Amanda Spratt and Sam Welsford strike first blows at Bay Crits
Amanda Spratt struck first in Australia’s summer of cycling with a virtuoso win at the Lexus of Blackburn Bay Crits.
Amanda Spratt struck first in Australia’s summer of cycling with a virtuoso win at the Lexus of Blackburn Bay Crits.
Spratt capitalised on Jessica Allen’s early solo break, launching a devastating counter-attack when her teammate was caught with 20 minutes left in the 45-minute opening stage.
With the 34-strong field shrinking by the lap on Geelong’s infamous “hot dog” circuit, it was Spratt, 32, who made the decisive move.
When the three-time Tour Down Under champ and Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race winner surged, only Ruby Roseman-Gannon could follow.
That duo opened up a 36-second advantage with 10 minutes remaining and with five laps to go they were in sight of the main field.
But any suspicions of a Roseman-Gannon upset were snuffed out going into the last corner when Spratt’s vicious acceleration left her rival behind, paving the way for a finish line victory salute.
Another Spratt teammate, Chloe Hosking, won the best-of-the-rest sprint for third.
“I just knew I wanted to make it a long sprint,” Spratt said.
“I think she’s actually quite a good sprinter and I’m probably better with those hard long sprints so that’s what I wanted to do, so I’m happy I could pull it off.
“I could feel she was struggling a little bit in the last part, but overall she had a really strong ride too.”
The Bay Crits opener was Spratt’s first race since taking bronze in last year’s world championships.
One of Australia’s most decorated cyclists has arrived for the Aussie summer in peak form for a season in which she will also target gold at the Tokyo Olympics.
“I love the Aussie summer of racing so I like to be in good form here,” she said.
“It’s my 15th time at the Bay Crits and I love to start my season here. It’s probably the race I get most nervous for the whole season because you’ve just had your off-season.
“It’s nice to start with a win and confirm the training is on track. I’ve been smashing myself in sessions at home, but you never know until you come out and race.
“It’s probably this crit circuit which suits me the least so I’m always a bit scared. I’m a bit of a nervous mess before the race so I’m really, really happy.”
Thick smoke had threatened to shorten the women’s race before largely clearing before the 5pm start time.
In the men’s race, Sam Welsford proved power on the track translates to power on the road after his breathtaking finishing surge claimed a volatile opening stage.
Welsford, a four-time world champion on the track and a member of Australia’s world record-holding team pursuit unit, flexed his considerable muscle in the final 300m.
The 23-year-old West Australian even crashed earlier in the race, making his win for his Lexus of Blackburn team even more special.
Behind him, Cameron Ivory was second and Brenton Jones third.
After Team BridgeLane pair Benjamin hill and Nicholas White tried and failed to get away, Mitchelton-Scott star Luke Durbridge got on the front to decimate the peloton.
Durbridge’s relentless pace-setting helped shred a 43-man field to only 17 with five laps to go.
The Bay Crits continue on Saturday at nearby Botanic Gardens in Geelong before moving to Williamstown for the Stage 3 finale on Sunday.
HERALD SUN
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