Kent-Spark wins Melbourne to Warrnambool

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Geelong's Oliver Kent-Spark notched up the biggest win of his career, taking out the 99th Melbourne to Warrnambool, outpacing Commonwealth Games gold medallist Alex Edmondson (SASI) in the 273km event. Defending champion Sam Horgan (Budget Forklifts) finished third.

"I can't believe this has happened, it's absolutely incredible," Kent-Spark said. "This is 100 per cent the highlight in my career.

"I had 'always believe in yourself' in my head which is actually what my mum said to me this morning - the power of the mind is amazing."

Kent-Spark was part of a late 12-man breakaway that formed with 40 kilometres remaining and gained a one minute advantage on the peloton.

The group included Horgan, Edmondson, Jacob Kauffman (Budget Forklifts), Wesley Sulzberger (Drapac), Mark O'Brien (Avanti Racing) and Jeremy Cameron (African Wildlife Safaris) and began to splinter on the run into Warrnambool, with Horgan and Kent Spark caught out following an aggressive attack from O'Brien.

With five kilometres remaining, Edmondson, Kauffman, Cameron and O'Brien looked set to contest the finish between them, before Horgan and Kent-Spark dug deep and rejoined the group with three kilometres left to race.

"I was yo-yoing off the back of the break, we kind of came back together on a little downhill and it was Alex Edmondson who led the sprint out half-heartedly.

"I thought I was racing for second at best, the uphill sprint is better for me than a flat one but even that's not great for me, but everything changes at the end of 273 kilometres, it's a big day," Spark said.

Two-time track world champion and Commonwealth Games gold and silver medallist, Edmondson, was disappointed to have come so close to victory.

"It's pretty hard to race almost 280 kilometres and be rolled on the line, but I gave it all I had and I guess I got beaten by a better bike rider on the day," said Edmondson.

"I take my hat off to the search2retain guys and Ollie Kent-Spark. He's such a nice guy and did a lot of the work when we got into that small breakaway at the end."

Kent-Spark's victory is the third on the trot for his health.com.au/search2retain team following Patrick Bevin taking out the National Capital Tour and Tour of Tasmania.

The Subaru National Road Series concludes on October 25 with the Grafton to Inverell.

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