It was not the first time that 23-year-old German rider Marcel Kittel had been motivated by a visit to the region having finished in the bronze medal position when he came to Geelong for the world under-23 time trial championships 12 months ago.
The Skil-Shimano rider’s presence in this year’s Jayco Herald Sun Tour had drawn plenty of attention following an impressive stage win on debut in the Vuelta Espana and after some lower key results on days one and two, he did not disappoint - recording his 16th victory for 2011.
Meanwhile Drapac Cycling’s Rhys Pollock remained in yellow ahead of Nathan Haas (Genesys Wealth Advisers) at 15 seconds and Saxobank Sungard’s Jonas Jorgensen, three seconds further back.
“It’s the end of the season. I’ve had lots of races and the travel to Australia was long and hard. Today was the first day my legs were okay,” stage-winner Kittel said.
“But we are very motivated and I tried to win. It was not just a win for me, it was a win for the team. The boys did a really good job today.”
Kittel emphasised the importance of his teammate’s role in the win, particularly given they had started the day one man down after Alexandre Geniez was forced out through illness.
“I can really believe in my team and today we showed how well we can work together,” he said.
“Drapac started to do the work to bring the break back but we helped in order to go for the sprint. Then the boys bought me to a good position with one kilometre to go which was important because the finish was not easy – it went downhill and then up again. It needed good timing.”
Although Kittel calculated on the spot that he had already had more than 50 racing days this year, he was not content to leave the matter there. He was already looking to the final two days of racing – tomorrow’s stage from Sorrento, featuring three ascents of Arthurs Seat and Sunday’s circuit course based on Lygon Street.
“Tomorrow will be a big fight but my role will be to support other riders – maybe as far as the first two climbs. Then I must keep something back as there is another chance for me on Sunday,” Kittel said.
Today’s breakaway that was eventually hauled in by the good work of the Skil-Shimano and Drapac teams with support from SaxoBank Sungard and Genesys Wealth Advisers with just 2.5 of the stage’s 173 kilometres left to ride, was a four man effort.
Jelly Belly’s Nic Hamilton was the main beneficiary of their efforts - winning both the climbs (at Benwerrin and the Eumeralla Scout Camp) during their 150km plus escape and taking over the Budget Forklifts Polka Dot King of the Mountains Jersey as a result.
The Canadian now leads that classification by eight points over Chris Jongewaard but there are maximum category one points up for grabs for the leading three over the first two climbs up Arthurs Seat tomorrow, leaving the contest wide open.
Hamilton’s accomplices today were Stijn van den Bergh (Katusha) and John Anderson of the Mitchelton Australian National Team who made the initial break after 14km, before they were joined by Hamilton and MTN Qhubeka’s Dylan Girdlestone.
The foursome cleaned up all the sprint and climbing points for the day between them, with van den Bergh being given the nod to take the maximum return in each of the two sprints (at Deans Marsh and the Great Ocean Road Memorial Arch) as Hamilton had been allowed to do on the climbs. The Belgian was also awarded the Cycle in Greater Shepparton Orange Jersey for the most aggressive rider on the stage.
Although van den Bergh mentioned the long straights as a tiring factor on the stage, their ride would generally have been a pleasant one with almost perfect temperatures and little wind, except when the inshore breeze picked up a little as they made their way along 13th Beach. In summary Regional Victoria put on a simply magnificent day.
Certainly overnight leader Pollock and his Drapac team were happy to make the most of it. The previously almost reluctant jersey wearer now seems more comfortable with the idea, quipping that he had even got his mother to come to watch him ride in the yellow.
“The team rode fantastically today and we didn’t even use everyone up, leaving Tom Palmer to have a good sprint for himself,” Pollock said.
“I felt pretty good today. The team took over and I just sat in the box seat.
“We have now given ourselves the best possibility going into tomorrow. And who knows – stranger things have happened.”
Pollock did however confess that he had never ridden up Arthurs Seat in a race situation, conceding that it would indeed be a new experience.
As it happened, nothing changed at all in terms of the top ten places on general classification, with all of those riders finishing with the leaders in the 72 man bunch finish.
Nor did much change in terms of the battle for the Honda Green Sprinters Jersey. The intermediate points as well as the bigger ones available at the end of today’s stage went to riders who had previously been scoreless or lower down on the classification table. As a result, Haas will wear the jersey for another day, even though he feels certain he will not win it.
“As it happens, I haven’t had to do much to keep it because the points have been so well spread. I am quite fortunate really,” Haas said.
He eyes remain more firmly on retaining the other prize he currently has in his possession - the State Government Victoria White Jersey for the best under 23 rider on general classification. Haas has been adamant all Tour that this is what he is after and believes he is very much on track.
“It was a risk to do the Tour of Tasmania last week, but it seems that it has brought my form right up and that risk is now paying off,” he said.
There is no question that this year’s Jayco Herald Sun Tour is providing the opportunity for the likes of Haas, 22 and the other revelation of the Australian domestic season, his Genesys Wealth Advisers team mate, Steele Von Hoff to show their abilities.
The 23-year-old Von Hoff was an impressive second on today’s stage behind Kittel demonstrating that he can mix it with the best in the bigger races. He edged out another young rider - the 21 year-old Palmer, who was third.
But it will be tomorrow where they and the rest of the remaining 94 riders can really show their all round skills.
The 131.6km journey from Sorrento may be the Tour’s shortest open road stage in 2011 but it is unquestionably the toughest, with those three arduous ascents of Arthurs Seat - the last providing the stage with a spectacular hilltop finish. There will also be two intermediate sprints at Merricks and Flinders.
It will almost certainly decide the 2011 Jayco Herald Sun Tour with any sort of mass finish a very remote possibility. The stage winner may well however come from those currently out of contention overall, with the Australian Team’s Matt Lloyd the hot favourite to take the day.
The battle for yellow will be fascinating with no stand out climber amongst those within reach on the general classification table. The most talked about are Jorgensen and Garmin Cervelo’s Australian road champion Jack Bobridge who is at 23 seconds.
