +10:00
87 Jay DUTTON (STG) AUS +10:00
88 Ayden TOOVEY (NIS) AUS +10:00
89 Brodie TALBOT (STG) AUS +9:15
90 Guy KALMA (ATG) NZL +11:00
91 Sam BEWLEY (ORS) NZL +11:25
92 Adrian HEGYVARY (UHC) USA +11:50
93 Rob POWER (ORS) AUS +13:07
94 Philip MARTZ (ATG) USA +13:59
95 Darcy ELLERM-NORTON (STG) NZL +13:59
96 Kirill SVESHNIKOV (GAZ) RUS +16:26

Average speed of the winner: 42.0 km/h
Number of starters: 98

General Classification Final Result

1 Damien HOWSON (ORS) AUS
2 Jai HINDLEY (AUS) AUS
3 Kenny ELISSONDE (SKY) FRA
4 Cameron MEYER (AUS) AUS
5 Michael STORER (AUS) AUS
6 Christopher FROOME (SKY) GBR
7 Lucas HAMILTON (AUS) AUS
8 Nathan EARLE (AUS) AUS
9 Jhoan Esteban CHAVES RUBIO (ORS) COL
10 Timothy ROE (IWS) AUS
11 Ian BIBBY (JLT) GBR
12 Janier Alexis ACEVEDO CALLE (UHC) COL
13 Sebastian HENAO GOMEZ (SKY) COL
14 Cameron BAYLY (IWS) AUS
15 Jesse FEATONBY (DPV) AUS
16 Benjamin DYBALL (STG) AUS
17 Jonathan CLARKE (UHC) AUS
18 Alistair DONOHOE (ATG) AUS
19 Dylan SUNDERLAND (NIS) AUS
20 Jason CHRISTIE (NZL) NZL
21 Pavel BRUTT (GAZ) RUS
22 Lachlan NORRIS (UHC) AUS
23 Martijn TUSVELD (RNL) NED
24 Robbie HUCKER (IWS) AUS
25 Daniel FITTER (NIS) AUS
26 Tanner PUTT (UHC) USA
27 Cyrus MONK (DPV) AUS
28 James ORAM (NZL) NZL
29 Simon GERRANS (ORS) AUS
30 Jesse EWART (7RP) AUS
31 Luke ROWE (SKY) GBR
32 Lawrence WARBASSE (ABS) USA
33 Taco VAN DER HOORN (RNL) NED
34 Steve LAMPIER (JLT) GBR
35 Samuel JENNER (AUS) AUS
36 Sam DOBBS (NZL) NZL
37 Mario VOGT (ATG) GER
38 Jesper ASSELMAN (RNL) NED
39 Conor DUNNE (ABS) IRL
40 Travis MCCABE (UHC) USA
41 Alistair SLATER (JLT) GBR
42 Timothy GUY (ATG) AUS
43 Michael HEPBURN (ORS) AUS
44 Nicholas KATSONIS (DPV) AUS
45 Nick VAN DER LIJKE (RNL) NED
46 Sergey NIKOLAEV (GAZ) RUS
47 Alexandr SHUSHEMOIN (ATG) KAZ
48 Artur ERSHOV (GAZ) RUS
49 James GULLEN (JLT) GBR
50 Ivan SAVITCKII (GAZ) RUS
51 Tim ARIESEN (RNL) NED
52 Marcelo FELIPE (7RP) PHI
53 Aaron GATE (ABS) NZL
54 Drew MOREY (DPV) AUS
55 Greg HENDERSON (UHC) NZL
56 Mitch DOCKER (ORS) AUS
57 Aleksei TCATEVICH (GAZ) RUS
58 Brad EVANS (DPV) NZL
59 Michel KREDER (ABS) NED
60 Jacob KAUFFMANN (NIS) AUS
61 Benjamin HILL (ATG) AUS
62 Calvin WATSON (ABS) AUS
63 Ian STANNARD (SKY) GBR
64 Brodie TALBOT (STG) AUS
65 Oliver KENT-SPARK (DPV) AUS
66 Joseph COOPER (IWS) NZL
67 Jeroen MEIJERS (RNL) NED
68 Rustom LIM (7RP) PHI
69 Nikolay TRUSOV (GAZ) RUS
70 Edgar Nohales NETO (7RP) ESP
71 Alex FRAME (JLT) NZL
72 Mathew ROSS (DPV) AUS
73 James FOUCHE (NZL) NZL
74 Peter KONING (ABS) NED
75 Guy KALMA (ATG) NZL
76 Brenton JONES (JLT) AUS
77 Mark John Lexer GALEDO (7RP) PHI
78 Angus LYONS (AUS) AUS
79 Taylor GUNMAN (NZL) NZL
80 Ayden TOOVEY (NIS) AUS
81 Jesse KERRISON (IWS) AUS
82 Rob POWER (ORS) AUS
83 Josh BERRY (7RP) AUS
84 Leigh HOWARD (ABS) AUS
85 Hamish SCHREURS (NZL) NZL
86 Matthew ZENOVICH (NZL) NZL
87 Kaden GROVES (STG) AUS
88 Joshua TAYLOR (NIS) AUS
89 Sam BEWLEY (ORS) NZL
90 Adrian HEGYVARY (UHC) USA
91 Philip MARTZ (ATG) USA
92 Darcy ELLERM-NORTON (STG) NZL
93 Alex WOHLER (NIS) AUS
94 Jay DUTTON (STG) AUS
95 Thomas HUBBARD (STG) NZL
96 Kirill SVESHNIKOV (GAZ) RUS
dnf Edmund BRADBURY (JLT) GBR

Metro Trains Sprint Classification Final Result
1 Jacob KAUFFMANN (NIS) AUS
2 Luke ROWE (SKY) GBR
3 Aaron GATE (ABS) NZL

8 Ian STANNARD (SKY) GBR
12 Conor DUNNE (ABS) IRL
21 Steve LAMPIER (JLT) GBR
22 Jason CHRISTIE (NZL) NZL

Intermediate Sprints

Sprint #1 Kinglake Lap 1
1 Cyrus MONK (DPV)
2 Daniel FITTER (NIS)
3 Tim ARIESEN (RNL)

Sprint #2 Kinglake Lap 2
1 Cyrus MONK (DPV)
2 Daniel FITTER (NIS)
3 Jason CHRISTIE (NZL)

Sprint #3 (Stage Finish)
1 Ian STANNARD (SKY)
2 Aaron GATE (ABS)
3 Taco VAN DER HOORN (RNL)
4 Benjamin HILL (ATG)

Subaru Hill Climb Classification

Final Result
1 Benjamin HILL (ATG) AUS
2 Cyrus MONK (DPV) AUS
3 Robbie HUCKER (IWS) AUS
4 Damien HOWSON (ORS) AUS
5 Luke ROWE (SKY) GBR
20 Alistair SLATER (JLT) GBR
21 Calvin WATSON (ABS) AUS

Hill Climbs

KOM #1 Kinglake – Glenburn Rd CAT2
1 Benjamin HILL (ATG)
2 Cyrus MONK (DPV)
3 Robbie HUCKER (IWS)
4 Alistair SLATER (JLT)

KOM #2 Kinglake – Glenburn Rd CAT2
1 Benjamin HILL (ATG)
2 Cyrus MONK (DPV)
3 Robbie HUCKER (IWS)
4 Daniel FITTER (NIS)

KOM #3 Kinglake – Glenburn Rd CAT2
1 Benjamin HILL (ATG)
2 Robbie HUCKER (IWS)
3 Taco VAN DER HOORN (RNL)
4 Cyrus MONK (DPV)

KOM #4 Kinglake – Glenburn Rd CAT2
1 Cyrus MONK (DPV)
2 Daniel FITTER (NIS)
3 Aaron GATE (ABS)
4 Benjamin HILL (ATG)
Teams Stage Result

1 TEAM SKY (6, 4, 3)
2 ISOWHEY SPORTS SWISSWELLNESS (93, 94, 97)
3 UNITEDHEALTHCARE PRO CYCLING TEAM (45, 41, 47)
4 KORDA MENTHA REAL ESTATE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL TEAM (131, 134, 133)
5 ROOMPOT – NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ (27, 21, 24)
6 JLT CONDOR (67, 61, 63)
7 AQUA BLUE SPORT (54, 56, 55)
8 DRAPAC PAT’S VEG HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM (105, 107, 101)
9 ORICA – SCOTT (13, 12, 17)
10 NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL TEAM (147, 142, 145)
11 GAZPROM – RUSVELO (35, 31, 37)
12 ATTAQUE TEAM GUSTO (81, 87, 82)
13 7 ELEVEN ROADBIKE PHILIPPINES (72, 76, 75)
14 NSW INSTITUTE OF SPORT (124, 122, 121)
15 ST GEORGE CONTINENTAL CYCLING TEAM (111, 117, 113)

State Government Victoria Teams General Classification Final Result

1 TEAM SKY
2 KORDA MENTHA REAL ESTATE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL TEAM
3 UNITEDHEALTHCARE PRO CYCLING TEAM
4 ISOWHEY SPORTS SWISSWELLNESS
5 JLT CONDOR
6 ORICA – SCOTT
7 DRAPAC PAT’S VEG HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM
8 NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL TEAM
9 ATTAQUE TEAM GUSTO
10 ROOMPOT – NEDERLANDSE LOTERIJ
11 GAZPROM – RUSVELO
12 NSW INSTITUTE OF SPORT
13 AQUA BLUE SPORT
14 7 ELEVEN ROADBIKE PHILIPPINES
15 ST GEORGE CONTINENTAL CYCLING TEAM

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