Welsford, Fidanza triumph at Cadel’s Criteriums

AUSTRALIAN Sam Welsford and Italian Martina Fidanza sprinted to victories in the first edition of the Cadel’s Criteriums at Geelong’s Eastern Gardens earlier today (Thursday, January 29).

The two races were a new opportunity for the men’s and women’s teams in this weekend’s Mapei Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race events following the cancellation of the Surf Coast Classics.

In a united show of support, all teams that participated in Cadel’s Criterium agreed to donate their prize money to affected communities in the Surf Coast Shire.

The compact 2km circuit included a testing hill to about 500m to go and lived up to expectations of high-speed and technical racing.

It also provided fans a chance to see the WorldTour teams in action before Saturday’s Mapei Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race for women, and Sunday’s race for men.

Fidanza (Team Visma-Lease A Bike) seized her opportunity presented by her team to triumph in the 20-lap women’s race in a bunch sprint.

She lauded her teammates for supporting her after they tried their hand in early attacks.

Her winning sprint saw her beat two rival teammates Pole Marta Lach and Italian Barbara Guarischi (both from SD Worx-Protime).

The race had several attacks, but none ever really worked more than to string out the peloton and tire legs for the inevitable bunch sprint on a long slightly uphill finish.

“Our plan which was to do sprint with me and for the others [in the team] to try to get in the breakaway for their own chances. It was really perfect work by the team. We arrived at the sprint; so, it was my chance of the day and they helped me really well,” Fidanza said.

“I’m improving from the beginning of the season. I started a bit later with the training. I had to build the shape. But I think it’s improving. I can take this confidence for my team on Saturday, because I think that will be a helper. I want to pay them back again for their help today.

“I was really excited to do race [the Surf Coast Classic], but I think it was the direct decision [to cancel it]. I think that our thoughts are with them [the public impacted], and if we could help with this [race], it was nice. The good thing was to honour the race with this criterium. We were all at the start line today. I think it was really good.”

Women’s Cadel’s Criterium – Top 5:

1. ⁠Martina Fidanza (TVL) [Italy] 00:53:06
2. Marta Lach (SDW) [Poland] +0
3. Barbara Guarischi (SDW) [Italy] +0
4. ⁠Georgia Baker (LIV) [Australia] +0
5. ⁠Josie Nelson (TPP) [Great Britain] +0

The men’s race followed immediately afterwards, with Welsford (INEOS Grenadiers) leading home an unexpected breakaway of eight riders to win with the peloton hot on their heels.

Welsford won the 25-lap race for a total of 50km from another star sprinter in Australian Jenson Plowright (Alpecin-Premier Tech) and Italian Matteo Sobrero (Lidl–Trek).

The break that formed with 15 laps to go also included Australian Kelland O’Brien (Jayco-Alula), Belgian Fabio Van Den Bossche (Soudal-Quick-Step), New Zealand’s Laurence Pithie (Red Bull – Bora – Hansgrohe), Great Britain’s Callum Thornley (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), and France’s Rémi Cavagna (Groupama – FDJ United).

The break worked extremely well together and managed to get a more than 30 second lead on the peloton before the chase in the final five laps began.

However, it was a case of the peloton leaving their chase too late, and for Welsford, Plowright and Sobrero, the narrowing gap on the chasers did not matter once they hit full throttle and fought for the win with 250m to go.

“It was a hard race but not one I expected to win in a way in a breakaway, but in these criteriums with this field… there’ll be a moment where something can go,” Welsford said.

“It was a super-hard race and I was happy to be out there and we had a really strong sprinters in that breakaway. So you couldn’t just bank on staying away. You had to make sure you left something for the sprint. I had my team behind me and they were working quite well to make sure that nothing really caught and got away twice. We had to keep the gap, but we had to make sure we had enough for the sprint.

“There were a few games being played in the last couple [of] laps. It was a bit of cat and mouse and [a] really tactical finish there, but we are super happy to get the win today.”

He said INEOS Grenadiers would have to wait and see for any final tips about Sunday’s Elite Men’s Race.

“It’s a race [where] anything can happen. We have to see how the bunch race it. We have more teams now, more WorldTour teams.

“I’m interested to see what that brings. Does that add more control to the bunch? Does that make more options for a sprinter to get over?

“For me, whatever that looks like, if that’s helping the team, if it’s too hard for me, then I’m fully committed to that. “

Men’s Cadel’s Criterium – Top 5:

1. Sam Welsford (IGD) [Australia] 00:59:09
2. ⁠Jensen Plowright (APT) [Australia] +0
3. Matteo Sobrero (LTK) [Italy] +0
4. ⁠Laurence Pithie (RBH) [New Zealand] +0
5. ⁠Kelland O’Brien (JAY) [Australia] +0

The main events of the weekend are supported by partners including Mapei, underscoring the global and local support for the broader Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race festival.