A 90km solo breakaway from Jack Bobridge on a hot summer’s afternoon saw the 26-year-old start his career with Trek-Segafredo in the best way possible, taking his second Australian nation title 2:52 minutes ahead of Cam Meyer (Dimension Data). Bobridge was part of the 21-rider breakaway which formed on lap two of 18, attacking on lap seven with Bernie Sulzberger (Drapac) who he rode away from on lap 10 with 90km to race.
"In the back of my mind, it thought Rohan and Richie would probably be a bit too strong to go with at the finish but when I saw that big group go at the start, 20 guys that had a lot of teams represented, I put myself there," Bobridge said his move. "I guess I got away with Bernie and he was umming and ahhing whether to stay there or not. At that point in time, if I was to go back I've spent too much energy already so I am not going to win the bike race anyway. I got myself into a good rhythm. I guess that time gap I got with nine minutes was enough to start the descent as they were starting the climb."
Bobridge started the final lap with a five minute lead over Cam Meyer with Rohan Dennis (BMC) and Pat Lane (Avanti) a further minute back. Dennis wouldn't finish the race leaving Meyer and Lane to race for the minor positions while Bobridge enjoyed the final kilometre as he collected his second title having also soloed to victory in 2011.
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"I wanted redemption after Thursday," he said of the time trial in which he was tenth. "To be honest, I trained more than over before for the time trial on Thursday but it just didn’t go my way. I had one of them days when the body just didn’t want to work. Everyone has them days but I was pretty annoyed with Thursday. At the end of the day winning the road race is probably better than winning the time trial because I get to wear the jersey more often.
"I honestly didn’t think going that far from home I’d be able to hold on on this course. This course is brutal, the time gaps stayed the same and even went out a little bit so probably four, five laps from home I could probably do this if I keep riding smart."
Once it became clear Bobridge was not going to blow up and return to the field as anticipated by an underestimating peloton, the reaction was led by Orica-GreenEdge from lap 11. With little change to the race situation, a Dennis initiated move with 30km saw him and Meyer go clear all but ending Orica-GreenEdge's chances for a medal who had Caleb Ewan as an earlier DNF.
- Amanda Spratt wins two-up sprint to take second Australian national title
- Bobridge rides off with second Australian road title
- Dennis crushes field to claim maiden Australian time trial title
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