Goss wins again in Launceston

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Matthew Goss (HTC-Columbia) won the 2010 Launceston Classic criterium after a terrific lead-out from teammate Leigh Howard. It was his third Classic win, with Howard finished second and Will Clarke (Genesys Wealth Advisers) rounding out the podium in front of thousands of fans.

“The race was tough and it’s excellent to get another win in front of my family and friends," said Goss. Leigh [Howard] did a brilliant lead-out today and it was thanks to him we could walk away with victory."

From the outset the pace was brutal, with some riders unable to keep up and dropping out of the race. It wasn’t until the 15th minute of the 75-minute race that a breakaway got clear but it proved to be the decisive move.

David Pell (Drapac), Howard and Goss (HTC-Columbia), Travis Meyer (Garmin-Transitions), Bernie Sulzberger (Fly V Australia) and the Genesys Wealth Advisers trio of Jason Rigg, Ben Grenda and Will Clarke all flexed their muscles at the head of the race.

The lead group claimed a maximum advantage of one minute and six seconds and held that advantage for the rest of the race. The peloton were pulled out at the seventy minute mark allowing the eight remaining riders to race the final five minutes plus two laps on their own.

David Pell was the first to make a move but that was countered by Leigh Howard. Travis Meyer was the next to make a move and with two laps to go, Grenda, Goss, Meyer and Sulzberger had a mini break on their rivals.

Meyer continued to animate the race but was unable to break clear. Due to the cat and mouse tactics of the leading four, the other quartet caught them with half a lap to go. Howard then went to the front of the group to lead Goss to the line.

“It was a tactical race in the last five minutes,” Howard said. “There was no real plan. We just made sure that we got the lead-out right and we did. It was a great win by Goss."

Defending champion Will Clarke was happy with his third place but would have liked to have claimed another victory. “A win would have been great but it was always going to be tough beating those two. It was a great win by Goss and I’m pleased with my result,” Clarke explained.

Earlier in the day, the under 17 men and elite women kicked off the night, with Belinda Goss claiming her second consecutive women’s crown ahead of Annette Edmonson and Emma Lawson. West Australian Theo Yates was the under 17 champion, beating Nathan Hinkley and Jack Hickey.