First-time World Tour winners triumph at Cadel's race

THE Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race (CEGORR) has made a successful return to the Geelong region after a two-year absence, with big crowds flocking to three days of cycling action.

Organisers estimated more than 100,000 spectators and cycling fans watched the UCI WorldTour Men’s Elite Road Race on Sunday and Deakin University Women’s Elite Road Race on Saturday afternoon, and nearly 3,000 people took part in the Vegemite Family Ride on Friday afternoon and TAC People’s Ride on Saturday morning.

The Elite Men’s Ride peloton passes over the single lane bridge at Queens Park. Photo: JAMES TAYLOR

CEGORR founder and Tour de France winner Cadel Evans takes a selfie with some young riders. Photo: JAMES TAYLOR

In the Elite Women’s Ride, held in hot conditions, Loes Adegeest (FDJ-Suez) claimed the honours and her first UCI Women’s WorldTour win in a two-rider sprint to the finish on the Geelong Waterfront against Australia’s Amanda Spratt (Trek-Segafredo).

Loes Adegeest (front) and Amanda Spratt (obscured) fight for the Elite Women’s Ride win, as the peloton behind them races for third. Photo: MARCEL BERENS/SPORTS MEDIA IMAGES

The pair broke away on the final Challambra Crescent climb, just nine kilometres from the line, with Spratt doing most of the work to maintain the gap but overtaken in the last 200 metres. Nina Buijsman (Human Powered Health) led the peloton to take third position.

The Challambra climb in Highton was tough on riders all weekend. Photo: MARCEL BERENS/SPORTS MEDIA IMAGES

“I had thought the sprint through and I knew there were headwinds so I had to start late but I wanted to start on the downhill parts. Late, but not too late,” Adegeest said.

“I knew I had to come from the wheel so I forced Spratt to the front and the gap was big enough to play poker a little bit. I tried that and it worked out.”

The Family Ride saw riders of all ages cruise around a closed circuit on the Geelong Waterfront. Photo: JAMES TAYLOR

The People’s Ride saw some participants take on the same course as the pros. Photo: FACEBOOK/CADEL ROAD RACE

On Sunday, Marius Mayrhofer (Team DSM) also took his first win on the WorldTour, outlasting Hugo Page (Intermarché Circus Wanty) and Simon Clarke (Israel-Premier Tech) in a bunch sprint of 20 that included a three-rider crash in the last 500 metres.

“Straight after the finish, I was completely done emotionally and I couldn’t believe it. Now I’m fine again and happy to take the win,” Mayrhofer said.

“I’m still full of adrenaline and happiness – at the moment I feel great. This evening, I’ll feel my legs a bit. The climb is pretty tough, especially for a sprinter. I had to dig deep a few times but I felt good today.”

Taco van der Hoorn was alone at the front of the CEGORR Elite Men’s Ride for most of the day, including the first sprint over the Barwon Heads Bridge. Photo: MARCEL BERENS/SPORTS MEDIA IMAGES

Intermarché Circus Wanty’s Taco van der Hoorn made a solo break early in the cold, wet and gusty conditions and held onto it until the last 40 kilometres of the race, but was rewarded for his efforts with CEGORR’s Sprint and King of the Mountain classifications.