A solo victory by Damien Howson on the 29km climb up Falls Creek on Stage 1 of the Herald Sun Tour has lifted the Orica-Scott rider into a strong position to seal the overall title. Howson and Team Sky's Kenny Elissonde had attacked from a reduced peloton mid-way through the climb with the Australian getting the better of the Frenchman in the closing kilometres.
Jai Hindley put in the ride of his young career to attack the select group behind the leading duo, which included Chris Froome and Esteban Chaves, to finish in second place as Elissonde faded in the final kilometre. Hindley's Australian national teammate Michael Storer was next to cross the line in fourth place. Chaves then stole a second over Froome in the sprint for fifth place to put Sky on the back foot in the battle for overall glory.
"It was a dream scenario to have enough time coming through the finish, in the last kay, [with a] nice gap, thinking what salute to do," Howson said of his thoughts approaching the line and whether to salute or push for every possible second. "It was one of those finishes over a climb, world's best climbers behind you, to finish it off the way I did I am very happy with that."
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Over the last 18-months, the former U23 time trial world champion Howson has developed as a key climbing domestique alongside Chaves at Orica-Scott and explained that once he was in the position to pursue a personal result, he fully committed knowing it was a move that would also benefit the team.
"That was the tactic and we had so many cards to play, four climbers within a team of seven, that any of use could have won today and we all put it out there," said Howson. "It all fell in place for myself today, I got that break and it was just a matter of making sure I had the race under control and was 100 per cent confident in myself to win. Once I said I was confident to win, the team put full faith in me as well so I can’t thank the team enough for that."
Howson leads Hindley by 38 seconds on the general classification with Elissonde at 53 seconds, and Froome at 1:12 minutes in fifth place. Chaves is now ninth, two seconds off Froome.
How it unfolded
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
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