Horgan wins Tour of Great South Coast

Alex Edmondson (Euride) has won the final stage of the Tour of the Great South Coast in appalling conditions in Camperdown today. The track World Champion won a four up sprint over Thomas Hamilton (Jayco/Apollo VIS), Darren Lapthorne (Drapac), and Jack Haig (Huon-Genesys) at the conclusion of a very aggressive final stage.

Sam Horgan (Budget) successfully defended his overall lead to claim the final leader's jersey of the tour and make it two Subaru National Road Series (NRS) Tours on the trot for the Queensland squad. Riders were greeted with wet, windy and cold conditions as they fronted up for the last leg of the seventh round of the Subaru NRS

"This is my biggest win so far," said Horgan after sealing his overall victory.

"I was certainly confident with my form coming in and this tour suited me, but I certainly didn't expect to have the yellow jersey for the whole tour," continued Horgan. "I was actually nervous, to take that advantage so early."

The 26-year-old New Zealander hails from Christchurch and could be considered a cold weather specialist thanks to his home town conditions. When back on New Zealand's southern island, however, Horgan has full time work as a mechanical engineer to contend with as well as the weather.

"I can't train full-time but it's too miserable and cold anyway, much like this tour was,"  laughed Horgan. "I try and get out and do 22 to 25 hours a week, usually after work. It is hard work sometimes [juggling work and cycling] but it's days like this that make it all worthwhile."

As the flag dropped on the first of six laps it was Drapac Cycling forcing the peloton into the gutter on the flat stretches of road before riders turned to face their first of six climbs. Horgan conceded that the final stage was a nervous affair owing to the constant attacks from Drapac.

"We always knew what was going on and the pressure was really on," said Horgan.

"I was trying to do the sums and I was always looking up the road at how far away that break was which had Lapthorne in it."

With Pat Shaw (Huon-Genesys) looking to defend his KOM jersey it was no surprise to see him pass the first KOM in second position behind Lapthorne as the pair went about attempting to forge a significant lead.

As the peloton, led by Budget Forklifts, entered the home straight back through Camperdown for the first time, they struggled to maintain speeds above 30km/h into the roaring headwind. As the original duo were drawn in, a new group of five riders went clear with Lapthorne soon responding and bridging to the break to make it six riders in front with a 30 second lead.

As the weather turned even worse on the beginning of lap three, the break comprising of Lapthorne, teammate Gordon McCauley, Jason Rigg (Polygon), Jordan Stannus (Jayco/Apollo VIS), Angus Lyons (Essendon Skoda) and Jake Magee (GPM Data#3) was brought back into the fold. The hard work done by the Budget Forklifts team took its toll, however, with race leader Sam Horgan left isolated as Edmondson claimed the third intermediate sprint to secure a three second time bonus and etch ever closer on the general classification.

During the fifth lap Drapac Cycling started to light the afterburners in earnest putting Lapthorne along with three teammates into a nine man breakaway. As the pressure rose the break splintered leaving Lapthorne and teammate Bernard Sulzberger, Jack Haig (Huon-Genesys) and Miles Scotson (Euride).

As the race reached the final lap, race leader Sam Horgan attacked and bridged across to the lead group in valiant defence of his yellow jersey leaving. As riders approached the final KOM it was Horgan, Haig, Hamilton, Nathan Elliot (Target Trek) and Lapthorne together at the front of the race. Hamilton, who had reached and passed the leading group on his own, briefly led before being overhauled by Haig on the final KOM. As the leading quartet came back together and turned the final left hand turn back into the main street of Camperdown it was Edmondson who sealed the stage with the dribs and drabs of a severely depleted peloton left thoroughly dispersed and in arrears.

Jess Kerrison (Budget) retained his Independent Cranes Sprint Championship jersey after attaining an unassailable lead heading into the final stage. Pat Shaw (Huon-Genesys) successfully defended his lead in the Scody King of the Mountains Championship to take home the final KOM jersey. The standings in the Campolina Criterium Championship remained unchanged as Scott Law (GPM Data#3) finished the stage to seal victory. And Edmondson may just have missed out on the yellow jersey but he had the CFMEU Rising Star Award for the best young rider as consolation.

Euride Racing capped a strong tour in support of Edmondson by claiming the overall teams prize ahead of Drapac Cycling and Huon-Genesys. The third place finish was enough to see Huon-Genesys cement a 48 point lead over Budget Forklifts in the overall NRS team standings. Meanwhile Nathan Earle (Huon-Genesys), who was absent from South Coast whilst he races the Tour of Borneo, remains on top of the individual NRS standings ahead of teammate Jack Haig. But Budget Forklifts riders Jack Anderson and Sam Horgan have snuck up the rankings into third and fourth after their respective wins and Gippsland and South Coast.

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