Sam Bennett bags Bora-Hansgrohe's first victory at Race Melbourne
Bennett outsprints Van Poppel and Scott Sunderland
Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe) outsprinted Danny van Poppel (Team Sky) and Scott Sunderland (IsoWhy Sports – SwissWellness) to the top step of the podium at Race Melbourne on Thursday. The Australia Day circuit race hosted on the Formula 1 course in Melbourne's Albert Park serves as a prelude to Sunday's Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.
"I'm extremely happy," said Bennett. "To get the first win of the season is really nice, and it takes the pressure off a bit."
The Irishman has enjoyed support from the German-registered squad throughout the Australian summer. He was led out by the rainbow jersey, teammate Peter Sagan, in the People's Choice Classic to finish second to Caleb Ewan (Orica-Scott). Bennett sprinted to third on the first stage of the Tour Down Under.
"I'd like to thank [team manager] Ralph [Denk] and Bora-Hansgrohe for setting up a great race program and supporting us here and also to my teammates who supported me all day," said Bennett. "They did a fantastic job and they got me out of trouble, even in the last three corners."
"It was fast," said Tom-Jelte Slager (Cannondale-Drapac), who rode in service of teammate Tom Van Asbroeck. "The sweet spot was around 20th wheel, but it was windy enough that if you were on the front or the back, you were working hard."
A group of 15 riders slipped away on the first lap including Sky pair Luke Rowe and Kenny Elissonde, Esteban Chaves (Orica-Scott), Will Clarke (Cannondale-Drapac), Peter Stetina (Trek-Segafredo) and Calvin Watson (Aqua Blue Sport). The group cooperated, with every rider contributing to the pace-making, but the peloton was unwilling to allow more than a 30-second gap. By lap six, the race had come back together.
The catch sparked a fresh spate of attacks, and a new escape group of 16 went clear on lap seven. Chaves was away again, this time with Ian Stannard (Sky), Sergio Henao (Sky), Koen de Kort (Trek-Segafredo), Alex Howes (Cannondale-Drapac) and Domenico Pozzovivo (Ag2r La Mondiale).
"We just kind of came in relaxed," said Bennett. "We let the race happen, and we didn't try to control or force it. If it came to a sprint, we were going to try and do something, but otherwise we were just going to be relaxed."
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe | 2:21:39 |
2 | Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Team Sky | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Scott Sunderland (Aus) IsoWhey Sports SwissWellness | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Edward Theuns (Bel) Trek-Segafredo | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Caleb Ewan (Aus) Orica-Scott | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Tyler Farrar (USA) Dimension Data | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Sunweb | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Cannondale-Drapac | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Matteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2r La Mondiale | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Travis Mccabe (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Sjoerd Van Ginneken (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Robert Wagner (Ger) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Miles Scotson (Aus) BMC Racing Team | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Taco Van Der Hoorn (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Francisco Ventoso (Spa) BMC Racing Team | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Anthony Giacoppo (Aus) IsoWhey Sports SwissWellness | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Ivan Savitckii (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Jesse Kerrison (Aus) IsoWhey Sports SwissWellness | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Brenton Jones (Aus) | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Julien Berard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Alexei Tcatevich (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Tiago Machado (Por) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Maurits Lammertink (Ned) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Pascal Ackermann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto Soudal | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Scott Bowden (Aus) | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Leigh Howard (Aus) Aqua Blue Sport | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
29 | Lucas Hamilton (Aus) | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quick-Step Floors | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Sunweb | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Pavel Brutt (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Alexander Porter (Aus) | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Cameron Bayly (Aus) | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Aaron Gate (NZl) Aqua Blue Sport | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Tanner Putt (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Petr Vakoc (Cze) Quick-Step Floors | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team | 0:00:09 |
39 | Rüdiger Selig (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe | 0:00:10 |
40 | Michel Kreder (Ned) Aqua Blue Sport | 0:00:12 |
41 | Artur Ershov (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | 0:00:13 |
42 | Phil Bauhaus (Ger) Team Sunweb | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
43 | Sean De Bie (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 0:00:14 |
44 | Damiano Caruso (Ita) BMC Racing Team | 0:00:20 |
45 | Alexey Vermeulen (USA) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
46 | Sven Erik Bystrøm (Nor) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
47 | Ian Stannard (GBr) Team Sky | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
48 | Martin Velits (Svk) Quick-Step Floors | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:00:23 |
50 | Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | Clement Chevrier (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Jay McCarthy (Aus) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica-Scott | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
54 | Kenny Elissonde (Fra) Team Sky | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Sergio Henao (Col) Team Sky | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Sebastian Henao (Col) Team Sky | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Brendan Canty (Aus) Cannondale-Drapac | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica-Scott | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
59 | Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segafredo | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Koen De Kort (Ned) Trek-Segafredo | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Robert Gesink (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Greg Henderson (NZl) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | François Bidard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 62 - Cell 2 |
64 | Eros Capecchi (Ita) Quick-Step Floors | Row 63 - Cell 2 |
65 | Sergey Nikolaev (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
66 | Jan Bakelants (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
67 | Janier Acevedo (Col) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team | Row 66 - Cell 2 |
68 | Amael Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
69 | Rohan Dennis (Aus) BMC Racing Team | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
70 | Patrick Bevin (NZl) Cannondale-Drapac | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
71 | Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
72 | Paul Martens (Ger) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | 0:00:36 |
73 | Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Quick-Step Floors | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
74 | Jack Bauer (NZl) Quick-Step Floors | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
75 | Cameron Meyer (Aus) | 0:00:38 |
76 | Kirill Sveshnikov (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo | Row 75 - Cell 2 |
77 | Michael Woods (Can) Cannondale-Drapac | Row 76 - Cell 2 |
78 | Patrick Lane (Aus) IsoWhey Sports SwissWellness | Row 77 - Cell 2 |
79 | Calvin Watson (Aus) Aqua Blue Sport | Row 78 - Cell 2 |
80 | William Clarke (Aus) Cannondale-Drapac | Row 79 - Cell 2 |
81 | Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky | Row 80 - Cell 2 |
82 | Laurent Didier (Lux) Trek-Segafredo | Row 81 - Cell 2 |
83 | Jarlinson Pantano (Col) Trek-Segafredo | Row 82 - Cell 2 |
84 | Jhonatan Restrepo (Col) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 83 - Cell 2 |
85 | Michael Hepburn (Aus) Orica-Scott | 0:01:00 |
86 | Luke Rowe (GBr) Team Sky | Row 85 - Cell 2 |
87 | Lennard Hofstede (Ned) Team Sunweb | 0:01:04 |
88 | Lachlan Morton (Aus) Dimension Data | Row 87 - Cell 2 |
89 | Conor Dunne (Ire) Aqua Blue Sport | 0:01:10 |
90 | Lukas Pöstleberger (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe | 0:01:42 |
91 | Gregor Mühlberger (Aut) Bora-Hasgrohe | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
92 | Rafael Valls (Spa) Lotto Soudal | Row 91 - Cell 2 |
93 | Peter Koning (Ned) Aqua Blue Sport | 0:02:23 |
94 | Jacques Janse van Rensburg (RSA) Dimension Data | 0:02:58 |
95 | Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 0:03:04 |
96 | James Shaw (GBr) Lotto Soudal | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
97 | Sander Armee (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
98 | Koen Bouwman (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | 0:03:06 |
99 | Jeroen Meijers (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | Row 98 - Cell 2 |
100 | Tim Ariesen (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
101 | Simon Geschke (Ger) Team Sunweb | Row 100 - Cell 2 |
102 | Tom-Jelte Slagter (Ned) Cannondale-Drapac | Row 101 - Cell 2 |
103 | Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team Sunweb | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
104 | José Gonçalves (Por) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 103 - Cell 2 |
105 | Sam Bewley (NZl) Orica-Scott | 0:04:04 |
106 | Alex Howes (USA) Cannondale-Drapac | 0:04:13 |
107 | Peter Stetina (USA) Trek-Segafredo | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
108 | Chris Hamilton (Aus) Team Sunweb | 0:04:15 |
109 | Jaco Venter (RSA) Dimension Data | Row 108 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Ben O'Connor (Aus) Dimension Data | Row 109 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Nathan Haas (Aus) Dimension Data | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Ángel Vicioso (Spa) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 111 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Baptiste Planckaert (Bel) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 112 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Bert Jan Lindeman (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | Row 113 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Damien Howson (Aus) Orica-Scott | Row 114 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jesper Asselman (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | Row 115 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Martijn Tusveld (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Nick Van Der Lijke (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij | Row 117 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team | Row 118 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Adrian Hegyvary (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team | Row 119 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Lachlan Norris (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team | Row 120 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Michael Storer (Aus) | Row 121 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Robbie Hucker (Aus) IsoWhey Sports SwissWellness team | Row 122 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jeremy Cameron (Aus) IsoWhey Sports SwissWellness team | Row 123 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Enric Mas (Spa) Quick-Step Floors | Row 124 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Rúben Guerreiro (Por) Trek-Segafredo | Row 125 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Lawrence Warbasse (USA) Aqua Blue Sport | Row 126 - Cell 2 |
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