A fantastic ride from Simon Gerrans and Orica-Greenedge has seen the Melbournian win the race for the second time in his career. With Gerrans expected to race the Tour de France this year, it will see the Australian Road Champion’s jersey appear in the peloton.
He had to work hard for his win, beating none other than Richie Porte and Cadel Evans to the finish in a tense final 10 kilometres. Gerrans has credited team mate Cameron Meyer with giving him the support he needed to bring it home in the final kilometre.
A breakaway hit off the front of the peloton early on which featured Luke Durbridge, Simon Clarke, Andrew Hansen and Steeve Von Hoff. With the pressure being piled on and the breakaway unable to sustain itself Orica-Greenedge took over at the front of the peloton.
Cadel Evans and Richie Porte had managed to tuck themselves away in the peloton with Porte having just one rider from Sky with him and Cadel the only Australian BMC rider. Evans said before the race he knew he would have to rely on himself completely and that he could threaten.
At the front of the peloton it was Cameron Meyer who went away. A time trial champion, he hoped to make it over Mt. Buninyong on his own but was soon joined by Gerrans and Evans.
With Evans outnumbered and being double-teamed by the Orica riders, it had shades of his solo effort against the Schleck brothers in 2011 on the Galibier.
Soon though the pressure was taken off him slightly when Richie Porte joined them. Over the following 1.5 laps the four fought for position with Gerrans content to sit at the back.
Meyer attacked a number of times with no success before Richie Porte went off the front. Evans sat behind Meyer comfortably, refusing to work for Orica-Greenedge and hurt his own chances of a podium finish.
As they descended from Mt. Buninyong the pressure amped up. They had caught Porte who was sitting behind Gerrans and continually threatening to burst past them. Evans was happy to sit in the middle with his metronome like cadence helping him mark any moves.
Richie Porte tried to launch just over one kilometre from the line but was marked by Gerrans. Then it was Evans, who held a two bike-length lead before Simon Gerrans was able to kick into his sprint and finish a comfortable winner and Australian champion for the second time.
The second position finish was a personal best at the Nationals for Evans who had never landed on the podium in Ballarat before. Richie Porte finished third, Meyer fourth and Jack Bobridge closed out the top five.
In one week some of Europe’s best will arrive in Adelaide for the Tour Down Under with Cadel Evans also racing the event to kick off the Pro-Tour circuit and also begins his preparations for a tilt at the Giro d’Italia.
(From Left): Porte, Gerrans and Evans on the podium.
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