Santos Festival of Cycling 2022 – Stage 1 [FULL STAGE]

January 27, 2022

Santos Festival of Cycling 2022 – Stage 1 – Stirling – Lobethal : 114,2 km

The Santos Festival of Cycling, which includes four days of racing across South Australia for the women and men, is the National Road Series replacement for the cancelled Tour Down Under, which was last held as a WorldTour event for men. The multi-day event provides an opportunity for the top domestic racers to line up alongside some of the nation’s WorldTour professionals who returned home for the Australian summer. The domestic event will feature three-day stage races for elite women and elite men, as well as men’s and women’s criteriums in Victoria Park.

James Whelan (Team BridgeLane) won stage 1 of the men’s racing at the Santos Festival of Cycling, pulling off the solo victory that he had been chasing at the Australian Road National Championships earlier this month.

The rider, who has reluctantly stepped out of the WorldTour this season, held off the fierce chase by a group of 15 that included newly-crowned Australian Champion Luke Plapp (Team Garmin Australia), Chris Harper (Villawood) and defending champion Luke Durbridge (BikeExchange-Jayco).

Winning the sprint from that chase group was Under 23 rider Matt Dinham, taking the top two steps for Team BridgeLane, while Ben Hill (CCS Cycling) came third, after also sweeping up the King of the Mountain points on the road.

“It hasn’t quite sunk in yet,” Whelan said in the 7 livestream interview straight after his win.

“Maybe when I’m on the podium it’ll make sense but far out what a race. I had the intention to try and do that but when you actually pull it off it’s a pretty special feeling.”

With Whelan finishing 1 minute and 23 seconds ahead of his rivals on the stage, and time bonuses still to be factored in, he looked to have pulled out an unassailable GC lead on the very first stage, but then the GC results were put out with gaps that were a minute tighter than expected. There was also a note in the decisions of the commissaires panel that rider number 23, Whelan, had received a one minute motor pacing penalty along with a $200 fine. Whelan ahad to chase the peloton early in the stage after bike problems.

The updated overall classification left Whelan with a still solid, but not bullet-proof, lead of 27 seconds from teammate Dinham while Brendan Johnston (Giant Racing), Ben Hill and Luke Durbridge are all lined up at 28, 29 and 32 seconds back. Then there is another group of 11 riders, including Plapp and Harper, at 33 seconds.

How it unfolded

The first stage on the road took in 114km and 1,800 metres of climbing as it wound its ways from Stirling to Lobethal. The breakaway attempts started early after the field left Stirling in the sunshine and building heat. Whelan was soon out the back of the peloton with bike problems and a bike change, forcing him to chase.

16 riders eventually managed to make it off and out to the front. Helping their cause was the mix of teams in the group, including all the major squads, from BikeExchange-Jayco, Team BridgeLane, Team Garmin Australia, Villawood, Inform TMX MAKE, Olivers and ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast. Most, though, had their most likely GC contenders still in the pack behind, with Giant Racing, who had Brendan Johnston in the mix, an exception.

Working together they built a lead that stretched out to two minutes. At 65 kilometres to go the King of the Mountain points at Cuddle Creek were always going to go to someone from that break, and Hill clipped off the front with a concerted effort, signalling that if anyone wanted to take them from him they faced a challenge.

When Team Garmin Australia’s Zac Marriage dropped out of the move at around 55 kilometres to go, teammates Richie Porte and Plapp looked intent on getting the peloton moving behind. They poured on the pace and so the splits and attacks just seemed to keep coming.

Plapp and Rohan Dennis (Villawood) were in a group off the front and then it was Durbridge who shifted into gear, pulling away with company that included Chris Harper (Villawood) and Whelan. Once they went there was no looking back.

The Durbridge group joined the lead riders at 40 kilometres to go and as more riders were trying to scramble to the front of the race, the lead group was approaching the sprint point. Three riders clipped off the front and Johnston, eyeing the bonus seconds for GC, took the prize with Jean-Pierre van der Merwe (Team BridgeLane) second and Durbridge third.

Having opened a gap with the intermediate sprint, Durbridge looked like he wanted to continue on for a moment but as his companions didn’t keep rolling, he thought better of it.

By 25km to go there were groups scattered all over the road, with at least four slotted in between the lead bunch and the group that most resembled a peloton.

Plapp was off and riding in a group of five, so determined in his pursuit that he overshot a sharp left hand bend. Fortunately he found a handy bit of run off space in the gravel.

At 20km to go, Whelan decided it was his time and went with force, just before Plapp started breathing down the neck of the group he’d just left.

“When I heard that Luke Plapp was coming across again I was getting deja vu a little bit,” said Whelan, who was chased down by the 21 year old while solo in the final lap at Road Nationals.

“Tactically he had to do a lot of work to get to the position he was in and I had my teammates defending all the moves so I was pretty fortunate.”

As the kilometres ticked down, despite the chase force assembled behind, Whelan’s gap remained firm and it was clear he was going to take the stage victory in Lobethal. It was just down to his rivals to try and reduce the gap so overall victory didn’t become out of reach too.

The group of 15 came over the line 1 minute and 23 seconds back, with Dinham’s second place not only putting him on the podium and in the young riders white jersey but also helping keep the bonus seconds that came with the position away from Whelan’s rivals.

There were only two more riders finishing within two minutes on the stage, with the bulk of the field coming in around five minutes back, effectively ruling riders like former winners Porte and Dennis out of contention for the overall.

Results :
1 James Whelan (Aus) Team Bridgelane 2:41:30
2 Matt Dinham (Aus) Team Bridgelane 0:01:23
3 Ben Hill (Aus) CCS Cycling
4 Alastair Mackellar (Aus) Team Westpac
5 Luke Durbridge (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco
6 Brendon Davids (RSA) Oliver’s Racing
7 Brendan Johnston (Aus) Giant Racing Team
8 Drew Morey (Aus) Team Bridgelane
9 Rudy Porter (Aus) Inform TMX Make
10 Kane Richards (Aus) ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
11 Luke Plapp (Aus) Team Garmin Australia
12 Tim Roe (Aus) Villawood
13 Conor Leahy (Aus) Inform TMX Make
14 Chris Harper (Aus) Villawood
15 Ben Carman (Aus) Nero Continental
16 Carter Turnbull (Aus) Inform TMX Make
17 Angus Lyons (Aus) ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast 0:01:47
18 Jean-Pierre van der Merwe (Aus) Team Bridgelane
19 Connor Reardon (Aus) St George Continental Cycling Team 0:04:36
20 Cooper Sayers (Aus) Nero Continental 0:04:52
21 Dalton Stretton (Aus) VA Pro Racing
22 Alistair Christie-Johnson (Aus) Team Bridgelane
23 Tasman Nankervis (Aus) St George Continental Cycling Team
24 Rohan Dennis (Aus) Villawood 0:04:54
25 Mackenzie Edwardson (Aus) CCS Cycling 0:04:55
26 Oscar Chamberlain (Aus) CCS Cycling 0:05:19
27 Dylan Sunderland (Aus) Team Westpac
28 Jensen Plowright (Aus) Team Westpac
29 Brenton Jones (Aus) Inform TMX Make
30 Connor Sens (Aus) Team Westpac
31 Daniel Luke (Aus) Oliver’s Racing
32 Scott Reynolds (Aus) Ncmg Criterion Racing
33 Chris Luxton (Aus) Villawood
34 Hamish mac Kenzie (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco
35 Liam Walsh (Aus) Giant Racing Team
36 Iven Bennett (Aus) Nero Continental
37 Jacob Langham (Aus) VA Pro Racing
38 Joseph Inglis (Aus) Cycling Development Foundation
39 Nick White (Aus) Team Bridgelane
40 Stinus Kaempe (Aus) Team Westpac
41 Matson McAdam (Aus) Ncmg Criterion Racing
42 Dylan Hopkins (Aus) Aus II
43 Jason Thomason (Aus) Butterfields p/b Van d’Am Racing
44 Declan Trezise (Aus) ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
45 Will Moloney-Morton (Aus) Cycle House Racing
46 Olivar Anderson (Aus) Villawood
47 Joshua Wilson (Aus) VA Pro Racing
48 Robert Parker (Aus) Onyva Racing
49 Tristan Saunders (Aus) Inform TMX Make
50 Edwin Britts (Aus) Oliver’s Racing
51 Richie Porte (Aus) Team Garmin Australia
52 Nathan Earle (Aus) Aus II
53 Zack Gilmore (Aus) ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
54 Luke Britten (Aus) Rauland Development Cycling Team
55 Samuel Hill (Aus) Nero Continental
56 Steven Robb (Aus) Cycle House Racing
57 Jordan Villani (Aus) Team Westpac
58 Curtis Dowdell (Aus) Butterfields p/b Van d’Am Racing
59 Jesse Norton (Aus) Giant Racing Team
60 Benjamin Dyball (Aus) Aus II
61 Carter Bettles (Aus) ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
62 Jesse Ewart (Aus) Aus II
63 Josh Duffy (Aus) Inform TMX Make
64 Joe Cooper (NZl) Giant Racing Team
65 Cameron Scott (Aus) ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
66 Cameron Meyer (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco
67 Oli Stenning (Aus) ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
68 Blake Quick (Aus) Inform TMX Make
69 Thomas Bolton (Aus) Oliver’s Racing
70 Timothy Cameron (Aus) Rauland Development Cycling Team
71 Callum Scotson (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco 0:08:46
72 Tynan Shannon (Aus) VA Pro Racing 0:10:32
73 Tyler Tomkinson (Aus) Team Garmin Australia
74 Riley Fleming (Aus) St George Continental Cycling Team 0:10:35
75 Zac Marriage (Aus) Team Garmin Australia
76 Sam Jenner (Aus) Team Bridgelane 0:10:58
77 Cameron Rogers (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco 0:11:28
78 Benjamin Spenceley (Aus) Rauland Development Cycling Team
79 Jack Marshall (Aus) Cycle House Racing
80 Blake Agnolletto (Aus) Aus II
81 William Thomas (Aus) Cycling Development Foundation
82 Matthew Connan (Aus) Cycling Development Foundation
83 Jack Schouten (Aus) Onyva Racing
84 Aiden Buttgieg (Aus) Nero Continental
85 Leo Yip (HKg) Nero Continental
86 Patrick Saccani_williams (Aus) VA Pro Racing
87 Dylan Lindsey (Aus) Ncmg Criterion Racing
88 Spencer Evans (Aus) Giant Racing Team
89 Torben Partridge-Madsen (Aus) CCS Cycling
90 Justin Gassner (Aus) Villawood
91 Cameron Bayly (Aus) Villawood
92 Tom Chester (Aus) Rauland Development Cycling Team 0:13:09
93 Sam Greenwood (Aus) Rauland Development Cycling Team 0:18:49
94 Dylan George (Aus) Team Garmin Australia 0:20:32
95 Lachlan Miller (Aus) Team Garmin Australia
96 Adam Maccan (Aus) VA Pro Racing 0:21:09
97 Griffin Knight (Aus) Cycle House Racing
98 Daniel Potter (Aus) Cycling Development Foundation
99 Terance Hore (Aus) Cycle House Racing
100 Callum Pearce (Aus) Onyva Racing
101 Matthew Bird (Aus) Cycle House Racing
102 Lachlan Harrigan (Aus) Onyva Racing
103 Willis Lienert (Aus) Onyva Racing
104 Sam Golding (Aus) Butterfields p/b Van d’Am Racing
105 Nick Pedlar (Aus) Ncmg Criterion Racing
106 Campbell Palmer (Aus) Team Westpac
107 Hugo Thompson (Aus) Ncmg Criterion Racing
108 Cameron Roberts (Aus) CCS Cycling
109 Luke Roper (Aus) Rauland Development Cycling Team
110 Kurt Eather (Aus) Oliver’s Racing
111 Cameron Fraser (Aus) Onyva Racing 0:23:53
112 Fintan Conway (Aus) Oliver’s Racing
113 Kael Thomas (Aus) Butterfields p/b Van d’Am Racing
114 Brendon Green (Aus) Cycling Development Foundation
115 Tom Lynch (Aus) Rauland Development Cycling Team
116 Graeme Frislie (Aus) Aus II
117 Kai Chapman (Aus) Oliver’s Racing
118 Thomas Clark (Aus) Cycle House Racing
119 William Golding (Aus) Onyva Racing
120 Angus Calder (Aus) St George Continental Cycling Team
121 Oliver Bledyn (Aus) Butterfields p/b Van d’Am Racing
122 Glenn Mathieske (Aus) Ncmg Criterion Racing
123 Dylan McKenna (Aus) Nero Continental
124 Angus Miller (Aus) Butterfields p/b Van d’Am Racing
DNF Aiden Sinclair (Aus) Team Garmin Australia
DNF Cameron Ivory (Aus) St George Continental Cycling Team
DNF Nic Darling (Aus) CCS Cycling
DNF Louis Perriman (Aus) Ncmg Criterion Racing
DNF Tony Doherty (Aus) VA Pro Racing
DNF Adam Blazevic (Aus) Giant Racing Team
DNF Jai Fielke (Aus) Giant Racing Team
DNF James Moriarty (Aus) Aus II
DNF Joshua Harrison (Aus) Butterfields p/b Van d’Am Racing
DNF Brady Gilmore (Aus) Cycling Development Foundation
DNF Jaxon King (Aus) Cycling Development Foundation
DNS Lionel Mawditt (Aus) St George Continental Cycling Team
DNS Bailey Walters (Aus) St George Continental Cycling Team
DNS Marc Williams (Aus) CCS Cycling

General Classification after Stage 1 :
1 James Whelan (Aus) Team Bridgelane 2:42:20
2 Matt Dinham (Aus) Team Bridgelane 0:00:27
3 Brendan Johnston (Aus) Giant Racing Team 0:00:28
4 Ben Hill (Aus) CCS Cycling 0:00:29
5 Luke Durbridge (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco 0:00:32
6 Alastair Mackellar (Aus) Team Westpac 0:00:33
7 Brendon Davids (RSA) Oliver’s Racing
8 Drew Morey (Aus) Team Bridgelane
9 Rudy Porter (Aus) Inform TMX Make
10 Kane Richards (Aus) ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
11 Luke Plapp (Aus) Team Garmin Australia
12 Tim Roe (Aus) Villawood
13 Conor Leahy (Aus) Inform TMX Make
14 Chris Harper (Aus) Villawood
15 Ben Carman (Aus) Nero Continental
16 Carter Turnbull (Aus) Inform TMX Make
17 Jean-Pierre van der Merwe (Aus) Team Bridgelane 0:00:52
18 Angus Lyons (Aus) ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast 0:00:57
19 Connor Reardon (Aus) St George Continental Cycling Team 0:03:46
20 Cooper Sayers (Aus) Nero Continental 0:04:02
21 Dalton Stretton (Aus) VA Pro Racing
22 Alistair Christie-Johnson (Aus) Team Bridgelane
23 Tasman Nankervis (Aus) St George Continental Cycling Team
24 Rohan Dennis (Aus) Villawood 0:04:04
25 Mackenzie Edwardson (Aus) CCS Cycling 0:04:05
26 Oscar Chamberlain (Aus) CCS Cycling 0:04:29
27 Dylan Sunderland (Aus) Team Westpac
28 Jensen Plowright (Aus) Team Westpac
29 Brenton Jones (Aus) Inform TMX Make
30 Connor Sens (Aus) Team Westpac
31 Daniel Luke (Aus) Oliver’s Racing
32 Scott Reynolds (Aus) Ncmg Criterion Racing
33 Chris Luxton (Aus) Villawood
34 Hamish mac Kenzie (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco
35 Liam Walsh (Aus) Giant Racing Team
36 Iven Bennett (Aus) Nero Continental
37 Jacob Langham (Aus) VA Pro Racing
38 Joseph Inglis (Aus) Cycling Development Foundation
39 Nick White (Aus) Team Bridgelane
40 Stinus Kaempe (Aus) Team Westpac
41 Matson McAdam (Aus) Ncmg Criterion Racing
42 Dylan Hopkins (Aus) Aus II
43 Jason Thomason (Aus) Butterfields p/b Van d’Am Racing
44 Declan Trezise (Aus) ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
45 Will Moloney-Morton (Aus) Cycle House Racing
46 Olivar Anderson (Aus) Villawood
47 Joshua Wilson (Aus) VA Pro Racing
48 Robert Parker (Aus) Onyva Racing
49 Tristan Saunders (Aus) Inform TMX Make
50 Edwin Britts (Aus) Oliver’s Racing
51 Richie Porte (Aus) Team Garmin Australia
52 Nathan Earle (Aus) Aus II
53 Zack Gilmore (Aus) ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
54 Luke Britten (Aus) Rauland Development Cycling Team
55 Samuel Hill (Aus) Nero Continental
56 Jordan Villani (Aus) Team Westpac
57 Curtis Dowdell (Aus) Butterfields p/b Van d’Am Racing
58 Jesse Norton (Aus) Giant Racing Team
59 Benjamin Dyball (Aus) Aus II
60 Carter Bettles (Aus) ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
61 Jesse Ewart (Aus) Aus II
62 Josh Duffy (Aus) Inform TMX Make
63 Joe Cooper (NZl) Giant Racing Team
64 Cameron Scott (Aus) ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
65 Cameron Meyer (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco
66 Oli Stenning (Aus) ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast
67 Blake Quick (Aus) Inform TMX Make
68 Thomas Bolton (Aus) Oliver’s Racing
69 Timothy Cameron (Aus) Rauland Development Cycling Team
70 Steven Robb (Aus) Cycle House Racing 0:05:39
71 Callum Scotson (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco 0:07:56
72 Tynan Shannon (Aus) VA Pro Racing 0:09:42
73 Tyler Tomkinson (Aus) Team Garmin Australia
74 Riley Fleming (Aus) St George Continental Cycling Team 0:09:45
75 Zac Marriage (Aus) Team Garmin Australia
76 Sam Jenner (Aus) Team Bridgelane 0:10:08
77 Cameron Rogers (Aus) BikeExchange-Jayco 0:10:38
78 Benjamin Spenceley (Aus) Rauland Development Cycling Team
79 Jack Marshall (Aus) Cycle House Racing
80 Blake Agnolletto (Aus) Aus II
81 William Thomas (Aus) Cycling Development Foundation
82 Matthew Connan (Aus) Cycling Development Foundation
83 Jack Schouten (Aus) Onyva Racing
84 Aiden Buttgieg (Aus) Nero Continental
85 Leo Yip (HKg) Nero Continental
86 Patrick Saccani_williams (Aus) VA Pro Racing
87 Dylan Lindsey (Aus) Ncmg Criterion Racing
88 Spencer Evans (Aus) Giant Racing Team
89 Torben Partridge-Madsen (Aus) CCS Cycling
90 Justin Gassner (Aus) Villawood
91 Cameron Bayly (Aus) Villawood
92 Tom Chester (Aus) Rauland Development Cycling Team 0:12:19
93 Sam Greenwood (Aus) Rauland Development Cycling Team 0:17:59
94 Dylan George (Aus) Team Garmin Australia 0:19:42
95 Lachlan Miller (Aus) Team Garmin Australia
96 Adam Maccan (Aus) VA Pro Racing 0:20:19
97 Griffin Knight (Aus) Cycle House Racing
98 Daniel Potter (Aus) Cycling Development Foundation
99 Terance Hore (Aus) Cycle House Racing
100 Callum Pearce (Aus) Onyva Racing
101 Matthew Bird (Aus) Cycle House Racing
102 Lachlan Harrigan (Aus) Onyva Racing
103 Willis Lienert (Aus) Onyva Racing
104 Sam Golding (Aus) Butterfields p/b Van d’Am Racing
105 Nick Pedlar (Aus) Ncmg Criterion Racing
106 Campbell Palmer (Aus) Team Westpac
107 Hugo Thompson (Aus) Ncmg Criterion Racing
108 Cameron Roberts (Aus) CCS Cycling
109 Luke Roper (Aus) Rauland Development Cycling Team
110 Kurt Eather (Aus) Oliver’s Racing
111 Cameron Fraser (Aus) Onyva Racing 0:23:03
112 Fintan Conway (Aus) Oliver’s Racing
113 Kael Thomas (Aus) Butterfields p/b Van d’Am Racing
114 Brendon Green (Aus) Cycling Development Foundation
115 Tom Lynch (Aus) Rauland Development Cycling Team
116 Graeme Frislie (Aus) Aus II
117 Kai Chapman (Aus) Oliver’s Racing
118 Thomas Clark (Aus) Cycle House Racing
119 William Golding (Aus) Onyva Racing
120 Angus Calder (Aus) St George Continental Cycling Team
121 Oliver Bledyn (Aus) Butterfields p/b Van d’Am Racing
122 Glenn Mathieske (Aus) Ncmg Criterion Racing
123 Dylan McKenna (Aus) Nero Continental
124 Angus Miller (Aus) Butterfields p/b Van d’Am Racing