The celebration in Portarlington was a long time coming for Pat Shaw (Avanti IsoWhey). The 29-year-old outkicked Dan Fitter (State of Matter/MAAP) and Sam Spokes (Drapac) in a tailwind sprint to win stage three of the Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic on Sunday. Caleb Ewan, who had taken back-to-back wins to open the Australian summer, was forced to settle for fourth place but held on to his overall series lead. 

“I’ve been a semi-pro for ten-plus years,” said Shaw. “It takes you this long to get a good win.”

Shaw’s Avanti IsoWhey team animated the windy race, with Chris Hamilton (Avanti IsoWhey) joining forces with Fitter in the first significant break of the day. The duo lasted for three laps in front of a shattered peloton before their capture sparked a counter-move from Australian U23 road race and time trial champion Miles Scotson (Budget Forklifts).

A powerful chase group took shape in Scotson’s wake with ORICA-GreenEDGE teammates Ewan and Jack Haig joined by sprint leader Robbie Hucker (Avanti IsoWhey). A reduced peloton swallowed up the chase group, which was Luke Durbridge’s (ORICA-GreenEDGE) cue to jump. The former two-time Portarlington winner made quick work of bridging the gap to Scotson. With 15 minutes left in the hour-long race, the duo had nearly 30 seconds on the peloton.

Australian U23 criterium Chris Hamilton joined the leading duo with three laps remaining. Peter Koning (Drapac) followed suit. The four leaders clung to a 10-second advantage at the start of the penultimate lap. As the bell sounded, however, the race had come back together, and the reduced field readied for the bunch sprint.

“I’m sitting on Caleb’s wheel getting the best run anyone could dream for, and I’m just lucky I got the job done,” Shaw said. “I was just saying in the last corner ‘do not crash!’ I knew I had it. I’ve been working hard on my sprint.”

Ewan will sport the yellow leader’s jersey in Williamstown on Monday. Despite finishing outside the top three in Portarlington, he will be a favourite for the final day win and his third Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic overall title.

Scandolara beats Elvin in two-up sprint

Valentina Scandolara (Alé Australia) beat out former teammate and Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic series leader Gracie Elvin in a two-up sprint in Portarlington on Sunday. With the stage three win, Scandolara jumped up to second on the overall classification, seven points behind Elvin, ahead of Monday’s final stage in Williamstown.

“It was important to me to win here because I’m proud of what I did with Alé,” said Scandolara, who will ride for the American-registered Cylance UCI team during the 2016 season but is racing for the Alé Australia composite team during the first four days of the year.

“I managed to create the team and involved Alé,” Scandolara explained. “It was pretty special for me to win with this jersey because it’s a brand and people from my town that I know personally. Everything started from Italy, and they contacted Alé Australia. For me, it was important to win for that reason.”

Scandolara’s victory was hard-fought and well-deserved. She featured in a two-rider breakaway with Amanda Spratt that forged clear of the peloton in the first half of the 45 minute effort.

“I noticed Spratty wasn’t putting in 100 per cent,” said Scandolara. “I was trying to get a gap, but at the same time I didn’t want to waste too much energy. I raced with ORICA - I knew how they would race it. The tactic would be numbers. They would have the advantage when Spratty and I came back, and they would put me and other teams in difficultly with their numbers – which is exactly what they did.”

With around ten minutes left to race, a five-rider chase group had reeled in the two leaders. ORICA-AIS had three riders in what had become a seven-rider move, including Elvin in yellow. Last year’s Portarlington winner and reining Australian national road champion Peta Mullens (Wiggle High5) had Chloe Hosking for support. Scandolara was sorely outnumbered.

“I had to race smart and be in every attack,” said Scandolara. “Lizzie [Williams] was the first to attack. She didn’t make a difference because everyone was expecting that. Then Gracie attacked.”

Scandolara marked Elvin’s jump and the duo collaborated until Elvin attacked Scandolara up the leg-breaking hill that makes stage three the most difficult of the four-day series.

“I stopped working when she attacked me on the climb,” Scandolara explained. “I saw [Sarah] Roy coming over. As soon as she bridged to us, I knew she was working for Gracie.”

Having edged out the likes of Kimberley Wells (High5 Dream Team) and Chloe Hosking (Wiggle High5) in a field sprint at the Shimano Supercrit in December, Scandolara was confident in her sprint.

“Gracie tried to anticipate me in the last corner,” said Scandolara. “I risked everything there for the win. I’m happy with my race. I managed to stay at the front in every attack. Even if I was second, it was a super race for me to be able to stay with five people when I’m alone.”

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