Will Clarke repeats Jayco Herald Sun Tour prologue victory

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Will Clarke shaved over half-a-second off his Jayco Herald Sun Tour winning time last year as he powered to the win and first race leader’s jersey of the race. The Drapac rider’s average speed of 49.1km/h saw him cover the 2.1km course along Melbourne’s Southbank in 2:37.27 minutes. Caleb Ewan (Orica-GreenEdge) was the last man to start the course and would come the closest to Clarke just as he did 12-months prior under far sunnier skies.

"Pretty much same result as last year just beating Caleb by about a second. It was a nervous wait for me actually, starting 40-45 minutes before him ... and sitting up there,” Clarke said after the podium ceremony where he collected the first leader’s jersey of the race. “I thought he’s [Ewan] good in the corners, he’s very fast so this course suits him as well.

“I am just stronger than last year I think so I think that’s what allowed me to go a little bit quicker," Clarke added of the difference between his 2015 and 2016 winning rides. "I guess I’d down Tour Down Under the previous years before this and maybe in ways it can help to have a race in your legs but I guess I was able to do more specific prologue work before this also which could have helped.

Clarke lost the leader's jersey after stage 1 last year but the 30-year-old is looking for an extended stay in the jersey this time round.

“It would be nice to hang onto the jersey for a day or two, he have to wait and see how the race plays out. It’s such a short prologue so the time gaps aren’t huge, its not like I am 10-20 seconds up on anyone," Clarke said. "Whoever basically wins tomorrow has a good chance of pulling on the leaders jersey. We’ll wait and see how the race is going, maybe put some guys up the road to defend our interest that way."

While Clarke repeated his win, Ewan repeated his second place. The Orica-GreenEdge sprinter explained he gave it his all but having won seven races in January, his tone was of disappointment with his first second place of the season.

“It was pretty similar I think, it was less than a second in it again but I left it all out there and I still came up short,” Ewan said. “Obviously I am not training really for a two–and-half kilometre prologue but I was pretty confident with my form and how I was going. I knew I was going to do a good ride but obviously it wasn’t good enough to win. Will was super strong today, as he was last year, and I think he does really well in these short time trials so it was always going to be hard to beat him.”

Michael Storer (Kordamentha Australia) was first off and first into the hot seat with a time of 2:49.30. Ryan Cavanagh quickly disposed him as he crossed the line in 2:42.29. Pat Shaw shaved 19 thousands of a second off Cavanaugh’s time for a new best time.

Drizzles of rain started to fall 10 minutes into the prologue quickly followed by bursts of later afternoon sun in typical display of Melbourne weather. Jack Bobridge (Trek-Segafredo) had little care for the weather conditions as he crossed the line in 3:40.36 minutes.

Robbie Hucker (Avanti Isowhey) was the first rider under the 2:40 minute mark as he crossed the line in 2:37.28 minutes having averaged 48.2 km/h on the riverbank course. Neil van der Ploeg came though to knock his teammate off the porch with a 2:36.97 and slot into the hot seat.

Will Clarke’s (Drapac) time was the quickest at the intermediate and quickest on the line to ensure a prolonged stint in the hot seat. As the riders continued to cross the line, the podium places remained unchallenged until Caleb Ewan crossed the line for second place, deju vu 12-months on from also placed second. Defending Tour de France champion Chris Frome (Team Sky) crossed the line in 26th place for his first race of the season, eight seconds down on Clarke

"I am happy with that, the main objective today I think was to stay upright," Froome told reporters after finishing. "I think the racing is still going to be decided over these next few days and undoubtedly when we get to Arthurs Seat at the end, that’s going to be the big day."

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