Ewan beats Bennett and Sagan in People's Choice Classic
Criterium champion bests Bora-hansgrohe duo in sprint
Caleb Ewan (Orica-Scott) beat Sam Bennett and world champion Peter Sagan to the line to win the People’s Choice Classic on Sunday.
The national criterium champion held off a late charge from Bennett, after a perfect leadout from his Orica-Scott teammates in the closing stages of the 50.6 kilometre race in Adelaide.
Ewan came into the race as the main favourite, and on their home roads Orica rode a faultless race. They allowed Dimension Data’s Ben O’Connor to break away during the opening laps and then rode tempo for the majority of the race.
O’Connor built up a lead of 40 seconds during the 22-lap race but the youngster began to tighten up in the final five laps, just as the sprint trains began to organise their chase.
Katusha, Team Sky, Sunweb and Sagan’s Bora Hansgrohe all attempted to establish control in the closing stages as O’Connor sat up but Orica’s well-oiled machine was simply too strong.
Simon Gerrans, Darly Impey, Luke Durbridge and even Colombian climber Esteban Chaves took turns on the front but it was new recruit Roger Kluge who brought Ewan into the final 200 meters.
The German joined the team in the winter but Orica-Scott has tracked his progression since last May when he won a stage in the Giro d’Italia. He was just one of three new signings made this season by the Australian team but despite only arriving in Adelaide a few days ago, he instantly made a difference.
While Sagan and Bennett looked threatening they appeared to lack the same cohesion and, despite a strong finish from Bennett, the Irishman was left with too much to do in the closing meters.
Ahead of the Tour Down Under, which starts on Tuesday the People’s Choice Classic threw up few surprises in the end.
O’Connor put in a valiant ride and his teammate Nathan Haas looked in decent form with a couple of early attacks. Edward Theuns (Trek Segafredo) finished a creditable fifth after returning from back surgery. Niccolo Bonifazio took fourth in Bahrain Merida’s first outing.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Caleb Ewan (Aus) Orica-Scott | 1:03:41 |
2 | Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Niccolo Bonifazio (Ita) Bahrain-Merida | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Edward Theuns (Bel) Trek-Segafredo | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Mark Renshaw (Aus) Dimension Data | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Sean De Bie (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Baptiste Planckaert (Bel) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Patrick Bevin (NZl) Cannondale-Drapac | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Jasha Sutterlin (Ger) Movistar Team | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Carlos Barbero (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Robert Wagner (Ger) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Matteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Sunweb | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Roger Kluge (Ger) Orica-Scott | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Team Sky | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Miles Scotson (Aus) BMC Racing Team | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Marko Kump (Slo) Team UAE Abu Dhabi | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Chun-Kai Feng (Tpe) Bahrain-Merida | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Martin Velits (Svk) Quick-Step Floors | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Sven Bystrom (Nor) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Cannondale-Drapac | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Julien Berard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Michael Valgren DNK Astana Pro Team | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Astana Pro Team | 0:00:08 |
26 | Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Bahrain-Merida | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
26 | Clement Chevrier (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-Scott | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
29 | Petr Vakoc (Cze) Quick-Step Floors | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Lucas Hamilton (Aus) UniSA-Australia | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Paul Martens (Ger) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Jay Mccarthy (Aus) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Francois Bidard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Ruben Guerreiro (Por) Trek-Segafredo | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Ondrej Cink (Cze) Bahrain-Merida | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
38 | Ben Swift (GBr) Team UAE Abu Dhabi | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
39 | Alexey Vermeulen (USA) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
40 | Sebastian Henao (Col) Team Sky | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
41 | Jarlinson Pantano (Col) Trek-Segafredo | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
42 | Sergio Henao (Col) Team Sky | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
43 | Jacques Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Dimension Data | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
44 | Koen De Kort (Ned) Trek-Segafredo | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
45 | Vegard Laengen (Nor) Team UAE Abu Dhabi | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
46 | Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica-Scott | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
47 | Jai Hindley (Aus) UniSA-Australia | 0:00:14 |
48 | Samuel Jenner (Aus) UniSA-Australia | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Artyom Zakharov (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
50 | Diego Ulissi (Ita) Team UAE Abu Dhabi | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto Soudal | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Christopher Hamilton (Aus) Team Sunweb | Row 51 - Cell 2 |
53 | Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
54 | Eros Capecchi (Ita) Quick-Step Floors | Row 53 - Cell 2 |
55 | Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 54 - Cell 2 |
56 | Jeremy Maison (Fra) FDJ | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Gregor Muhlberger (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Lukas Postleberger (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
59 | Gorka Izagirre (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica-Scott | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Francisco Ventoso (Spa) BMC Racing Team | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro Team | 0:00:19 |
63 | Michael Woods (Can) Cannondale-Drapac | 0:00:34 |
64 | Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Bahrain-Merida | 0:00:40 |
65 | Jack Bauer (NZl) Quick-Step Floors | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
66 | Phil Bauhaus (Ger) Team Sunweb | Row 65 - Cell 2 |
67 | Rudiger Selig (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe | 0:00:47 |
68 | Tiago Machado (Por) Katusha-Alpecin | 0:00:51 |
69 | Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Bahrain-Merida | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
70 | Michael Kolar (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe | 0:00:53 |
71 | Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
72 | Victor De La Parte (Spa) Movistar Team | 0:00:56 |
73 | Marc Soler (Col) Movistar Team | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
74 | Arnaud Courteille (Fra) FDJ | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
75 | Odd Christian Eiking (Nor) FDJ | Row 74 - Cell 2 |
76 | Lorrenzo Manzin (Fra) FDJ | Row 75 - Cell 2 |
77 | Jhonatan Restrepo (Col) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 76 - Cell 2 |
78 | Robert Gesink (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | Row 77 - Cell 2 |
79 | Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spa) Astana Pro Team | Row 78 - Cell 2 |
80 | Michael Storer (Aus) UniSA-Australia | Row 79 - Cell 2 |
81 | Enric Mas Nicolau (Spa) Quick-Step Floors | Row 80 - Cell 2 |
82 | Angel Vicioso (Spa) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 81 - Cell 2 |
83 | Maurits Lammertink (Ned) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 82 - Cell 2 |
84 | Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 83 - Cell 2 |
85 | Lars Bak (Den) Lotto Soudal | Row 84 - Cell 2 |
86 | Laurent Didier (Lux) Trek-Segafredo | Row 85 - Cell 2 |
87 | Sander Armee (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 86 - Cell 2 |
88 | Lennard Hofstede (Ned) Team Sunweb | Row 87 - Cell 2 |
89 | Tsgabu Grmay (Eth) Bahrain-Merida | Row 88 - Cell 2 |
90 | Tom-Jelte Slagter (Ned) Cannondale-Drapac | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
91 | Amael Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
92 | Brendan Canty (Aus) Cannondale-Drapac | Row 91 - Cell 2 |
93 | Jan Bakelants (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 92 - Cell 2 |
94 | Peter Stetina (USA) Trek-Segafredo | Row 93 - Cell 2 |
95 | Richie Porte (Aus) BMC Racing Team | Row 94 - Cell 2 |
96 | Manuele Mori (Ita) Team UAE Abu Dhabi | Row 95 - Cell 2 |
97 | Marco Marcato (Ita) Team UAE Abu Dhabi | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
98 | James Shaw (GBr) Lotto Soudal | Row 97 - Cell 2 |
99 | Rafael Valls (Spa) Lotto Soudal | Row 98 - Cell 2 |
100 | Johannes Frohlinger (Ger) Team Sunweb | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
101 | Koen Bouwman (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | 0:01:05 |
102 | Bert-Jan Lindeman (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | Row 101 - Cell 2 |
103 | Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segafredo | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
104 | Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Quick-Step Floors | Row 103 - Cell 2 |
105 | Damiano Caruso (Ita) BMC Racing Team | Row 104 - Cell 2 |
106 | Oscar Gatto (Ita) Astana Pro Team | Row 105 - Cell 2 |
107 | Tyler Farrar (USA) Dimension Data | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
108 | Rohan Dennis (Aus) BMC Racing Team | Row 107 - Cell 2 |
109 | Cameron Meyer (Aus) UniSA-Australia | Row 108 - Cell 2 |
110 | Nathan Earle (Aus) UniSA-Australia | Row 109 - Cell 2 |
111 | Callum Scotson (Aus) UniSA-Australia | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
112 | Jaco Venter (RSA) Dimension Data | 0:01:12 |
113 | Ben O'connor (Aus) Dimension Data | Row 112 - Cell 2 |
114 | Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quick-Step Floors | Row 113 - Cell 2 |
115 | Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ | Row 114 - Cell 2 |
116 | Lachlan Morton (Aus) Dimension Data | Row 115 - Cell 2 |
117 | Johan Le Bon (Fra) FDJ | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
118 | Jose Goncalves (Por) Katusha-Alpecin | Row 117 - Cell 2 |
119 | Jose Herrada (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 118 - Cell 2 |
120 | Jesus Herrada (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 119 - Cell 2 |
121 | Will Clarke (Aus) Cannondale-Drapac | Row 120 - Cell 2 |
122 | Damien Howson (Aus) Orica-Scott | 0:01:16 |
123 | Louis Meintjes (RSA) Team UAE Abu Dhabi | Row 122 - Cell 2 |
124 | Nathan Haas (Aus) Dimension Data | Row 123 - Cell 2 |
125 | Luke Rowe (GBr) Team Sky | 0:01:19 |
126 | Luke Durbridge (Aus) Orica-Scott | 0:01:25 |
127 | Alex Howes (USA) Cannondale-Drapac | 0:01:37 |
128 | Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky | 0:01:40 |
DNF | Wilco Keldermann (Ned) Team Sunweb | Row 128 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Simon Geschke (Ger) Team Sunweb | Row 129 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Ian Stannard (GBr) Team Sky | Row 130 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Owain Doull (GBr) Team Sky | Row 131 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Matti Breschel (Dnk) Astana Pro Team | Row 132 - Cell 2 |
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Daniel Benson was the Editor in Chief at Cyclingnews.com between 2008 and 2022. Based in the UK, he joined the Cyclingnews team in 2008 as the site's first UK-based Managing Editor. In that time, he reported on over a dozen editions of the Tour de France, several World Championships, the Tour Down Under, Spring Classics, and the London 2012 Olympic Games. With the help of the excellent editorial team, he ran the coverage on Cyclingnews and has interviewed leading figures in the sport including UCI Presidents and Tour de France winners.
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