Ewan blasts onto the big stage with Bay Classic victory

Allan Davis (Mitchelton Wines – Lowe Farms) stepped into the overall lead of the Jayco Bay Cycling Classic with a runner-up performance in a bunch sprint, while 17-year-old Caleb Ewan (NSWIS) stole the show against his much older and experienced rivals to win stage 2 at Eastern Park.

Ewan, World Junior Omnium Champion on the track, found perfect positioning to cross the finish line ahead of Davis and Bernie Sulzberger (Urban Hotels) in a shortened race due to searing temperatures experienced throughout the day of racing with several support events being undertaken from mid-morning. The mercury hit 45 degrees centigrade as the men's field lined up for the start.

Monday's win was without doubt the biggest win of Ewan's career and followed from his second placing behind Chris Sutton (Sky) at the Cronulla event of the NSW Grand Prix Series early last month. Ewan explained that finishing so close to the Vuelta stage winner gave him the confidence to be able to post a result this week at the Bay Crits.

"I knew I could come in pretty close to those guys if I was in the right position," he said. "I used that as a guide to how I ride."

Admittedly "over the moon" with the result, Ewan explained that he tried to forget about some of the people he was racing against and approach the race as if it were "another under 19 race."

"If you think about who you're racing, guys who have won grand tour stages and that, it's pretty intimidating being 17 but whatever I did it worked okay," the Bowral high school student reasoned.

The men's peloton was split after Sulzberger took out the day's opening sprint from Mitch Docker (GreenEdge) and brother Wes (GreenEdge) as a group of 13 riders containing Michael Hepburn, Davis (Mitchelton Wines – Lowe Farms), Docker, Sulzberger (GreenEdge), Trent Derencourt (John West Cycling), Dean Windsor, Johnnie Walker, Zak Dempster (Degani Bakery Cafe), Nathan Haas (BikeBug), James Mowatt (Rapido Cycling – Four Points Geelong), Bernie Sulzberger (Urban Hotels), Campbell Flakemore (Genesys Wealth Advisors) and Ewan (NSWIS) went off the front of the main bunch. The group's gap got out to half a lap, or 53 seconds and their lead was never seriously challenged.

Davis pulled on the overall leader's jersey with today's second placing with a three-point buffer on 18 points back to Sulzberger (Urban Hotels). Ewan (NSWIS) is third overall on 14 points with stage 1 winner Greg Henderson (Degani) fourth overall (12 points).

The Bundaberg native improved on his third placing on Sunday today and was hoping that a stage win was not too far away.

"It's another day of being so close, not just for myself but for GreenEdge," Davis explained. "We're trying to get that first one on the board which is always the hardest but hopefully tomorrow or the next day we can pull it off."

Asked what was more important, a stage win or overall at the end of the week, Davis was split.

"A stage win is what you always want to start off with and if you get yellow along the way it's a bonus as well," he said with his Mitchelton Wines – Lowe Farms outfit essentially a second GreenEdge team. "The points are so close so you need to be really consistent to win the overall."

Davis believes that Urban Hotels' Bernie Sulzberger will be the biggest threat in the field and planned to keep an eye on the Tasmanian.

Rowney too quick for Spratt as Hosking retains women's overall 

In the women's race, Loren Rowney made it two from two for Total Rush – Hyster, outsprinting Amanda Spratt (GreenEdge) to claim stage 2 of the Jayco Bay Cycling Classic.

The pair escaped with five laps remaining in the race, which had been reduced by five minutes due to delays caused from the searing conditions on the edge of Port Phillip Bay. Just prior, it had been Spratt's teammate, Jessie Maclean who again produced an attacking performance with a four-lap solo escape.

Rowney, overall winner in October's Honda Hybrid Women's Tour and Specialized-lululemon recruit said that being from Queensland, she used the heat to her advantage.

"For the first 20 minutes, Chloe said to relax, it's hot, make sure you conserve and then just attack, attack," the 23-year-old explained. "But I was a bit active at the start and after going off the front a little bit, I came back to the bunch and Jessie went.

"I didn't panic, I knew I could catch my breath and bridge across (to the front group) and that's what I did."

Rowney was too good for her opposition, outsprinting Spratt in the finishing straight.

"I did the turn all the way down the back, but obviously there's a slight cross tailwind," she explained of the tactics being played out over the final lap of the 1.8 kilometre circuit.

"So I was just tempoing it down the back, I actually led it out over the top of the hill and she went, I knew she went too early. I knew I've got a better kick, so I went with about 300m to go."

Today's win gets the four race series off to a highly successful start after teammate Chloe Hosking won Stage 1 on Sunday. Hosking finished fourth behind Melissa Hoskins (GreenEdge) to retain her overall leader's jersey by a one-point buffer from the sprinter. Defending champion Rochelle Gilmore (BikeExchange Dream Team) is third on 14 points.

Full results

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Elite men - Stage 2
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Caleb Ewan (NSW) NSWIS0:49:27
2Allan Davis (QLD) Mitchelton Wines / Lowe FarmsRow 1 - Cell 2
3Bernie Sulzberger (Tas) Urban HotelsRow 2 - Cell 2
4Nathan Haas (ACT) Bike BugRow 3 - Cell 2
5Zak Dempster (Vic) Degani Bakery CafeRow 4 - Cell 2
6James Mowatt (Vic) Rapido Cycles / Four Points GeelongRow 5 - Cell 2
7Dean Windsor (NSW) Degani Bakery CafeRow 6 - Cell 2
8Mitch Docker (Vic) GreenEdge CyclingRow 7 - Cell 2
9Trent Derecourt (WA) John West Cycling0:00:05
10Johnnie Walker (Vic) Degani Bakery CafeRow 9 - Cell 2
11Wesley Sulzberger (Tas) GreenEdge Cycling0:00:28
12Luke Durbridge (WA) Mitchelton Wines / Lowe Farms0:00:36
13Campbell Flakemore (Tas) Genesys Wealth Advisers0:00:47
14Mark O'Brien (Vic) Budget Forklifts0:01:18
15Greg Henderson (NZ) Degani Bakery Cafe0:01:19
16Patrick Lane (Vic) Mitchelton Wines / Lowe Farms0:02:00
17Michael Hepburn (QLD) Mitchelton Wines / Lowe FarmsRow 16 - Cell 2
18Robbie McEwen (QLD) GreenEdge CyclingRow 17 - Cell 2
19Blair Windsor (NSW) Budget ForkliftsRow 18 - Cell 2
20Oliver Kent-Spark (Vic) John West CyclingRow 19 - Cell 2
21Leigh Howard (Vic) GreenEdge CyclingRow 20 - Cell 2
22Sam Witmitz (Vic) Budget ForkliftsRow 21 - Cell 2
23Kazushige Kuboki (Jpn) Geelong MazdaRow 22 - Cell 2
24Rene Kolbach (NSW) John West CyclingRow 23 - Cell 2
25Scott Liston (Vic) Rapido Cycles / Four Points GeelongRow 24 - Cell 2
26Chris Sutton (NSW) Urban Hotels0:02:05
27Matthew Goss (Tas) GreenEdge CyclingRow 26 - Cell 2
28Luke Williams (NSW) NSWISRow 27 - Cell 2
29Anthony Giacoppo (WA) Bike BugRow 28 - Cell 2
30Steele Von Hoff (Tas) Bike BugRow 29 - Cell 2
31Baden Cooke (Vic) Mitchelton Wines / Lowe FarmsRow 30 - Cell 2
32Nathan Bradshaw (NSW) NSWISRow 31 - Cell 2
33Blake Hose (Vic) Genesys Wealth AdvisersRow 32 - Cell 2
34Richard Lang (NSW) Urban HotelsRow 33 - Cell 2
35Heinrich Haussler (NSW) Bike BugRow 34 - Cell 2
36Nic Sanderson (Vic) Genesys Wealth AdvisersRow 35 - Cell 2
37Alex Carver (NSW) Bike BugRow 36 - Cell 2
38Joel Pearson (NSW) Genesys Wealth AdvisersRow 37 - Cell 2
39Michael Knoff (Vic) John West CyclingRow 38 - Cell 2
40Tom Leezer (Ned) Rapido Cycles / Four Points GeelongRow 39 - Cell 2
41Kazuhiro Mori (Jpn) Geelong MazdaRow 40 - Cell 2
42Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Geelong MazdaRow 41 - Cell 2
DNFKoen de Kort (Ned) Urban HotelsRow 42 - Cell 2
DNFBert de Backer (Bel) Urban HotelsRow 43 - Cell 2
DNFMark Jamieson (Tas) Degani Bakery CafeRow 44 - Cell 2
DNFKane Walker (Vic) Genesys Wealth AdvisersRow 45 - Cell 2
DNFPeter Loft (Tas) Budget ForkliftsRow 46 - Cell 2
DNFLuke Ockerby (Tas) Budget ForkliftsRow 47 - Cell 2
DNFNicholas Brian (NSW) John West CyclingRow 48 - Cell 2
DNFTirian McManus (NSW) NSWISRow 49 - Cell 2
DNFJack McCulloch (NSW) NSWISRow 50 - Cell 2
DNFTakuya Takashi (Jpn) Geelong MazdaRow 51 - Cell 2
DNFEya Hashimoto (Jpn) Geelong MazdaRow 52 - Cell 2
DNFJos van Emden (Ned) Rapido Cycles / Four Points GeelongRow 53 - Cell 2
DNFNeil van der Ploeg (Vic) Rapido Cycles / Four Points GeelongRow 54 - Cell 2
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Sprint 1
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Bernie Sulzberger (Tas) Urban Hotels3pts
2Mitch Docker (Vic) GreenEdge Cycling2Row 1 - Cell 3
3Wesley Sulzberger (Tas) GreenEdge Cycling1Row 2 - Cell 3
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Sprint 2
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Nathan Haas (ACT) Bike Bug3pts
2Mitch Docker (Vic) GreenEdge Cycling2Row 1 - Cell 3
3Bernie Sulzberger (Tas) Urban Hotels1Row 2 - Cell 3
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Sprint 3
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Mitch Docker (Vic) GreenEdge Cycling3pts
2Bernie Sulzberger (Tas) Urban Hotels2Row 1 - Cell 3
3Trent Derecourt (WA) John West Cycling1Row 2 - Cell 3
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General Classification after Stage 2
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Allan Davis (QLD) Mitchelton Wines / Lowe Farms18pts
2Bernie Sulzberger (Tas) Urban Hotels15Row 1 - Cell 3
3Caleb Ewan (NSW) NSWIS14Row 2 - Cell 3
4Greg Henderson (NZ) Degani Bakery Cafe12Row 3 - Cell 3
5Chris Sutton (NSW) Urban Hotels10Row 4 - Cell 3
6Dean Windsor (NSW) Degani Bakery Cafe8Row 5 - Cell 3
7Nathan Haas (ACT) Bike Bug7Row 6 - Cell 3
8Zak Dempster (Vic) Degani Bakery Cafe7Row 7 - Cell 3
9Steele Von Hoff (Tas) Bike Bug6Row 8 - Cell 3
10Anthony Giacoppo (WA) Bike Bug5Row 9 - Cell 3
11James Mowatt (Vic) Rapido Cycles / Four Points Geelong5Row 10 - Cell 3
12Leigh Howard (Vic) GreenEdge Cycling3Row 11 - Cell 3
13Mitch Docker (Vic) GreenEdge Cycling3Row 12 - Cell 3
14Trent Derecourt (WA) John West Cycling2Row 13 - Cell 3
15Johnnie Walker (Vic) Degani Bakery Cafe1Row 14 - Cell 3
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Sprint Ace Competition after Stage 2
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Bernie Sulzberger (Tas) Urban Hotels12pts
2Mitch Docker (Vic) GreenEdge Cycling9Row 1 - Cell 3
3Nathan Haas (ACT) Bike Bug6Row 2 - Cell 3
4Caleb Ewan (NSW) NSWIS3Row 3 - Cell 3
5Dean Windsor (NSW) Degani Bakery Cafe2Row 4 - Cell 3
6Zak Dempster (Vic) Degani Bakery Cafe1Row 5 - Cell 3
7Trent Derecourt (WA) John West Cycling1Row 6 - Cell 3
8Wesley Sulzberger (Tas) GreenEdge Cycling1Row 7 - Cell 3
9Baden Cooke (Vic) Mitchelton Wines / Lowe Farms1Row 8 - Cell 3
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Teams Classification after Stage 2
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Urban Hotels25pts
2Mitchelton Wines - Lowe Farms18Row 1 - Cell 3
3Bike Bug18Row 2 - Cell 3
4Degani Bakery Cafe17Row 3 - Cell 3
5NSWIS14Row 4 - Cell 3
6GreenEdge6Row 5 - Cell 3
7Rapido Cycles - Four Points Geelong5Row 6 - Cell 3
8John West Cycling2Row 7 - Cell 3
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Elite women - Stage 2
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Loren Rowney (Total Rush/Hyster)0:46:45
2Amanda Spratt (Greenedge-AIS)0:00:02
3Melissa Hoskins (Greenedge-AIS)0:00:31
4Chloe Hosking (Total Rush/Hyster)Row 3 - Cell 2
5Rochelle Gilmore (BikeExchange Dream Team)Row 4 - Cell 2
6Annette Edmondson (Pitcher Partners)Row 5 - Cell 2
7Isabella King (Pitcher Partners)Row 6 - Cell 2
8Liza Rachetto (Spencers Race)Row 7 - Cell 2
9Kate Finegan (Spencers Race)Row 8 - Cell 2
10Gracie Elvin (Jayco - AIS)Row 9 - Cell 2
11Shara Gillow (Greenedge-AIS)0:00:38
12Nicole Cooke (BikeExchange Dream Team)0:00:48
13Tiffany Cromwell (Greenedge-AIS)Row 12 - Cell 2
14Jessie Maclean (Greenedge-AIS)0:00:50
15650:00:54
16Grace Sulzberger (Jayco - AIS)0:01:00
17Sequoia Cooper (Torq)Row 16 - Cell 2
DNFPeta Mullens (BikeExchange Dream Team)Row 17 - Cell 2
DNFKirsty Broun (BikeExchange Dream Team)Row 18 - Cell 2
DNFMyfanwy Galloway (BikeExchange Dream Team)Row 19 - Cell 2
DNFRebecca Henderson (Suzuki-Trek Women)Row 20 - Cell 2
DNFImogen Jelbart (Suzuki-Trek Women)Row 21 - Cell 2
DNFAilie Mcdonald (Suzuki-Trek Women)Row 22 - Cell 2
DNFAllison Rice (Suzuki-Trek Women)Row 23 - Cell 2
DNFRebecca Wiasak (Suzuki-Trek Women)Row 24 - Cell 2
DNFRowena Fry (Jayco - AIS)Row 25 - Cell 2
DNFSinead Noonan (Jayco - AIS)Row 26 - Cell 2
DNFSue Forsyth (Pitcher Partners)Row 27 - Cell 2
DNFElizabeth Phillipou (Pitcher Partners)Row 28 - Cell 2
DNFNadine Le Mescam (Torq)Row 29 - Cell 2
DNFThomay Michaltsis (Torq)Row 30 - Cell 2
DNFKatherine O'Shea (Torq)Row 31 - Cell 2
DNFChloe Mcintosh (Total Rush/Hyster)Row 32 - Cell 2
DNFKimberley Wells (Total Rush/Hyster)Row 33 - Cell 2
DNFCarly Williams (Total Rush/Hyster)Row 34 - Cell 2
DNFDelphine Astier (Spencers Race)Row 35 - Cell 2
DNFElla Hopkins (Spencers Race)Row 36 - Cell 2
DNFHolly Heffernan (NSWIS)Row 37 - Cell 2
DNFLaura Triggs (NSWIS)Row 38 - Cell 2
DNFAshlee Ankudinoff (NSWIS)Row 39 - Cell 2
DNFAngela Mcclure (Norwood C.C.)Row 40 - Cell 2
DNFChloe McConville (Carnigie Caulfield CC)Row 41 - Cell 2
DNF50Row 42 - Cell 2
DNFAlice Wallett (Canberra Cycling Club)Row 43 - Cell 2
DNFJess Wigan (MTBA)Row 44 - Cell 2
DNFAntonia Abbisogni (Bendigo & District CC)Row 45 - Cell 2
DNFJamie Leigh Edwards (Geelong Cycle Club)Row 46 - Cell 2
DNF57Row 47 - Cell 2
DNFElla Scanlan-Bloor (Southern Highlands CC)Row 48 - Cell 2
DNFMelina Bernecker (Le Grange)Row 49 - Cell 2
DNFNicole Whitburn (Degani Bakery Cafe)Row 50 - Cell 2
DNFTanya Matthewson (Degani Bakery Cafe)Row 51 - Cell 2
DNFSarah Riley (Degani Bakery Cafe)Row 52 - Cell 2
DNFAnna Kauffmann (Degani Bakery Cafe)Row 53 - Cell 2
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Sprint 1
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Kirsty Broun (BikeExchange Dream Team)3pts
2Chloe Hosking (Total Rush/Hyster)2Row 1 - Cell 3
3Shara Gillow (Greenedge-AIS)1Row 2 - Cell 3
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Sprint 2
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Jessie Maclean (Greenedge-AIS)3pts
2Loren Rowney (Total Rush/Hyster)2Row 1 - Cell 3
3Chloe McConville (Carnigie Caulfield CC)1Row 2 - Cell 3
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General Classification after Stage 2
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Chloe Hosking (Total Rush/Hyster)19pts
2Melissa Hoskins (Greenedge-AIS)18Row 1 - Cell 3
3Rochelle Gilmore (BikeExchange Dream Team)14Row 2 - Cell 3
4Loren Rowney (Total Rush/Hyster)12Row 3 - Cell 3
5Amanda Spratt (Greenedge-AIS)10Row 4 - Cell 3
6Tiffany Cromwell (Greenedge-AIS)7Row 5 - Cell 3
7Jessie Maclean (Greenedge-AIS)6Row 6 - Cell 3
8Annette Edmondson (Pitcher Partners)6Row 7 - Cell 3
9Kirsty Broun (BikeExchange Dream Team)5Row 8 - Cell 3
10Peta Mullens (BikeExchange Dream Team)4Row 9 - Cell 3
11Isabella King (Pitcher Partners)4Row 10 - Cell 3
12Rebecca Henderson (Suzuki-Trek Women)3Row 11 - Cell 3
13Liza Rachetto (Spencers Race)3Row 12 - Cell 3
14Lucy Coldwell (Carnigie Caulfield CC)2Row 13 - Cell 3
15Kate Finegan (Spencers Race)2Row 14 - Cell 3
16Gracie Elvin (Jayco - AIS)1Row 15 - Cell 3
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Sprint Ace Competition after Stage 2
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Chloe Hosking (Total Rush/Hyster)5pts
2Shara Gillow (Greenedge-AIS)4Row 1 - Cell 3
3Kirsty Broun (BikeExchange Dream Team)3Row 2 - Cell 3
4Jessie Maclean (Greenedge-AIS)3Row 3 - Cell 3
5Peta Mullens (BikeExchange Dream Team)2Row 4 - Cell 3
6Amanda Spratt (Greenedge-AIS)2Row 5 - Cell 3
7Loren Rowney (Total Rush/Hyster)2Row 6 - Cell 3
8Sue Forsyth (Pitcher Partners)1Row 7 - Cell 3
9Chloe McConville (Carnigie Caulfield CC)1Row 8 - Cell 3
10Sinead Noonan (Jayco - AIS)1Row 9 - Cell 3
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Teams Classification after Stage 2
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Total Rush - Hyster31pts
2GreenEdge-AIS23Row 1 - Cell 3
3BikeExchange.com.au Dream Team17Row 2 - Cell 3
4Pitcher Partners10Row 3 - Cell 3
5Spencers Race5Row 4 - Cell 3
6Suzuki-Trek Women3Row 5 - Cell 3
7Carnegie Caulfield CC2Row 6 - Cell 3
8Jayco - AIS1Row 7 - Cell 3

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As a sports journalist and producer since 1997, Jane has covered Olympic and Commonwealth Games, rugby league, motorsport, cricket, surfing, triathlon, rugby union, and golf for print, radio, television and online. However her enduring passion has been cycling.

 

Jane is a former Australian Editor of Cyclingnews from 2011 to 2013 and continues to freelance within the cycling industry.


 

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