Bobridge grabs the win at Eneco Tour

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Jack Bobridge (Garmin-Transitions) took his first win as a professional with a clever attack in the finale of stage five of the Eneco Tour in Sittard. The 21-year-old Australian slipped clear of his breakaway companions just under 2km from the finish to win ahead of Ruben Perez Moreno (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Thomas De Gendt (Topsport Vlaanderen). Tony Martin (HTC-Columbia) moved a step closer to overall victory as he maintained his lead in the general classification after a testing day over some of the roads used in the Amstel Gold Race.

Bobridge was part of an eleven-man breakaway that broke clear inside the opening 10km and dominated the day’s racing. The former junior team pursuit world champion was joined by Kenny Dehaes (Omega Pharma-Lotto), Maxim Gourov (Astana), Mauro Da Dalto (Lampre-Farnese Vini), Ruben Perez Moreno (Euskaltel-Eusakadi), Kevin Hulsmans (Quick Step), Dominique Nerz (Milram), Yauheni Hutarovich (FdJ), Thomas De Gendt (Topsport Vlaanderen), Michael Van Staeyen (Topsport Vlaanderen) and Gorik Gardeyn (Vacansoleil).

With De Gendt the best-placed overall at 3:37 behind Tony Martin, the break was given a day pass from his HTC-Columbia team and quickly built up an advantage of four minutes over a relaxed peloton. 100km from the line as the race entered the most rugged section of the day’s terrain, Sky went to the front of the bunch and set about trying to bring it all back together.

The gap to the leaders began to tumble and on the climb of the Dooedeman, Edvald Boasson Hagen went to the front himself in a bid to put race leader Tony Martin under pressure. 50km from the line, Richie Porte (Saxo Bank) and Lars Boom (Rabobank) tried to slip clear on the Cauberg but were soon brought to heel.

The end result of this attacking in the peloton was a stop-start pace that allowed the leaders up front to hold a two-minute lead into the final 40km of racing. The rolling terrain of the final section of the stage took its toll on the legs of the breakaways and Gourov, Da Dalto, Perez Moreno, Bobridge, Nerz, De Gendt, Van Staeyen and Gardeyn were left to fight it out up front.

Topsport Vlaanderen duo De Gendt and Van Staeyen tried to make their numerical advantage count in the breakaway but couldn’t manage to get away. Instead, it was left to Bobridge to jump clear with 2km to go. Nerz tried to peg him back but couldn’t match the Australian’s acceleration and he stayed ahead for a fine win, while Perez Moreno finished in second place ahead of De Gent. All of the overall favourites arrived in the main bunch with Tony Martin 15 seconds later.

After the stage, the young Bobridge was ecstatic at his day’s work. “I’m still in my apprenticeship phase,” he said. “I don’t really know the Belgian and Dutch races so much and I’ve suffered a lot since the start of the race. I could hardly have hoped of winning here. It’s the best win of the start of my career.”

Meanwhile, Tony Martin was pleased to get past one of the toughest stages in the race. “The overall victory is drawing closer,” he said. “My teammates managed the race perfectly and with calm, in spite of the many attacks.”

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