Jayco Herald Sun Tour 2020 – Stage 1 [FULL RACE]

February 5, 2020

Jayco Herald Sun Tour 2020 – Stage 1 – Nagambie – Shepparton : 122,4 km

The 2020 Jayco Herald Sun Tour makes a return to the real mountains, featuring the iconic Victorian climbs of Mount Buller and Falls Creek – both of which have featured in Australia’s oldest stage race before, but which will this week feature together in the same edition for the first time in the event’s 68-year history.

Team Sunweb’s Alberto Dainese sprinted to the win from a bunch-sprint finish to stage 1 of the 2020 Jayco Herald Sun Tour in Shepparton, Australia, on Wednesday, getting the better of Kaden Groves (Mitchelton-Scott) and Moreno Hofland (EF Pro Cycling).

After the bunch had brought back the day’s five-rider breakaway with five kilometres of the 121.9km stage to go, Sunweb took to the front of the bunch to set Dainese up for the finish, battling it out with EF Pro Cycling and Mitchelton-Scott in the closing kilometres.

Max Kanter took his teammate Dainese through the final right-hand bend with 250 metres to go, and the Italian powered to a clear victory ahead of Groves and Hofland.

“First day, first win. This is my second professional win, but my first as part of a WorldTour team,” Dainese told reporters after stepping down from the podium, clad in his yellow leader’s jersey, with that first victory having come at the 2019 Czech Cycling Tour while riding for SEG Racing Academy.

“It was a wide road coming into the finish, and we stayed on the front for the last few kilometres,” he said. “Then it got a bit messy, but Max got me through the last corner in fifth or sixth position so that I could start my sprint.

“It was a tight one, as the lead-out guys from EF were at the front, and I had to close a little gap. But it was fine in the end, and I’m happy I got it.”

Dainese took 10th place on the opening stage of last month’s Tour Down Under, and then improved that to fifth place on stage 4 to Murray Bridge before taking third place at the precursor to the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, the Race Torquay, last week.

“The Tour Down Under wasn’t easy against some of the best sprinters in the world. I still need a bit more practice,” admitted Dainese. “I’m still only 21, though, so I hope I can still improve in the next few years.”

How it unfolded

The riders set off from the Mitchelton Winery Estate near Nagambie, two hours north of Melbourne, on Wednesday morning, and soon after the opening stage’s first intermediate sprint after 9.5km – won by Team Sapura Cycling’s Roy Eefting – the day’s main breakaway went clear.

Four riders – Ryan Thomas (ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast), Conor Murtagh (Oliver’s Real Food Racing), Team BridgeLane’s Ben Hill, Charles-Etienne Chretien (Aevolo) – were subsequently joined following a lone chase by Jesse Coyle (Nero Continental), and the quintet build up a maximum lead of just over three minutes.

Sunweb, EF Pro Cycling and Israel Start-Up Nation policed the front of the peloton, but the WorldTour squads were happy to let the break go.

A crash in the bunch brought down Team BridgeLane sprinter Nick White, and he was later seen being tended to by the race doctor, with his ripped shorts displaying a bloodied and bruised hip.

Although he was unable to be involved in the sprint finish, White managed to finish the stage, in last place, and will hope to recover in order to try his luck in another spring finish later in the week.

Up at the front, White’s BridgeLane teammate Hill won the second intermediate sprint with just under 20km left to race, but with the break’s advantage over the bunch plummeting fast, Hill attacked his breakaway companions and managed to eke out his time at the front of the race until the last five kilometres, earning himself the prize as the most aggressive rider by day’s end.

It was the cue for Sunweb to take control at the head of affairs, and they duly delivered their man to victory at the finish in the Victorian town of Shepparton.

Dainese takes the Australian stage race’s first leader’s jersey into stage 2, although the 21-year-old sprinter will be hard-pressed to defend it on the summit finish at the Falls Creek ski resort on Thursday.

Results :
1 Alberto Dainese (Ita) Team Sunweb 2:36:42
2 Kaden Groves (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
3 Moreno Hofland (Ned) EF Pro Cycling
4 Mihkel Räim (Est) Israel Start-Up Nation
5 Godfrey Slattery (Aus) Kordamentha Australian National Team
6 Michael Rice (Aus) ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
7 Roy Eefting (Ned) Team Sapura Cycling
8 Yasuharu Nakajima (Jpn) Kinan
9 Tom Scully (NZl) EF Pro Cycling
10 Thomas Bolton (Aus) Oliver’s Real Food Racing
11 Luke Mudgway (NZl) Black Spoke Pro Cycling Academy
12 Scott McGill (USA) Aevolo
13 Tyler Stites (USA) Aevolo
14 James Whelan (Aus) EF Pro Cycling
15 Neilson Powless (USA) EF Pro Cycling
16 Ben Carman (Aus) Nero Continental
17 Hayden McCormick (NZl) Black Spoke Pro Cycling Academy
18 Craig Wiggins (Aus) St George Continental
19 Myles Stewart (Aus) Nero Continental
20 Samuel Jenner (Aus) Team Bridgelane
21 Ayden Toovey (Aus) Team Bridgelane
22 Kees Duyvesteyn (NZl) Team Bridgelane
23 Cade Bickmore (USA) Aevolo
24 Max Kanter (Ger) Team Sunweb
25 Simon Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott
26 Dion Smith (NZl) Mitchelton-Scott
27 Salvador Guardiola Tora (Spa) Kinan
28 Rob Power (Aus) Team Sunweb
29 Guillaume Boivin (Can) Israel Start-Up Nation
30 Jai Hindley (Aus) Team Sunweb
31 Omer Goldstein (Isr) Israel Start-Up Nation
32 Carter Turnbull (Aus) Kordamentha Australian National Team
33 Conor Leahy (Aus) Kordamentha Australian National Team
34 Jay Vine (Aus) Nero Continental
35 Damien Howson (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
36 Jesse Ewart (Aus) Team Sapura Cycling
37 Bentley Niquet-Olden (Aus) Nero Continental
38 Sean McElroy (USA) Aevolo
39 Benjamin Hill (Aus) Team Bridgelane
40 Alexander Cataford (Can) Israel Start-Up Nation
41 Ari Scott (NZl) Black Spoke Pro Cycling Academy
42 Ethan Batt (NZl) Black Spoke Pro Cycling Academy
43 James Oram (NZl) Black Spoke Pro Cycling Academy
44 Yudai Arashiro (Jpn) Kinan
45 Cameron Meyer (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
46 Conor Schunk (USA) Aevolo
47 Charles-Etienne Chretien (Can) Aevolo
48 Calan White (Aus) Kordamentha Australian National Team
49 Rudy Porter (Aus) Kordamentha Australian National Team
50 Ben Metcalfe (Aus) Team Bridgelane
51 Nicholas Schultz (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
52 Alexander White (NZl) Black Spoke Pro Cycling Academy
53 Joshua Kench (NZl) Black Spoke Pro Cycling Academy
54 Thomas Lebas (Fra) Kinan
55 Connor Reardon (Aus) St George Continental
56 Hiroshi Tsubaki (Jpn) Kinan
57 Alex Heaney (NZl) St George Continental
58 Liam White (Aus) Oliver’s Real Food Racing
59 Sebastian Berwick (Aus) St George Continental
60 Lachlan Morton (Aus) EF Pro Cycling
61 Sebastian Presley (Aus) Oliver’s Real Food Racing
62 Marcos Garcia Fernandez (Spa) Kinan
63 Michael Storer (Aus) Team Sunweb
64 Aidan McNeil (USA) Aevolo
65 James Piccoli (Can) Israel Start-Up Nation
66 Brendon Davids (RSA) Oliver’s Real Food Racing
67 Genki Yamamoto (Jpn) Kinan
68 Jonas Rutsch (Ger) EF Pro Cycling
69 Michael Potter (Aus) ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
70 Ashley Mackay (Aus) ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
71 Marcus Culey (Aus) Team Sapura Cycling
72 Dylan McKenna (Aus) Nero Continental
73 Mitchell Docker (Aus) EF Pro Cycling
74 Daniel Gandy (Aus) St George Continental
75 Florian Stork (Ger) Team Sunweb
76 Christopher Miller (Aus) Nero Continental
77 Samuel Hill (Aus) Team Bridgelane
78 Mark O’Brien (Aus) Kordamentha Australian National Team
79 Joel Yates (NZl) St George Continental
80 David Williams (Aus) Kordamentha Australian National Team
81 Sebastian Barrett (Aus) ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
82 Muhammad Hakimi Ajis (Mas) Team Sapura Cycling
83 Michael Freiberg (Aus) ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
84 Riley Fleming (Aus) Oliver’s Real Food Racing
85 Daniel di Domenico (Aus) ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
86 Angus Lyons (Aus) Oliver’s Real Food Racing
87 Alex Dowsett (GBr) Israel Start-Up Nation
88 Asbjørn Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Sunweb
89 Samuel Bewley (NZl) Mitchelton-Scott 0:00:18
90 Benjamin Perry (Can) Israel Start-Up Nation
91 Ryan Thomas (Aus) ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
92 Ryan Cavanagh (Aus) St George Continental
93 Jesse Coyle (Aus) Nero Continental 0:01:13
94 Conor Murtagh (Aus) Oliver’s Real Food Racing 0:03:18
95 Nicholas White (Aus) Team Bridgelane

General Classification after Stage 1 :
1 Alberto Dainese (Ita) Team Sunweb 2:36:32
2 Kaden Groves (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott 0:00:04
3 Moreno Hofland (Ned) EF Pro Cycling 0:00:06
4 Roy Eefting (Ned) Team Sapura Cycling 0:00:07
5 Benjamin Hill (Aus) Team Bridgelane
6 Craig Wiggins (Aus) St George Continental 0:00:09
7 Charles-Etienne Chretien (Can) Aevolo
8 Mihkel Räim (Est) Israel Start-Up Nation 0:00:10
9 Godfrey Slattery (Aus) Kordamentha Australian National Team
10 Michael Rice (Aus) ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
11 Yasuharu Nakajima (Jpn) Kinan
12 Tom Scully (NZl) EF Pro Cycling
13 Thomas Bolton (Aus) Oliver’s Real Food Racing
14 Luke Mudgway (NZl) Black Spoke Pro Cycling Academy
15 Scott McGill (USA) Aevolo
16 Tyler Stites (USA) Aevolo
17 James Whelan (Aus) EF Pro Cycling
18 Neilson Powless (USA) EF Pro Cycling
19 Ben Carman (Aus) Nero Continental
20 Hayden McCormick (NZl) Black Spoke Pro Cycling Academy
21 Myles Stewart (Aus) Nero Continental
22 Samuel Jenner (Aus) Team Bridgelane
23 Ayden Toovey (Aus) Team Bridgelane
24 Kees Duyvesteyn (NZl) Team Bridgelane
25 Cade Bickmore (USA) Aevolo
26 Max Kanter (Ger) Team Sunweb
27 Simon Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott
28 Dion Smith (NZl) Mitchelton-Scott
29 Salvador Guardiola Tora (Spa) Kinan
30 Rob Power (Aus) Team Sunweb
31 Guillaume Boivin (Can) Israel Start-Up Nation
32 Jai Hindley (Aus) Team Sunweb
33 Omer Goldstein (Isr) Israel Start-Up Nation
34 Carter Turnbull (Aus) Kordamentha Australian National Team
35 Conor Leahy (Aus) Kordamentha Australian National Team
36 Jay Vine (Aus) Nero Continental
37 Damien Howson (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
38 Jesse Ewart (Aus) Team Sapura Cycling
39 Bentley Niquet-Olden (Aus) Nero Continental
40 Sean McElroy (USA) Aevolo
41 Alexander Cataford (Can) Israel Start-Up Nation
42 Ari Scott (NZl) Black Spoke Pro Cycling Academy
43 Ethan Batt (NZl) Black Spoke Pro Cycling Academy
44 James Oram (NZl) Black Spoke Pro Cycling Academy
45 Yudai Arashiro (Jpn) Kinan
46 Cameron Meyer (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
47 Conor Schunk (USA) Aevolo
48 Calan White (Aus) Kordamentha Australian National Team
49 Rudy Porter (Aus) Kordamentha Australian National Team
50 Ben Metcalfe (Aus) Team Bridgelane
51 Nicholas Schultz (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
52 Alexander White (NZl) Black Spoke Pro Cycling Academy
53 Joshua Kench (NZl) Black Spoke Pro Cycling Academy
54 Thomas Lebas (Fra) Kinan
55 Connor Reardon (Aus) St George Continental
56 Hiroshi Tsubaki (Jpn) Kinan
57 Alex Heaney (NZl) St George Continental
58 Liam White (Aus) Oliver’s Real Food Racing
59 Sebastian Berwick (Aus) St George Continental
60 Lachlan Morton (Aus) EF Pro Cycling
61 Sebastian Presley (Aus) Oliver’s Real Food Racing
62 Marcos Garcia Fernandez (Spa) Kinan
63 Michael Storer (Aus) Team Sunweb
64 Aidan McNeil (USA) Aevolo
65 James Piccoli (Can) Israel Start-Up Nation
66 Brendon Davids (RSA) Oliver’s Real Food Racing
67 Genki Yamamoto (Jpn) Kinan
68 Jonas Rutsch (Ger) EF Pro Cycling
69 Michael Potter (Aus) ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
70 Ashley Mackay (Aus) ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
71 Marcus Culey (Aus) Team Sapura Cycling
72 Dylan McKenna (Aus) Nero Continental
73 Mitchell Docker (Aus) EF Pro Cycling
74 Daniel Gandy (Aus) St George Continental
75 Florian Stork (Ger) Team Sunweb
76 Christopher Miller (Aus) Nero Continental
77 Samuel Hill (Aus) Team Bridgelane
78 Mark O’Brien (Aus) Kordamentha Australian National Team
79 Joel Yates (NZl) St George Continental
80 David Williams (Aus) Kordamentha Australian National Team
81 Sebastian Barrett (Aus) ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
82 Muhammad Hakimi Ajis (Mas) Team Sapura Cycling
83 Michael Freiberg (Aus) ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
84 Riley Fleming (Aus) Oliver’s Real Food Racing
85 Daniel di Domenico (Aus) ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
86 Angus Lyons (Aus) Oliver’s Real Food Racing
87 Alex Dowsett (GBr) Israel Start-Up Nation
88 Asbjørn Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Sunweb
89 Ryan Thomas (Aus) ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast 0:00:26
90 Samuel Bewley (NZl) Mitchelton-Scott 0:00:28
91 Benjamin Perry (Can) Israel Start-Up Nation
92 Ryan Cavanagh (Aus) St George Continental
93 Jesse Coyle (Aus) Nero Continental 0:01:23
94 Nicholas White (Aus) Team Bridgelane 0:03:26
95 Conor Murtagh (Aus) Oliver’s Real Food Racing 0:03:28