Aaron Donnelly wins Stage 1 of Jayco Herald Sun Tour

FOUR hours of hell on wheels - that was the first road stage of the Jayco Herald Sun Tour - and some experienced cyclists struggled to cope.

Aaron Donnelly wins Stage 1 of Jayce Herald Sun Tour

FOUR hours of hell on wheels - that was yesterday's first road stage of the Jayco Herald Sun Tour - and some experienced cyclists struggled to cope.

So when you see a 21-year-old unknown rookie upstage them all, as Aaron Donnelly did, you know he's earned more than the right to don the leader's yellow jersey.

Such a determined, gutsy ride entitles you to a lot of respect from a peloton well-stocked with stars of the ilk of Stuart O'Grady, Simon Gerrans, Matt Goss and New Zealand veterans Greg Henderson and Julian Dean, all of whom are major players on the European circuit.

But even they wouldn't have realised how much ticker was involved.

Donnelly, from NSW, couldn't quite hold back the tears as he reflected on the miserable battle he has endured to keep his developing career - which means everything to him - afloat.

"I'm a bit spent and a bit emotional because this is my first win for a long time - maybe three or four years - and I've had a lot of misfortune," he said.

He was referring to a three-year stint with the Australian Institute of Sport team where, he said, he enjoyed himself but "kept breaking bones".

Most recently he fell down stairs at the AIS base in Italy in April, breaking a wrist, which forced him off the bike for 10 weeks.

"I thought about giving it all up but I kept going because it's just all I've ever wanted to do," he said.

"If I give it everything and don't make it, well and good - but I want to have no regrets when it's all over.

"I'm just glad I came out stronger from it."

Riding for the Huon Salmon-Genesys Wealth Advisers team, Donnelly said the race conditions were the toughest he had encountered.

But, he said, everybody had to deal with it. "And mentally, it made us tougher at the end of the day."

The race was brought forward by two hours in the hope it would be finished before the worst of the heat kicked in, but the riders' bike computers still said it was about 45C on the road.

"The conditions were ridiculous," said O'Grady, 39, the most experienced rider in the field. "A lot of people were suffering. No one was prepared to race in those conditions - and I hope I never have to do it again."

Asked if the race should have been abandoned, he settled for saying: "That's not my decision."

His teammate on the Australian National Team and fellow Orica-GreenEDGE senior professional, Matthew Goss, had a nightmare race, dropping off the pack on the early climb up Mt Hotham and finishing in the last group, half an hour behind.

Race organisers ran out of water halfway through the 147km torture test from Sunbury to Bendigo, with director John Trevorrow buying every available bottle from the general store at Redesdale.

Four of the 108 starters failed to finish but there were no medical dramas.

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