Durbridge takes first-ever Bay Crits win for Orica GreenEdge

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Luke Durbridge scored the win that Orica GreenEdge had been craving for two years, having spent the majority of the Portarlington criterium at the head of the race. Durbridge was dominant over the one-hour event to claim the team's first ever win at the Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic.

The reigning Australian Time Trial Champion soloed away from breakaway companions Kristian House (Rapha Condor / JLT) and James Oram (Gray's Online / New Zealand) just ahead of the bell lap and maintaining his advantage, giving Durbridge time to celebrate as he crossed the finish line.

"I don't get to win too many bunch races, it's more time trials and you can't really come across the line doing that unless you're Cancellara so I was pretty happy," the 21-year-old explained. "It's emotional with all the crowd here; it's nice."

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Champion in 2012, Allan Davis wasn't selected for the GreenEdge outfit last year and instead headed up the composite team Mitchelton Wineries – Lowe Farms.

Overnight leader Caleb Ewan (Bikebug) finished in sixth place, third in the bunch kick, enough to secure him the yellow jersey for the second day running with the series to conclude on Thursday in Williamstown, where he claimed his second win of the 2012 event.

A group of nine riders, including sprint leader Greg Henderson (Degani Bakery Cafe), House, Mike Northey (Gray's Online / New Zealand), Ewan and Durbridge set the agenda early in the race. Kiwi Northey looked strong and moved ahead of the breakaway group a few laps before the first sprint. The points were his and Henderson ensured he was second across the line to maintain his lead in the competition, while attempting to bridge the gap to his compatriot. The veteran was unsuccessful, but Durbridge too sensed Northey was vulnerable and made a concerted effort to catch him. Unfortunately for Northey, luck was not on his side, dropping his chain on the tough circuit's first climb, allowing Durbridge to pass him easily.

Durbridge, lean for 2013 after his first year on the road at an elite level, spent a good 15 minutes away solo despite various efforts from Henderson, Steele Von Hoff (Huon Salmon – Genesys), Ewan, Shaun McCarthy (Budget Forklifts) and Oram. The attacks meant that his advantage never went beyond 15 seconds and he conceded, for the time being, that he couldn't continue alone, swallowed by the peloton.

"I wasn't thinking about the win because I went away so early," Durbridge explained. "I just kept riding tempo because everyone was foxing with each other. Then I came back and I still had a little bit left so I thought I'd go away again."

After a small break to recover, Durbridge was back in the lead with around half of the race completed, and with House for company with nine seconds advantage over Oram who had a decent gap on the peloton. The three came together just ahead of the third sprint with Henderson holding a three-point advantage over Durbridge in the sprint classification heading into the final day.

McCarthy looked most-likely to catch the trio, getting as close as seven seconds in arrears before popping.

With three laps remaining the gap over the peloton was 15 seconds but there were questions marks over whether the group could work together to hang on. In the end, Durbridge sensed the weakness in his companions riding into the bell lap, and made the final push for the finish on his own. He was however, worried about the capabilities of House.

"He's super strong and I was a bit worried because I knew I couldn't leave it to him in a sprint – he's really fast," Durbridge said of the Brit. "He was really giving it to us on the climb so I knew he was feeling really strong and that I'd have to catch him out. I just got enough of a gap on him to hold him off."

Ewan holds a five-point lead over Durbridge, with Graeme Briggs (Great Britain) a further point behind in the overall standings with one stage left to race on Thursday. Ewan believes he's capable of a repeat performance in Williamstown in order to wear the yellow jersey from start to finish in the three-race series.

"I know how to race it pretty well so I just need to stay up in the front and hopefully I can get the stage again," he told Cyclingnews.

Another gutsy solo win for Cromwell

Tiffany Cromwell claimed her second win in Portarlington in two years, while Melissa Hoskins (Orica-AIS) all but sewed up the overall victory on Wednesday. Hoskins was second across the finish line, closely followed by Peta Mullens (Anytime Fitness Trek).

The result all but ensures Hoskins overall victory for the second successive year. On the final day, the West Australian needs to finish no worse than seventh to confirm her title.

"I've done the maths roughly," Hoskins admitted. "I needed to get more than two points on [Wells] and get a little bit of a buffer leading into tomorrow. I don't have to win tomorrow now and there's no pressure on the team either so we can play a few more cards."
Cromwell, not selected in the five-woman Orica-AIS team for the event, instead entered as an individual made the most of her freedom, moving away from the peloton on the third lap of the 45 minute criterium. Opening up a comfortable gap, Cromwell had a 21 second advantage by the time the first sprint rolled around. That put the 24-year-old on equal terms with Loes Gunnewijk for the green sprinter's jersey.

After the race, Cromwell was on the fence as to whether she felt like there was a point to prove given she was entered as an individual.

"It's always hard this time of year but ultimately I'm here to train for the Nationals," she explained. "It's a great opener to have three days of hard racing to get the intensity back. I've done a lot of work over the last two weeks after a training camp in Canberra. If you ask someone like Marv [Martin Barras] I wasn't in the best form there but I just have put my head down and dome some really good training. This just showed that I'm well on the way to another good season."

Towards the halfway mark, Cromwell's lead stretched to a maximum of 47 seconds with the peloton looking disinterested in any pursuit. That changed slightly by the second sprint, with Cromwell's advantage pegged back to 30 seconds.

It only seemed to motivate Cromwell to lift her intensity in the final stretch to the finish line, the gap back out to 35 seconds.

"It's a course I seem to like," Cromwell admitted. "It's a test of the fittest, the strongest – that climb can really take it out of your legs but I used it to my advantage."

Cromwell's time on the front earned her the green sprinter's jersey and leaves her in equal third place in the general classification, on par with race one winner, Wells. Orica-AIS leads the teams competition.

Results - Elite men

Results - Elite women