Luke Durbridge wins Santos Festival of Cycling stage 1 with 80km solo break

Luke Durbridge (Team Bike Exchange) powered away from the field, using his time-trialling prowess to not only take out stage 1 of the men’s National Road Series race at the Santos Festival of Cycling, but also to set up a commanding lead in the battle for overall victory at the four-day tour. 

Long before the line approached at the end of the stage from Seppeltsfield to Tanunda it was clear the best result that the rest of the field could hope for was second. The trio of Raphael Freiensten (InForm TM Insight Make), Chris Harper (Cervelo Tonsley Village) and Damien Howson (Team BikeExchange) were left to sprint for the two remaining spots on the podium. Harper fell out of contention as the sprint wound up and Freiensten, stopped BikeExchange taking the top two steps as he swung past Howson.  

“It wasn’t really the plan,” said Durbridge of his 80 kilometre solo break. “All the boys were motivated and I’m glad I could finish it off. I said to myself be a bit brave. Go for it. It’s only a 100 kilometres but when we got out there and it was 40 degrees I’m like, 100 kilometres is still a long way. I countered the sprint, the first intermediate, and just sort of squeezed on a little bit and no one really came with and after I got a gap, I just settled in.”

As the Australian time-trial champion settled in, riders in the rest of the field came to terms with the likelihood that the best they could hope for was now a place on the lower steps of the podium.

How it unfolded 

The race was on right from the start, with riders determined to make the most of every last opportunity in the 106.8 stage which went over the milder incline of the eastern side four times. However, the 1.2 kilometres at a gradient of 4.8 per cent was still enough to cause plenty of damage. The first ascent immediately blew the race apart. 

The split peloton was still reeling from that climb when the first intermediate sprint came along and Durbridge took the opportunity to slip off the front. There were attempts to haul in the 29-year-old, including from Team Garmin Australia, but to no avail. 

“Once we noticed we weren’t bringing back anything the race was for second place,” said Freiensten “It think that’s the best result we could have achieved in the end.”

The pace remained high and the peloton remained splintered, with Freiensten coming in 2:24 behind Durbridge as he won the sprint from the chasing group of three. Only about 20 other riders managed to make it to the line within five minutes of Durbridge. 

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Full Results
Pos.Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Luke Durbridge (Team BikeExchange) 2:34:51
2Raphael Freiensten (InForm TM Insight Make) 0:02:24
3Damien Howson (Team BikeExchange)
4Chris Harper (CERVELO-Tonsley Village) 0:02:26
5Luke Plapp (Team Garmin Australia) 0:02:40
6Cyrus Monk (Cycle House Racing)
7Kaden Groves (Team BikeExchange) 0:02:44
8Riley Fleming (OLIVERS Real Food Racing)
9Kane Richards (MEIYO CCN Pro Cycling Team)
10Brendon Johnston (CCS Cycling)
11Connor Reardon (St George Continental Cycling Team)
12Kaine Cannan (Velofit Australia)
13Ben Metcalfe (Team Bridgelane)
14Brendon Davids (OLIVERS Real Food Racing)
15Sam Crome (St George Continental Cycling Team)
16Kelland O'Brien (Team Garmin Australia)
17Tim Roe (CERVELO-Tonsley Village)
18Carter Turnbull (InForm TM Insight Make)
19Ben Hill (Team Bridgelane)
20Angus Lyons (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast) 0:02:47
21Cameron Meyer (Team BikeExchange) 0:02:48
22Dylan McKenna (Nero Continental)
23Oli Stenning (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast) 0:02:51
24Nicholas White (Team Bridgelane) 0:02:56
25Sam Welsford (Team Garmin Australia) 0:05:17
26Mark O'Brien (InForm TM Insight Make)
27Matt Ross (Cycle House Racing)
28Zack Gilmore (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast)
29Matthew Rice (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast) 0:10:44
30Rudy Porter (InForm TM Insight Make) 0:11:45
31Cooper Sayers (Nero Continental) 0:12:19
32Sam Jenner (Team Bridgelane) 0:13:56
33David Randall (Butterfields Racing) 0:16:52
34Richie Porte (Team Garmin Australia)
35Oliver Anderson (CERVELO-Tonsley Village)
36Tristen Saunders (Butterfields Racing)
37Godfrey Slattery (GIANT Racing Team)
38Josh Harrison (GIANT Racing Team)
39Chris Luxton (CERVELO-Tonsley Village)
40Adam Blazevic (GIANT Racing Team)
41Mattew Harvey (Velofit Australia)
42Conor Leahy (WorldTour Composite Team)
43Patrick Saccani-Williams (Velofit Australia)
44Alex Holden (GIANT Racing Team)
45Marcus Culey (WorldTour Composite Team)
46Joshua Wilson (Velofit Australia)
47Bailey Waters (MEIYO CCN Pro Cycling Team)
48Brad Soden (MEIYO CCN Pro Cycling Team)
49Myles Stewart (Nero Continental)
50Josh Duffy (WorldTour Composite Team)
51Bryce Lanigan (Velofit Australia)
52Liam White (OLIVERS Real Food Racing)
53Zac Johnson (InForm TM Insight Make)
54Jacob Langham (Velofit Australia)
55Thomas Bolton (OLIVERS Real Food Racing)
56Jensen Plowright (Team Bridgelane)
57Zack Barnhill (St George Continental Cycling Team)
58Terance Hore (Cycle House Racing)
59Rylan Dowdell (Butterfields Racing)
60Jason Thomason (Butterfields Racing)
61Will Maloney-Morton (Cycle House Racing)
62Pat Drapac (Cycle House Racing)
63Lionel Mawditt (St George Continental Cycling Team)
64Reece Tucknott (CCS Cycling)
65Campbell Jones (OLIVERS Real Food Racing)
66Bill Simpson (GIANT Racing Team)
67Drew Morey (Team Bridgelane)
68Cameron Ivory (CERVELO-Tonsley Village)
69Justin Gassner (CERVELO-Tonsley Village)
70Daniel Siwek (Butterfields Racing)
71Zachary Marriage (Butterfields Racing)
72Alex Bogna (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast)
73Sam Volkers (MEIYO CCN Pro Cycling Team)
74Jordan Kerby (MEIYO CCN Pro Cycling Team)
75Leigh Howard (Team Garmin Australia)
76Craig Wiggins (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast)
77Seb Berwick (WorldTour Composite Team)
78Elliot Schultz (MEIYO CCN Pro Cycling Team)
79Will Golding (Butterfields Racing)
80Cam Roberts (CCS Cycling)
81Lucas Hamilton (Team BikeExchange)
82Alex Porter (Team Garmin Australia)
83Jimmy Whelan (Team Garmin Australia)
84Alex Edmondson (Team BikeExchange)
85Steele van Hoff (InForm TM Insight Make)
86Will Hodges (GIANT Racing Team)
87Blake Quick (InForm TM Insight Make)
88Carter Bettles (St George Continental Cycling Team)
89Ryan Cavanagh (St George Continental Cycling Team)
DNFTaj Jones (WorldTour Composite Team)
DNFAlistair Mackellar (WorldTour Composite Team)
DNFAlistair Christie-Johnson (Team Bridgelane)
DNFCameron Bayly (CERVELO-Tonsley Village)
DNFMichael Rice (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast)
DNFCallum Pearce (OLIVERS Real Food Racing)
DNFLachlan Glasspool (OLIVERS Real Food Racing)
DNFSteve Robb (Cycle House Racing)
DNFRyan Schilt (Cycle House Racing)
DNFNic Darling (CCS Cycling)
DNFMackenzie Edwardson (CCS Cycling)
DNFKris McCreath (CCS Cycling)
DNFByron Woods (VRM)
DNFBrendon Green (VRM)
DNFXavier Cooper (Velofit Australia)
DNFDylan Lindsey (GIANT Racing Team)
DNFLeigh Phillips (Nero Continental)
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Ziptrack Sprint 1: Magnolia Road
Pos.Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Alex Porter (Team Garmin Australia) 3
2Raphael Freiensten (InForm TM Insight Make) 2
3Damien Howson (Team BikeExchange) 1
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Ziptrack Sprint 2: Magnolia Road
Pos.Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Luke Durbridge (Team BikeExchange) 3
2Sam Welsford (Team Garmin Australia) 2
3Raphael Freiensten (InForm TM Insight Make) 1
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Sprint Finish
Pos.Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Luke Durbridge (Team BikeExchange) 3
2Raphael Freiensten (InForm TM Insight Make) 2
3Damien Howson (Team BikeExchange) 1
Shimano King of the Mountain 1 - Menglers Hill category 3
1Matt Ross (Cycle House Racing) 5
2Cooper Sayers (Nero Continental) 3
3Ben Hill (Team Bridgelane) 2
Shimano King of the Mountain 2 - Menglers Hill category 3
1Luke Durbridge (Team BikeExchange) 5
2Brendon Davids (OLIVERS Real Food Racing) 3
3Brad Soden (MEIYO CCN Pro Cycling Team) 2
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Teams
Pos.Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Team BikeExchange 7:49:41
2Team Bridgelane 0:03:16
3InForm TM Insight Make 0:05:17
4Team Garmin Australia 0:05:33
5ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast 0:05:47
6CERVELO-Tonsley Village 0:16:54
7OLIVERS Real Food Racing 0:17:12
8St George Continental Cycling Team
9Cycle House Racing 0:19:41
10Nero Continental 0:26:51
11Velofit Australia 0:31:20
12MEIYO CCN Pro Cycling Team
13CCS Cycling
14GIANT Racing Team 0:45:28
15Butterfields Racing
16WorldTour Composite Team
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General classification after stage 1
Pos.Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Luke Durbridge (Team BikeExchange) 2:34:38
2Raphael Freiensten (InForm TM Insight Make) 0:02:28
3Damien Howson (Team BikeExchange) 0:02:32
4Chris Harper (CERVELO-Tonsley Village) 0:02:39
5Luke Plapp (Team Garmin Australia) 0:02:53
6Cyrus Monk (Cycle House Racing)
7Kaden Groves (Team BikeExchange) 0:02:57
8Riley Fleming (OLIVERS Real Food Racing)
9Kane Richards (MEIYO CCN Pro Cycling Team)
10Brendon Johnston (CCS Cycling)
11Connor Reardon (St George Continental Cycling Team)
12Kaine Cannan (Velofit Australia)
13Ben Metcalfe (Team Bridgelane)
14Brendon Davids (OLIVERS Real Food Racing)
15Sam Crome (St George Continental Cycling Team)
16Kelland O'Brien (Team Garmin Australia)
17Tim Roe (CERVELO-Tonsley Village)
18Carter Turnbull (InForm TM Insight Make)
19Ben Hill (Team Bridgelane)
20Angus Lyons (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast) 0:03:00
21Cameron Meyer (Team BikeExchange) 0:03:01
22Dylan McKenna (Nero Continental)
23Oli Stenning (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast) 0:03:04
24Nicholas White (Team Bridgelane) 0:03:09
25Sam Welsford (Team Garmin Australia) 0:05:28
26Mark O'Brien (InForm TM Insight Make) 0:05:30
27Matt Ross (Cycle House Racing)
28Zack Gilmore (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast)
29Matthew Rice (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast) 0:10:57
30Rudy Porter (InForm TM Insight Make) 0:11:58
31Cooper Sayers (Nero Continental) 0:12:32
32Sam Jenner (Team Bridgelane) 0:14:09
33Alex Porter (Team Garmin Australia) 0:17:02
34David Randall (Butterfields Racing) 0:17:05
35Richie Porte (Team Garmin Australia)
36Oliver Anderson (CERVELO-Tonsley Village)
37Tristen Saunders (Butterfields Racing)
38Godfrey Slattery (GIANT Racing Team)
39Josh Harrison (GIANT Racing Team)
40Chris Luxton (CERVELO-Tonsley Village)
41Adam Blazevic (GIANT Racing Team)
42Mattew Harvey (Velofit Australia)
43Conor Leahy (WorldTour Composite Team)
44Patrick Saccani-Williams (Velofit Australia)
45Alex Holden (GIANT Racing Team)
46Marcus Culey (WorldTour Composite Team)
47Joshua Wilson (Velofit Australia)
48Bailey Waters (MEIYO CCN Pro Cycling Team)
49Brad Soden (MEIYO CCN Pro Cycling Team)
50Myles Stewart (Nero Continental)
51Josh Duffy (WorldTour Composite Team)
52Bryce Lanigan (Velofit Australia)
53Liam White (OLIVERS Real Food Racing)
54Zac Johnson (InForm TM Insight Make)
55Jacob Langham (Velofit Australia)
56Thomas Bolton (OLIVERS Real Food Racing)
57Jensen Plowright (Team Bridgelane)
58Zack Barnhill (St George Continental Cycling Team)
59Terance Hore (Cycle House Racing)
60Rylan Dowdell (Butterfields Racing)
61Jason Thomason (Butterfields Racing)
62Will Maloney-Morton (Cycle House Racing)
63Pat Drapac (Cycle House Racing)
64Lionel Mawditt (St George Continental Cycling Team)
65Reece Tucknott (CCS Cycling)
66Campbell Jones (OLIVERS Real Food Racing)
67Bill Simpson (GIANT Racing Team)
68Drew Morey (Team Bridgelane)
69Cameron Ivory (CERVELO-Tonsley Village)
70Justin Gassner (CERVELO-Tonsley Village)
71Daniel Siwek (Butterfields Racing)
72Zachary Marriage (Butterfields Racing)
73Alex Bogna (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast)
74Sam Volkers (MEIYO CCN Pro Cycling Team)
75Jordan Kerby (MEIYO CCN Pro Cycling Team)
76Leigh Howard (Team Garmin Australia)
77Craig Wiggins (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast)
78Seb Berwick (WorldTour Composite Team)
79Elliot Schultz (MEIYO CCN Pro Cycling Team)
80Will Golding (Butterfields Racing)
81Cam Roberts (CCS Cycling)
82Lucas Hamilton (Team BikeExchange)
83Jimmy Whelan (Team Garmin Australia)
84Alex Edmondson (Team BikeExchange)
85Steele van Hoff (InForm TM Insight Make)
86Will Hodges (GIANT Racing Team)
87Blake Quick (InForm TM Insight Make)
88Carter Bettles (St George Continental Cycling Team)
89Ryan Cavanagh (St George Continental Cycling Team)
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Ziptrak© Sprint Classification
Pos.Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Luke Durbridge (Team BikeExchange) 6
2Raphael Freiensten (InForm TM Insight Make) 5
3Alex Porter (Team Garmin Australia) 3
4Damien Howson (Team BikeExchange) 2
5Sam Welsford (Team Garmin Australia) 2
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Shimano King of the Mountain Classification
Pos.Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Luke Durbridge (Team BikeExchange) 5
2Matt Ross (Cycle House Racing) 5
3Brendon Davids (OLIVERS Real Food Racing) 3
4Cooper Sayers (Nero Continental) 3
5Ben Hill (Team Bridgelane) 2
6Brad Soden (MEIYO CCN Pro Cycling Team) 2
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Focus Young Rider Classification
Pos.Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Luke Plapp (Team Garmin Australia) 2:37:31
2Kaden Groves (Team BikeExchange) 0:00:04
3Riley Fleming (OLIVERS Real Food Racing)
4Connor Reardon (St George Continental Cycling Team)
5Ben Metcalfe (Team Bridgelane)
6Kelland O'Brien (Team Garmin Australia)
7Carter Turnbull (InForm TM Insight Make)
8Dylan McKenna (Nero Continental) 0:00:08
9Zack Gilmore (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast) 0:02:37
10Matthew Rice (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast) 0:08:04
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Wilson Parking Winning Team Classification
Pos.Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Team BikeExchange 7:49:41
2Team Bridgelane 0:03:16
3InForm TM Insight Make 0:05:17
4Team Garmin Australia 0:05:33
5ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast 0:05:47
6CERVELO-Tonsley Village 0:16:54
7OLIVERS Real Food Racing 0:17:12
8St George Continental Cycling Team
9Cycle House Racing 0:19:41
10Nero Continental 0:26:51
11Velofit Australia 0:31:20
12MEIYO CCN Pro Cycling Team
13CCS Cycling
14GIANT Racing Team 0:45:28
15Butterfields Racing
16WorldTour Composite Team

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Simone Giuliani
Australia Editor

Simone is a degree-qualified journalist that has accumulated decades of wide-ranging experience while working across a variety of leading media organisations. She joined Cyclingnews as a Production Editor at the start of the 2021 season and has now moved into the role of Australia Editor. Previously she worked as a freelance writer, Australian Editor at Ella CyclingTips and as a correspondent for Reuters and Bloomberg. Cycling was initially purely a leisure pursuit for Simone, who started out as a business journalist, but in 2015 her career focus also shifted to the sport.

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