Dennis claims Geelong opener

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Denis Rohan (Team Jayco Skins) sprinted to victory on stage one of the GMHBA Tour of Geelong while second-placed Rhys Pollock (Drapac) picked up enough time bonuses along the way to take the first yellow jersey of the race.

Rohan and Pollock joined by Blair Windsor (Tean Budget Forklifts) in the breakaway that decided the 48 km criterium at North Shore. The trio worked well together in treacherous conditions after breaking away on lap 13 of 30 and hoovered up the majority of the bonus seconds on offer during the race. By the time they reached the finish, they had an advantage of 24 seconds over the main field, in spite of the best efforts of the Search2Retain and Lakes Oil teams behind.

In a keenly-contested sprint finish, Rohan timed his effort to perfection to pip Pollock at the line and take stage honours. However, over the course of the hour’s racing, Pollock won six intermediate sprints and managed to pick up 28 bonus seconds to Dennis’ 21. The Drapac man thus moves into yellow ahead of the afternoon’s stage 2 with a 7-second advantage.

Blair Windsor lies a further 6 seconds back in third, while Pollock’s teammate Joseph Lewis is the best-placed of the riders who didn’t make the day’s breakaway, 42 seconds down. 

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