Sam Bennett bags Bora-Hansgrohe's first victory at Race Melbourne

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

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe2:21:39
2Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Team SkyRow 1 - Cell 2
3Scott Sunderland (Aus) IsoWhey Sports SwissWellnessRow 2 - Cell 2
4Edward Theuns (Bel) Trek-SegafredoRow 3 - Cell 2
5Caleb Ewan (Aus) Orica-ScottRow 4 - Cell 2
6Tyler Farrar (USA) Dimension DataRow 5 - Cell 2
7Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team SunwebRow 6 - Cell 2
8Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Cannondale-DrapacRow 7 - Cell 2
9Matteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2r La MondialeRow 8 - Cell 2
10Travis Mccabe (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling TeamRow 9 - Cell 2
11Sjoerd Van Ginneken (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 10 - Cell 2
12Robert Wagner (Ger) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 11 - Cell 2
13Miles Scotson (Aus) BMC Racing TeamRow 12 - Cell 2
14Taco Van Der Hoorn (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 13 - Cell 2
15Francisco Ventoso (Spa) BMC Racing TeamRow 14 - Cell 2
16Anthony Giacoppo (Aus) IsoWhey Sports SwissWellnessRow 15 - Cell 2
17Ivan Savitckii (Rus) Gazprom – RusveloRow 16 - Cell 2
18Jesse Kerrison (Aus) IsoWhey Sports SwissWellnessRow 17 - Cell 2
19Brenton Jones (Aus)Row 18 - Cell 2
20Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Gazprom – RusveloRow 19 - Cell 2
21Julien Berard (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 20 - Cell 2
22Alexei Tcatevich (Rus) Gazprom – RusveloRow 21 - Cell 2
23Tiago Machado (Por) Katusha-AlpecinRow 22 - Cell 2
24Maurits Lammertink (Ned) Katusha-AlpecinRow 23 - Cell 2
25Pascal Ackermann (Ger) Bora-HansgroheRow 24 - Cell 2
26Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto SoudalRow 25 - Cell 2
27Scott Bowden (Aus)Row 26 - Cell 2
28Leigh Howard (Aus) Aqua Blue SportRow 27 - Cell 2
29Lucas Hamilton (Aus)Row 28 - Cell 2
30Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quick-Step FloorsRow 29 - Cell 2
31Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team SunwebRow 30 - Cell 2
32Pavel Brutt (Rus) Gazprom – RusveloRow 31 - Cell 2
33Alexander Porter (Aus)Row 32 - Cell 2
34Cameron Bayly (Aus)Row 33 - Cell 2
35Aaron Gate (NZl) Aqua Blue SportRow 34 - Cell 2
36Tanner Putt (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling TeamRow 35 - Cell 2
37Petr Vakoc (Cze) Quick-Step FloorsRow 36 - Cell 2
38Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team0:00:09
39Rüdiger Selig (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe0:00:10
40Michel Kreder (Ned) Aqua Blue Sport0:00:12
41Artur Ershov (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo0:00:13
42Phil Bauhaus (Ger) Team SunwebRow 41 - Cell 2
43Sean De Bie (Bel) Lotto Soudal0:00:14
44Damiano Caruso (Ita) BMC Racing Team0:00:20
45Alexey Vermeulen (USA) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 44 - Cell 2
46Sven Erik Bystrøm (Nor) Katusha-AlpecinRow 45 - Cell 2
47Ian Stannard (GBr) Team SkyRow 46 - Cell 2
48Martin Velits (Svk) Quick-Step FloorsRow 47 - Cell 2
49Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale0:00:23
50Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) AG2R La MondialeRow 49 - Cell 2
51Clement Chevrier (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 50 - Cell 2
52Jay McCarthy (Aus) Bora-HansgroheRow 51 - Cell 2
53Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica-ScottRow 52 - Cell 2
54Kenny Elissonde (Fra) Team SkyRow 53 - Cell 2
55Sergio Henao (Col) Team SkyRow 54 - Cell 2
56Sebastian Henao (Col) Team SkyRow 55 - Cell 2
57Brendan Canty (Aus) Cannondale-DrapacRow 56 - Cell 2
58Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica-ScottRow 57 - Cell 2
59Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-SegafredoRow 58 - Cell 2
60Koen De Kort (Ned) Trek-SegafredoRow 59 - Cell 2
61Robert Gesink (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 60 - Cell 2
62Greg Henderson (NZl) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling TeamRow 61 - Cell 2
63François Bidard (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 62 - Cell 2
64Eros Capecchi (Ita) Quick-Step FloorsRow 63 - Cell 2
65Sergey Nikolaev (Rus) Gazprom – RusveloRow 64 - Cell 2
66Jan Bakelants (Bel) AG2R La MondialeRow 65 - Cell 2
67Janier Acevedo (Col) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling TeamRow 66 - Cell 2
68Amael Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing TeamRow 67 - Cell 2
69Rohan Dennis (Aus) BMC Racing TeamRow 68 - Cell 2
70Patrick Bevin (NZl) Cannondale-DrapacRow 69 - Cell 2
71Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 70 - Cell 2
72Paul Martens (Ger) Team LottoNl-Jumbo0:00:36
73Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Quick-Step FloorsRow 72 - Cell 2
74Jack Bauer (NZl) Quick-Step FloorsRow 73 - Cell 2
75Cameron Meyer (Aus)0:00:38
76Kirill Sveshnikov (Rus) Gazprom – RusveloRow 75 - Cell 2
77Michael Woods (Can) Cannondale-DrapacRow 76 - Cell 2
78Patrick Lane (Aus) IsoWhey Sports SwissWellnessRow 77 - Cell 2
79Calvin Watson (Aus) Aqua Blue SportRow 78 - Cell 2
80William Clarke (Aus) Cannondale-DrapacRow 79 - Cell 2
81Christopher Froome (GBr) Team SkyRow 80 - Cell 2
82Laurent Didier (Lux) Trek-SegafredoRow 81 - Cell 2
83Jarlinson Pantano (Col) Trek-SegafredoRow 82 - Cell 2
84Jhonatan Restrepo (Col) Katusha-AlpecinRow 83 - Cell 2
85Michael Hepburn (Aus) Orica-Scott0:01:00
86Luke Rowe (GBr) Team SkyRow 85 - Cell 2
87Lennard Hofstede (Ned) Team Sunweb0:01:04
88Lachlan Morton (Aus) Dimension DataRow 87 - Cell 2
89Conor Dunne (Ire) Aqua Blue Sport0:01:10
90Lukas Pöstleberger (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe0:01:42
91Gregor Mühlberger (Aut) Bora-HasgroheRow 90 - Cell 2
92Rafael Valls (Spa) Lotto SoudalRow 91 - Cell 2
93Peter Koning (Ned) Aqua Blue Sport0:02:23
94Jacques Janse van Rensburg (RSA) Dimension Data0:02:58
95Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal0:03:04
96James Shaw (GBr) Lotto SoudalRow 95 - Cell 2
97Sander Armee (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 96 - Cell 2
98Koen Bouwman (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo0:03:06
99Jeroen Meijers (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 98 - Cell 2
100Tim Ariesen (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 99 - Cell 2
101Simon Geschke (Ger) Team SunwebRow 100 - Cell 2
102Tom-Jelte Slagter (Ned) Cannondale-DrapacRow 101 - Cell 2
103Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team SunwebRow 102 - Cell 2
104José Gonçalves (Por) Katusha-AlpecinRow 103 - Cell 2
105Sam Bewley (NZl) Orica-Scott0:04:04
106Alex Howes (USA) Cannondale-Drapac0:04:13
107Peter Stetina (USA) Trek-SegafredoRow 106 - Cell 2
108Chris Hamilton (Aus) Team Sunweb0:04:15
109Jaco Venter (RSA) Dimension DataRow 108 - Cell 2
DNFBen O'Connor (Aus) Dimension DataRow 109 - Cell 2
DNFNathan Haas (Aus) Dimension DataRow 110 - Cell 2
DNFÁngel Vicioso (Spa) Katusha-AlpecinRow 111 - Cell 2
DNFBaptiste Planckaert (Bel) Katusha-AlpecinRow 112 - Cell 2
DNFBert Jan Lindeman (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 113 - Cell 2
DNFDamien Howson (Aus) Orica-ScottRow 114 - Cell 2
DNFJesper Asselman (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 115 - Cell 2
DNFMartijn Tusveld (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 116 - Cell 2
DNFNick Van Der Lijke (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse LoterijRow 117 - Cell 2
DNFJonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling TeamRow 118 - Cell 2
DNFAdrian Hegyvary (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling TeamRow 119 - Cell 2
DNFLachlan Norris (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling TeamRow 120 - Cell 2
DNFMichael Storer (Aus)Row 121 - Cell 2
DNFRobbie Hucker (Aus) IsoWhey Sports SwissWellness teamRow 122 - Cell 2
DNFJeremy Cameron (Aus) IsoWhey Sports SwissWellness teamRow 123 - Cell 2
DNFEnric Mas (Spa) Quick-Step FloorsRow 124 - Cell 2
DNFRúben Guerreiro (Por) Trek-SegafredoRow 125 - Cell 2
DNFLawrence Warbasse (USA) Aqua Blue SportRow 126 - Cell 2

 

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