Report: 1-2 for Kennaugh & Froome

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Peter Kennaugh and Chris Froome made the most of the terrain to go 1-2 on stage 1 of the Herald Sun Tour

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Report: 1-2 for Kennaugh & Froome

Sky high for Kennaugh and Froome
The first climbs of the 2016 Jayco Herald Sun Tour gave Team Sky all the ammunition they needed to make their intentions for the race clear with Peter Kennaugh and Chris Froome storming to a 1-2 finish in Stage 1 in Healesville.

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Froome and Kennaugh finish 1-2 with the rest of the race insight behind them. Photo: Con Chronis

The pair raced to the chequered flag with a 17-second advantage over a 29-man chase group led by Kiwi Dion Smith (One) who won the sprint for third. The impressive victory moves Kennaugh into the Sun Tour’s overall lead with seven seconds over Froome following the time bonuses earned on the finish line. Overnight leader, Will Clarke (Drapac Professional Cycling) finished 33rd man across the line, three minutes in arrears.

The second of two climbs proved the launch pad for the Sky pairing after the day’s six-man breakaway came back to the peloton. Froome and Kennaugh put the hammer down about halfway up the Toolangi climb with a small chase group failing to close the gap.

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Ali Slater leads the breakaway on stage 1. Photo: Con Chronis

The victory cements Kennaugh’s hot run of form following his solo victory at last weekend’s Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race however the British road champion admitted that today went “better” than even he expected. “The race last week gave us quite a bit of confidence going into today,” he said.

“We had a plan for today’s stage which worked out absolutely perfectly. It was to make it hard going into that last climb for ‘Froomey’ to have a go and then I was just to follow wheels and judge the situation. If I felt like I could jump across, then do that. Massive thanks to the team and especially to ‘Froomey’ because once I got across to him I pretty much just sat on his wheel the whole way up the climb and then once I got over I was able to do some good turns and take it to the finish with him,” Kennaugh said.

Froome, who following today’s effort just might be the highest profile domestique in world cycling, warned that it will be a case of ‘catch me if you can’ for the rest of the peloton in a bid for Kennaugh’s grip on yellow.

“We don’t have any sprinters so we thought, well, we don’t have many opportunities so let’s just give it everything we’ve got. The guys did a fantastic job setting it up. They made it as hard as possible on the early slopes and then I took over.”

The two-time Tour de France champion was happy to play the role of key lieutenant for teammate Kennaugh. It’s a really nice feeling being able to give something back to Peter. The number of times he’s emptied himself for me out on the road and he’s been part of both my Tour de France victories so it’s nice to be able to do something for him now,“ Froome said.

“We’re going to try and protect that [lead] now. Pete’s in great shape, he won Cadel’s race just a few days ago. We’ll try and keep the jersey on his shoulders.”

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Luke Rowe gives the Drapac team some help at the front of the peloton. Photo: Con Chronis

The story of the race:
A breakaway group of six riders formed within the first 10km of the 126.1km stage, the peloton seemingly comfortable with their attempts to attack the race. Kristian House (One Pro Cycling), Giacomo Berlato (Nippo – Vini Fantini), Nicholas Katsonis (State of Matter / MAAP), Alistair Slater (JLT – Condor), Craig Evers (Data#3 Cisco Racing Team p/b Scody) and Ben Hill (Attaque Team Gusto) reasonably quickly moving out to a maximum four-minute advantage by the 35km mark.

Not content to roll through the first sprint of the day at Warburton, Evers went on the offensive to claim six points of offer, followed by Hill and then Slater. Just up the road, and with the first climb of the day on the horizon, the peloton started working on bringing the gap down to 3:20 with Team Sky and Drapac spending considerable time on the front driving the pace.

Less than five kilometres in length, what the Warburton ascent lacked in difficulty, it made up for with a tricky descent after Berlato led the breakaway to the top. Katsonis failed to navigate a tricky left-hand bend, also forcing Evers to be dislodged from the group.

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Chris Froome leads Peter Kennaugh off the front. Photo: Con Chronis

Back in the peloton, up-and-coming climber Lucas Hamilton (Australia National Team p/b Korda Mentha) and Patrick Sharpe (St George Merida) would also come to grief on the descent, bringing their day and race to an untimely end. Sharpe ending his day at Maroondah Hospital for x-rays on an injured wrist and shoulder.

Hill would claim bragging rights at the second intermediate sprint of the day back in Healesville ahead of House and Evers who recovered well to re-join the breakaway, however the end was nigh for the breakaway. Just four kilometres up the road and at the start of the Meyers Creek Road Cat. 1 climb, it was grupo compacto.

With the hammer down, the casualties came thick and fast with Australian Champion and former Sun Tour runner-up Jack Bobridge (Trek-Segafredo) and yellow jersey Clarke among several riders losing contact with the front of the peloton. Froome moved ahead, followed by Kennaugh and the writing was on the wall. The pair soon had 19 seconds on a three-man chase group of Damian Howson (ORICA-GreenEDGE), Jonathan Clarke (UnitedHealthcare) and former Australian Under-23 Champion Ben Dyball (Australia National Team p/b KordaMentha) with around 20km left to race to the finish line in Healesville.

“Today was back to work, back to business,” explained Kennaugh following his win. “We had a strategy and we stuck to it. Once we got out onto the flat and on to the descent [to the finish] then we just pulled away again.”

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Kennaugh anticipates that the Team Sky show will resume shortly. “I think the next two stages are probably sprint days,” he said. “We’ve got a strong team and obviously GreenEDGE will want to keep it together for Caleb [Ewan]. So then it will be down to that last day. I think that climb will suit me more than today with the climb being shorter.”

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RESULTS
Stage 1 Healesville – Healesville (126.1km) results

General Classification: Peter KENNAUGH (SKY)
Young Rider Classification: Chris HAMILTON (AUS)
Sprint Classification: Peter KENNAUGH (SKY)
Hill Climb Classification: Christopher FROOME (SKY)
Stage Aggressor: Nicholas KATSONIS (SOM)
Leading Team: TEAM SKY

Stage 1 Result
1 Peter KENNAUGH (SKY) 3h01:47 10
2 Christopher FROOME (SKY) 0 6
3 Dion SMITH (ONE) 17 4
4 Anthony GIACOPPO (AIW) 17
5 Jack HAIG (OGE) 17
6 Jack BOBRIDGE (TFS) 17
7 Adam PHELAN (DPC) 17
8 Alistair DONOHOE (AUS) 17
9 Damiano CUNEGO (NIP) 17
10 Christian MEIER (OGE) 17
11 Steven LAMPIER (JLT) 17
12 Chris HARPER (SOM) 17
13 Cameron BAYLY (ATG) 17
14 Jai HINDLEY (ATG) 17
15 Nathan EARLE (DPC) 17
16 Damien HOWSON (OGE) 17
17 Robbie HUCKER (AIW) 17
18 James ORAM (ONE) 17
19 Michael CUMING (SOM) 17
20 Richard HANDLEY (ONE) 17
21 Chris HAMILTON (AUS) 17
22 Sebastian HENAO GOMEZ (SKY) 17
23 Lachlan NORRIS (DPC) 17
24 Ben DYBALL (AUS) 17
25 Ian BOSWELL (SKY) 17
26 Jonathan CLARKE (UHC) 17
27 Laurent DIDIER (TFS) 17
28 Michael STORER (AUS) 17
29 Joseph COOPER (AIW) 17
30 Patrick LANE (AIW) 17
31 Patrick SHAW (AIW) 17
32 Jason CHRISTIE (KRD) 49
33 William CLARKE (DPC) +3:00
34 Nick MILLER (KRD) +3:00
35 Dylan SUNDERLAND (SOM) +3:00
36 Kristian HOUSE (ONE) +3:00 2
37 Neil VAN DER PLOEG (AIW) +3:00
38 Salvatore PUCCIO (SKY) +3:00
39 Niccolo BONIFAZIO (TFS) +3:00
40 Morgan SMITH (KRD) +4:23
41 Christopher WILLIAMS (TNN) +5:08
42 Scott AMBROSE (TNN) +5:08
43 Brian KAMSTRA (TNN) +5:08
44 Ryan CAVANAGH (SOM) +5:08
45 Nicholas WOODS (STG) +5:08
46 Dylan NEWBERY (DSR) +5:08
47 Jesse KERRISON (SOM) +5:08
48 Suleiman KANGANGI (KRD) +5:08
49 Daniele COLLI (NIP) +5:08
50 Giacomo BERLATO (NIP) +5:08
51 Angus LYONS (AUS) +5:08
52 Daniel SUMMERHILL (UHC) +5:08
53 Brodie TALBOT (STG) +5:08
54 Kazushige KUBOKI (NIP) +5:08
55 Timothy GUY (ATG) +5:08
56 Joshua HUNT (ONE) +5:08
57 Yuma KOISHI (NIP) +5:08
58 Ryan THOMAS (DSR) +5:08
59 Fumiyuki BEPPU (TFS) +5:08
60 Nicholas KATSONIS (SOM) +5:08
61 Scott THOMAS (DSR) +5:08
62 Jay DUTTON (STG) +7:07
63 Alistair SLATER (JLT) +9:40 1
64 Liam HILL (KRD) +10:39
65 Corentin CHERHAL (TNN) +10:39
66 Gerd DE KEIJZER (TNN) +10:39
67 Nicolas MARINI (NIP) +10:39
68 Craig EVERS (DSR) +10:39 4
69 Samuel VOLKERS (DSR) +10:39
70 Benjamin HILL (ATG) +10:39 5
71 Josh BERRY (STG) +10:39
72 Steele VON HOFF (ONE) +10:39
73 James GLASSPOOL (TNN) +10:39
74 Daniel BONELLO (STG) +10:39
75 Mitchell DOCKER (OGE) +10:39
76 Travis MEYER (DPC) +10:39
77 Sam DOBBS (ATG) +10:39
78 Thomas HUBBARD (DSR) +10:39
79 John MURPHY (UHC) +10:39
80 Adrian HEGYVARY (UHC) +10:39
81 Tanner PUTT (UHC) +10:39
82 Tyler MAGNER (UHC) +10:39
83 Russell DOWNING (JLT) +10:39
84 Luke ROWE (SKY) +10:39
85 Samuel BEWLEY (OGE) +10:39
86 Eugenio ALAFACI (TFS) +10:39
87 Nathan ELLIOTT (KRD) +10:39
88 Shao Hsuan LU (ATG) +10:39
89 Caleb EWAN (OGE) +10:39
90 Christopher LAWLESS (JLT) +10:39
91 Jonathan MOULD (JLT) +10:39
92 Thomas SCULLY (DPC) +10:39
93 George ATKINS (JLT) +10:39
94 Julien BERNARD (TFS) +12:08

dnf Patrick SHARPE (STG)
dnf Lucas HAMILTON (AUS)

Average speed of the winner: 41.6 km/h
Number of starters: 96
Riders abandoning the race: 2

General Classification After Stage 1

1 Peter KENNAUGH (SKY) 3h04:16
2 Christopher FROOME (SKY) 7
3 Dion SMITH (ONE) 23
4 Robbie HUCKER (AIW) 25
5 Joseph COOPER (AIW) 26
6 Damien HOWSON (OGE) 27
7 Anthony GIACOPPO (AIW) 27
8 Jack BOBRIDGE (TFS) 28
9 Nathan EARLE (DPC) 28
10 Chris HAMILTON (AUS) 28
11 James ORAM (ONE) 29
12 Adam PHELAN (DPC) 29
13 Lachlan NORRIS (DPC) 29
14 Alistair DONOHOE (AUS) 29
15 Sebastian HENAO GOMEZ (SKY) 29
16 Cameron BAYLY (ATG) 29
17 Patrick SHAW (AIW) 30
18 Patrick LANE (AIW) 31
19 Richard HANDLEY (ONE) 31
20 Steven LAMPIER (JLT) 32
21 Jonathan CLARKE (UHC) 32
22 Jack HAIG (OGE) 33
23 Chris HARPER (SOM) 33
24 Michael CUMING (SOM) 34
25 Christian MEIER (OGE) 35
26 Jai HINDLEY (ATG) 37
27 Michael STORER (AUS) 37
28 Laurent DIDIER (TFS) 38
29 Ben DYBALL (AUS) 38
30 Ian BOSWELL (SKY) 41
31 Damiano CUNEGO (NIP) 41
32 Jason CHRISTIE (KRD) +1:05
33 William CLARKE (DPC) +3:05
34 Neil VAN DER PLOEG (AIW) +3:07
35 Niccolo BONIFAZIO (TFS) +3:10
36 Kristian HOUSE (ONE) +3:12
37 Dylan SUNDERLAND (SOM) +3:15
38 Salvatore PUCCIO (SKY) +3:15
39 Nick MILLER (KRD) +3:16
40 Morgan SMITH (KRD) +4:37
41 Jesse KERRISON (SOM) +5:18
42 Daniel SUMMERHILL (UHC) +5:20
43 Ryan CAVANAGH (SOM) +5:21
44 Ryan THOMAS (DSR) +5:21
45 Fumiyuki BEPPU (TFS) +5:24
46 Scott THOMAS (DSR) +5:24
47 Giacomo BERLATO (NIP) +5:24
48 Daniele COLLI (NIP) +5:24
49 Nicholas KATSONIS (SOM) +5:26
50 Christopher WILLIAMS (TNN) +5:26
51 Joshua HUNT (ONE) +5:26
52 Dylan NEWBERY (DSR) +5:27
53 Kazushige KUBOKI (NIP) +5:28
54 Nicholas WOODS (STG) +5:29
55 Brodie TALBOT (STG) +5:29
56 Brian KAMSTRA (TNN) +5:30
57 Angus LYONS (AUS) +5:31
58 Yuma KOISHI (NIP) +5:32
59 Scott AMBROSE (TNN) +5:35
60 Timothy GUY (ATG) +5:36
61 Suleiman KANGANGI (KRD) +5:36
62 Jay DUTTON (STG) +7:38
63 Alistair SLATER (JLT) +9:55
64 Caleb EWAN (OGE) +10:45
65 Benjamin HILL (ATG) +10:48
66 Samuel BEWLEY (OGE) +10:49
67 John MURPHY (UHC) +10:49
68 Craig EVERS (DSR) +10:49
69 Christopher LAWLESS (JLT) +10:50
70 Nicolas MARINI (NIP) +10:50
71 Luke ROWE (SKY) +10:50
72 Thomas SCULLY (DPC) +10:52
73 Jonathan MOULD (JLT) +10:53
74 Russell DOWNING (JLT) +10:53
75 Mitchell DOCKER (OGE) +10:53
76 Samuel VOLKERS (DSR) +10:54
77 Tanner PUTT (UHC) +10:54
78 Adrian HEGYVARY (UHC) +10:55
79 Travis MEYER (DPC) +10:55
80 James GLASSPOOL (TNN) +10:55
81 Steele VON HOFF (ONE) +10:56
82 Eugenio ALAFACI (TFS) +10:56
83 Tyler MAGNER (UHC) +10:56
84 George ATKINS (JLT) +10:57
85 Nathan ELLIOTT (KRD) +10:58
86 Sam DOBBS (ATG) +11:01
87 Daniel BONELLO (STG) +11:01
88 Thomas HUBBARD (DSR) +11:03
89 Liam HILL (KRD) +11:06
90 Corentin CHERHAL (TNN) +11:06
91 Josh BERRY (STG) +11:06
92 Shao Hsuan LU (ATG) +11:07
93 Gerd DE KEIJZER (TNN) +11:11
94 Julien BERNARD (TFS) +12:24
dnf Patrick SHARPE (STG)
dnf Lucas HAMILTON (AUS)

 

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Sprinters Jersey After Stage 1

1 Peter KENNAUGH (SKY) 10
2 Benjamin HILL (ATG) 10
3 Craig EVERS (DSR) 8
4 Christopher FROOME (SKY) 8
5 Dion SMITH (ONE) 6
6 Anthony GIACOPPO (AIW) 4
7 Kristian HOUSE (ONE) 4
8 Alistair SLATER (JLT) 2

Intermediate Sprints

Warburton

1  Craig EVERS (DSR) 6
2  Benjamin HILL (ATG) 4
3  Alistair SLATER (JLT) 2

Healesville 1

1  Benjamin HILL (ATG) 6
2  Kristian HOUSE (ONE) 4
3  Craig EVERS (DSR) 2

Healesville 2 (Stage Finish)

1  Peter KENNAUGH (SKY) 10
2  Christopher FROOME (SKY) 8
3  Dion SMITH (ONE) 6
4  Anthony GIACOPPO (AIW) 4

King of the Mountain After Stage 1

1 Christopher FROOME (SKY) 24
2 Giacomo BERLATO (NIP) 20
3 Peter KENNAUGH (SKY) 16
4 Nicholas KATSONIS (SOM) 12
5 Ben DYBALL (AUS) 8
6 Kristian HOUSE (ONE) 6
7 Jonathan CLARKE (UHC) 4
8 Alistair SLATER (JLT) 2

Hill Climbs

Warburton CAT2

1  Giacomo BERLATO (NIP) 20
2  Nicholas KATSONIS (SOM) 12
3  Kristian HOUSE (ONE) 6
4  Alistair SLATER (JLT) 2

Mt St Leonard CAT1

1 Christopher FROOME (SKY) 24
2 Peter KENNAUGH (SKY) 16
3 Ben DYBALL (AUS) 8
4 Jonathan CLARKE (UHC) 4

White U23 Jersey After Stage 1

1 Chris HAMILTON (AUS) 3h04:44
2 Alistair DONOHOE (AUS) 1
3 Chris HARPER (SOM) 5
4 Jai HINDLEY (ATG) 9
5 Michael STORER (AUS) 9
6 Dylan SUNDERLAND (SOM) +2:47
7 Jesse KERRISON (SOM) +4:50
8 Ryan CAVANAGH (SOM) +4:53
9 Ryan THOMAS (DSR) +4:53
10 Nicholas KATSONIS (SOM) +4:58

Stage Awards

Subaru Orange Most Aggressive Jersey: Nicholas KATSONIS (SOM)

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