McCauley wins the stage from breakaway in Robinvale

Gordon McCauley (Drapac) has taken his first stage win at the Tour of the Murray River when he won the sprint from a three-man group in Robinvale. McCauley formed a breakaway with Oliver Kent-Spark (John West Cycling) and yesterday's solo breakaway rider Aaron Donnelly (Jayco-Honey Shotz). The group took advantage of the windy conditions to establish a race-winning move near the half-way point of stage 10. At the finish it was McCauley who was too strong for his breakaway riders, winning the sprint with the bunch 0:41 behind and lead-in by Luke Davison (Budget Forklifts).

Day six at the Tour of the Murray River would serve another two races in the 14-stage race. Riders would begin in Robinvale for a longer than usual 48km race around a 2.4km circuit.

Robinvale’s riverside course is fast and flowing however the back section of the course narrows to single one-lane twisting path. It’s this section of the course that can provide the ideal spot to launch an attack as moving up is difficult along this stretch.

The bunch rolled out from the start line with a tail wind along the finishing straight. Riders would be flying toward each intermediate throughout the 20-lap race. The longer circuit meant there would be 9 sprints on offer but with the finish line so far from the final corner, timing the sprint is crucial.

At the first sprint, after just two laps, Ryan MacAnally (Budget Forklifts) won ahead of fellow Budget rider Luke Ockerby and Luke Parker (Parramatta Race Team).

Breakaways would have a hard time getting away in the early parts of the race as fresh legs, the distance between the corners and the tailwind straight would allow teams to get their chase organised.

Luke Davison (Budget Forklifts) who has be touted as the most likely winner of the overall race on Sunday, was keen to pick up some sprint points. He won the following two sprints, held on lap 4 and 6.

Gordon McCauley was looking to take advantage of the usual windy conditions and attempted to get off the front. He rapidly established a 10-second gap but the peloton would not let him go and he was shortly back in the bunch.

Malcolm Rudolph (Drapac) has been making steady progress in the Sprint competition over the last couple of days and was keen to pick up a few more. He won the Lap 8 sprint ahead of Sprint leader Josh Taylor (GPM-Wilson Racing) and GC leader Campbell Flakemore (Genesys).

Rudolph was placed 9th overall in the general classification, 0:54 behind race leader at the start of the day and was clearly intent on improving his position in the coming stages.

With nearly half of the 20-lap race completed a break of three had established themselves off the front. Yesterday’s solo breakaway rider Aaron Donnelly (Jayco-Honey Shotz) had made the move along with Oliver Kent-Spark (John West Cycling) and Tour of the Great South Coast stage winner McCauley.

Kent-Spark took the maximum points on Lap 12 while Donnelly had his turn on Lap 14. The leading three continued to work well together and with 6 laps remaining their gap to the peloton was over 30 seconds.

Rudolph and Glenn O’Shea (SASI) attempted to bridge to the front trio but the windy conditions would make it difficult to close the gap - even for these two strong riders.

Donnelly won the penultimate sprint with Kent-Spark in second and McCauley more interested in maintaining their advantage than contesting the sprints in third. He was obviously thinking about the stage win and would be the favourite to win a sprint from this group.

The gap had once again extended when the breakaway came through the finish line with three laps to go, with the bunch following 45 seconds in arrears. Genesys were lined up on the front looking to bring the breakaway back before the finish as Donnelly, who began the stage 1:08 down on Flakemore, posed a real threat to the overall lead.

At the final sprint and signalling two laps to go it was Donnelly who again took the 3 points ahead of Kent-Spark and McCauley. Their advantage was holding firmly at 45 seconds and with a lap to go, it seemed they would be contesting for the stage win.

True to expectation, it was McCauley who took out the stage ahead of Kent-Spark and Donnelly.

More to come...

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