Tour of Toowomba: Jack Haig wins stage 2 to Bunya Mountains

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Jack Haig (Avanti Racing) got back winning ways on stage two of the Tour of Toowoomba and moved into the overall lead. Last year’s Subaru National Road Series champion attacked from a selected group which contained two teammates, Mark O’Brien and Joe Cooper, and Brendan Canty (health.com.au-Search2Retain).

"It's super good to be able to get a stage win," said Haig. "I haven't won a stage in the NRS yet this year so it's perfect because I'm heading over to Korea soon and that race is a big goal for me.

"I really want to get a big result there [UCI 2.2 Tour de Korea] and it will probably be the last race I do with the team because I'll be heading over to Europe to race with the U23 World Tour Academy after that," said Haig who in January won the young riders jersey at the Santos Tour Down Under.

With the break reeled in, when the race hot the slopes of Mount Mowbullan, Haig’s Avanti teammates upped the tempo while Cooper and Canty had attacked doff the front.Along with teammate O’Brien, Haig then attacked to bridge up to the two leaders which became a group of four.
O’Brien and Cooper then tried to drop Canty as they set up Haig for the win. In the final 500m, Haig attacked Canty so solo to victory while Cooper dug deep to claim third.

"[Brendan] Canty had a really great ride, I always knew he had it in him," said Haig. "I thought we had a chance to go one-two-three but Brendan is a great climber and it's great to see him get a good result."

It was a first ever NRS podium for the 22-year-old who is getting better with each race.
"This is my first NRS season, it's only my fourth tour, I'm pretty new to racing so the whole strategy of when to attack and which moves to follow are really new to me, " Canty said

"I was a bit worried I might have made a mistake going early but I was able to sit in and save the legs for the final steep section.

"I tried to follow Haig but he had a gap on me, for a moment I thought I might actually finish second but Cooper just got me on the line which is a bit disappointing, but at the same time it's my first podium in the NRS so I'm very happy."

Earlier in the day, a breakaway group of five riders established 9km kilometres into the 127km stage from Highfields to the Bunya Mountains.

Oliver Kent-Spark (health.com.au-Search2Retain), Jackson Mawby (Satalyst Giant), Darcy Woolley (African Wildlife Safaris) and the Samuel Volkers (Team Skody Downunder) worked together on the road and their maximum lead was over five minutes before Avanti and BudgetForklifts started the chase.

Mawby was dropped before eventually Woolley and Volkers conceded as Kent-Spark was the final rider to be caught by the peloton after 110 km away which earned him the most combative prize

"We wanted someone in the break and it happened to be me which was wonderful," said Kent-Spark. "At the end the boys weren't working together so I thought I might as well give it one last dig to see if I could secure the most aggressive rider jersey.

"It was great to be a part of Brendan's success today," said Kent-Spark.

Haig now leads the race by 13 seconds to Cooper and a further 15 seconds to Canty with three stages remaining.

The Tour continues on Saturday, May 24 with a duel stage day, beginning with a 23 kilometre team time trial in Clifton before a 104 kilometre road race finishing at the new Wellcamp Airport.

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