February 08, 2014 (Nagambie, Australia) – Unheralded 19-year-old sprinter Robert-John McCarthy has upset a cast of highly fancied riders, to claim a frantic bunch sprint in the Jayco Herald Sun Tour’s 156 kilometre third stage from Mitchelton Winery to Nagambie.
Migrating to Australia with his family seven years ago from Ireland, McCarthy, who has spent the last couple of domestic seasons in the shadow of Australian sprint wunderkind Caleb Ewan, said this was the most significant win of his fledgling career.
Meanwhile in the general classification, Orica-GreenEDGE’s Simon Clarke preserved his advantage at the head of the bike race crossing eleventh on the stage to hold his eight second lead over former Olympic rower Cameron Wurf (Cannondale Pro Cycling).
For Clarke’s teammate Matthew Goss it was a case of what could have been, as a slipped chain at 200 metres to go ended his chances of stage win.
McCarthy too was lucky to be in a position to challenge at the finish, forced to veer off the road to narrowly avoid a crash caused by a clash of wheels that toppled Garmin-Sharp sprint ace Steele Von Hoff and forced KordaMentha Real Estate – Team Australia’s Pat Shaw to abandon 13 kilometres from the stage finish.
In a Tour that was intended as a learning experience for McCarthy, it was the Jayco Australia U23 Team rider that handed his opponents a lesson on getting to the line.
“I knew I have the speed, for me the hard part was just getting to the line with those established lead out trains,” said McCarthy, who’s most significant victory prior to today was a junior national road race title in 2012 ahead of Ewan.
“It’s really hard when you’re not in one of those established teams to earn the respect of those guys, but I hope I have done that now.
“I had to fight really, really hard for position and I decided I was going to be the last guy of someone’s train.”
“I saw Jonathan Cantwell with about one kilometre and a half to go and I just jumped on his wheel and waited and waited, and then moved around maybe 250m to go and just went for it, and held on for the line.”
Admitting himself to being a relative unknown in the race, McCarthy’s reaction to upstaging some of world cycling’s elite in Nagambie was that of shock.
“I know I’m a good sprinter, but when you look at the field here it’s some of the best in the world,” McCarthy said.
“I just came here to try and learn from those guys and I just found myself in a good position.”
“I crossed the line and I couldn’t believe it. I’m a bit speechless to be honest.”
While McCarthy’s post race reaction was that of elation, it was a focussed Clarke that spoke after the stage about his Orica GreenEDGE’s team’s defence of his yellow jersey.
“The objective is to keep yellow by the end of tomorrow, so we rode with that tactic,” Clarke said.
“I hardly touched the pedals all day today, the boys did a great job.
“Mitch [Docker] and Damien [Howson] were really strong today and they had everything under control, so no stress for me whatsoever.”
Sticking to the script of execution, Clarke said he would be wary of general classification challengers Wurf and Jack Haig (Avanti Cycling Team), but would be more intent on riding his own race in Sunday’s final 124 kilometre stage.
“We’ll ride to our plan, I’ve got Gerro by my side who is a great climber, so I just need to stick close to him and we’ll work together and work on our team plan,” said Clarke.
“If people attack us, we can adjust that plan, but we’ll be on our own path.
“They’re both dangerous, there’s no reason to decipher who’s going to be more dangerous, they both are.”
Earlier in the stage, seven riders were quick to ride off the peloton at the fall of the flag, joined shortly after by an eighth rider in Kristian Juel of Team Budget Forklifts.
Seemingly lacking the grit and tenacity of yesterday’s break led by Clarke, a catch seemed inevitable, however surprisingly four riders from the initial group held together until the catch occurred inside five kilometres to the finish in Nagambie.
The break held close to four minutes over the main field approaching the foot of the first Budget Forklifts King of the Mountain climb through the Strathbogie Ranges at 55 kilometres travelled, with the break still holding two minutes 40 second advantage at the top of the second King of the Mountain a further 12 kilometres later.
It was the WorldTour teams Orica-GreenEDGE, Garmin-Sharp and Cannondale Pro Cycling that did the bulk of the work on the open roads to reduce the gap to a comfortable margin off the climbs, before really tightening the screws 25 kilometres from home.
Podium finisher from stage two Jack Haig remained in the State Government of Victoria White Jersey, while Thomas Hamilton (Jayco Australia U23 National Team) maintained the Budget Forklift King of the Mountain Jersey.
Claiming sprint points as part of the break, Drapac Professional Cycling Jack Anderson claimed the Chain Reaction Cycles Green Jersey from race leader Clarke, while Chris Jory (KordaMentha Real Estate – Team Australia) was awarded the Subaru Orange Most Aggressive Jersey for his work in initiating the break.
Results
1. Robert-John McCarthy (Aus) Jayco Australian U23 3:47:09
2. Rico Rogers (Aus) OCBC Singapore Team
3. Felix English (Irl) Rapha Condor JLT
4. Karl Menzies (Aus) UnitedHealthcare
5. Daniel Klemme (Ger) Synergy Baku Cycling
6. Tom Scully (Nzl) New Zealand Team
7. Ji Wen Low (Sin) OCBC Singapore Team
8. Guillaume Boivin (Can) Cannondale Pro Cycling
9. Cameron Wurf (Aus) Cannondale Pro Cycling
10. Steele von Hoff (Aus) Garmin Sharp
11. Simon Clarke (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge
12. Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Drapac Pro Cycling
13. Robert Power (Aus) Jayco Australian U23
14. Tural Isgandarov (Aze) Synergy Baku Cycling
15. Patrick Bevin (Nzl) New Zealand Team
16. Glenn O’Shea (Aus) Kordamentha Real Estate – Team Australia
17. Jeremy Cameron (Aus) African Wildlife Safaris
18. Jack Haig (Aus) Avanti Cycling Team
19. Calvin Watson (Aus) Kordamentha Real Estate – Team Australia
20. Alex Clements (Aus) Jayco Australian U23
21. Scott Davies (Gbr) Great Britain National Team
22. Anthony Giacoppo (Aus) Avanti Cycling Team
23. Harrif Saleh (Mas) Terengganu Team
24. Nathan Haas (Aus) Garmin Sharp
25. Germain Burton (Gbr) Great Britain National Team
26. Matthew Goss (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge
27. Neil Van Der Ploeg (Aus) Avanti Cycling Team
28. Christopher Lawless (Gbr) Great Britain National Team
29. Umardi Rosdi (Mas) Terengganu Team
30. Christoph Schweizer (Ger) Synergy Baku Cycling
31. Dion Smith (Nzl) New Zealand Team
32. Matthias Krizek (Aut) Cannondale Pro Cycling
33. Eric Sheppard (Aus) OCBC Singapore Team
34. Cameron Meyer (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge
35. Bradley White (Nzl) UnitedHealthcare
36. Matej Mahoric (Slo) Cannondale Pro Cycling
37. George Bennett (Nzl) Cannondale Pro Cycling
38. Rhys Gillett (Aus) African Wildlife Safaris
39. Shaun O’Callaghan (Aus) African Wildlife Safaris
40. Harry Carpenter (Aus) Jayco Australian U23
41. Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge
42. Samuel Witmitz (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts
43. James Rendall (Aus) African Wildlife Safaris
44. Samuel Horgan (Nzl) Team Budget Forklifts
45. Elchin Asadov (Aze) Synergy Baku Cycling
46. Shahrul Mat Amin (Mas) Terengganu Team
47. Patrick Lane (Aus) Synergy Baku Cycling
48. John Anderson (Aus) Drapac Pro Cycling
49. Joseph Cooper (Nzl) Avanti Cycling Team
50. Benjamin Day (Aus) UnitedHealthcare
51. Lachlan Norris (Aus) Drapac Pro Cycling
52. Darren Lapthorne (Aus) Drapac Pro Cycling
53. Timothy Roe (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts
54. Hayden McCormick (Nzl) New Zealand Team
55. Thomas Hamilton (Aus) Jayco Australian U23
56. James Oram (Nzl) New Zealand Team
57. Matthew Clarke (Aus) Kordamentha Real Estate – Team Australia
58. William Clarke (Aus) Drapac Pro Cycling
59. Michael Cuming (Gbr) Rapha Condor JLT
60. Mark O’Brien (Aus) Avanti Cycling Team
61. Richard Handley (Gbr) Rapha Condor JLT
62. Damien Howson (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge
63. Thomas Moses (Gbr) Rapha Condor JLT
64. Hamish Schreurs (Nzl) New Zealand Team
65. Campbell Flakemore (Aus) Avanti Cycling Team
66. Jack Bauer (Nzl) Garmin Sharp
67. Michael Vink (Nzl) Team Budget Forklifts
68. Thomas Rabou (NED) OCBC Singapore Team
69. Joshua Prete (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts
70. Matty Lloyd (Aus) Kordamentha Real Estate – Team Australia
71. Samuel Spokes (Aus) Jayco Australian U23
72. Chris Jory (Aus) Kordamentha Real Estate – Team Australia
73. Davide Frattini (Ita) UnitedHealthcare 00:17
74. Jordan Kerby (Aus) Drapac Pro Cycling
75. Jeffry Louder (Nzl) UnitedHealthcare
76. Rohan Dennis (Aus) Garmin Sharp 00:26
77. Kristian Juel (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts 00:36
78. Christopher Opie (Gbr) Rapha Condor JLT 00:54
79. Jason Spencer (Aus) African Wildlife Safaris 01:12
80. Nathan Elliott (Aus) African Wildlife Safaris 01:16
81. Thomas Dekker (NED) Garmin Sharp 01:27
82. Adrian Hegyvary (Nzl) UnitedHealthcare 01:47
83. Mitch Docker (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge
84. Lachlan Morton (Aus) Garmin Sharp 02:09
85. Hugh Carth (Gbr) Rapha Condor JLT 04:56
86. Alberto Bettiol (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling 05:01
DNF Pat Shaw (Aus) Kordamentha Real Estate – Team Australia
DNF Luke Davison (Aus) Synergy Baku Cycling
GC after Stage 3
1. Simon Clarke (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge 10:59:17
2. Cameron Wurf (Aus) Cannondale Pro Cycling 00:08
3. Jack Haig (Aus) Avanti Cycling Team 00:11
4. Nathan Haas (Aus) Garmin Sharp 01:09
5. Neil Van Der Ploeg (Aus) Avanti Cycling Team 01:21
6. Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Drapac Pro Cycling
7. Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge 01:22
8. Glenn O’Shea (Aus) Kordamentha Real Estate – Team Australia 01:23
9. Cameron Meyer (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge
10. William Clarke (Aus) Drapac Pro Cycling
11. Mitch Docker (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge 01:24
12. Alex Clements (Aus) Jayco Australian U23 01:28
13. Harry Carpenter (Aus) Jayco Australian U23
14. Lachlan Norris (Aus) Drapac Pro Cycling
15. Guillaume Boivin (Can) Cannondale Pro Cycling 01:29
16. Timothy Roe (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts 01:30
17. Darren Lapthorne (Aus) Drapac Pro Cycling 01:31
18. Rhys Gillett (Aus) African Wildlife Safaris
19. Robert Power (Aus) Jayco Australian U23
20. Calvin Watson (Aus) Kordamentha Real Estate – Team Australia 01:32
21. George Bennett (Nzl) Cannondale Pro Cycling
22. James Oram (Nzl) New Zealand Team
23. Patrick Lane (Aus) Synergy Baku Cycling
24. John Anderson (Aus) Drapac Pro Cycling 01:34
25. Matthew Clarke (Aus) Kordamentha Real Estate – Team Australia
26. Eric Sheppard (Aus) OCBC Singapore Team 01:36
27. Thomas Hamilton (Aus) Jayco Australian U23 01:47
28. Mark O’Brien (Aus) Avanti Cycling Team 01:48
29. Damien Howson (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge 01:51
30. Alberto Bettiol (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling 06:50
31. Scott Davies (Gbr) Great Britain National Team 08:18
32. Jeremy Cameron (Aus) African Wildlife Safaris 08:22
33. Joseph Cooper (Nzl) Avanti Cycling Team 08:25
34. Jeffry Louder (Nzl) UnitedHealthcare 08:34
35. Jack Bauer (Nzl) Garmin Sharp 09:46
36. Steele von Hoff (Aus) Garmin Sharp 09:50
37. Bradley White (Nzl) UnitedHealthcare 11:17
38. Rohan Dennis (Aus) Garmin Sharp 11:42
39. Lachlan Morton (Aus) Garmin Sharp 12:09
40. Anthony Giacoppo (Aus) Avanti Cycling Team 14:40
41. Patrick Bevin (Nzl) New Zealand Team 14:43
42. Michael Vink (Nzl) Team Budget Forklifts 14:48
43. Campbell Flakemore (Aus) Avanti Cycling Team 21:27
44. Matthias Krizek (Aut) Cannondale Pro Cycling 21:31
45. Dion Smith (Nzl) New Zealand Team 21:34
46. Chris Jory (Aus) Kordamentha Real Estate – Team Australia 21:36
47. Davide Frattini (Ita) UnitedHealthcare 21:47
48. Hugh Carth (Gbr) Rapha Condor JLT 22:11
49. Robert-John McCarthy (Aus) Jayco Australian U23 24:33
50. Matthew Goss (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge 25:23
51. Shaun O’Callaghan (Aus) African Wildlife Safaris 25:29
52. Jordan Kerby (Aus) Drapac Pro Cycling 25:46
53. Thomas Dekker (NED) Garmin Sharp 26:57
54. Tural Isgandarov (Aze) Synergy Baku Cycling 28:14
55. Kristian Juel (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts 28:37
56. Richard Handley (Gbr) Rapha Condor JLT 31:46
57. Samuel Spokes (Aus) Jayco Australian U23 32:14
58. Karl Menzies (Aus) UnitedHealthcare 32:15
59. Hayden McCormick (Nzl) New Zealand Team 32:17
60. Benjamin Day (Aus) UnitedHealthcare 32:21
61. Nathan Elliott (Aus) African Wildlife Safaris 33:36
62. Tom Scully (Nzl) New Zealand Team 35:09
63. Felix English (Irl) Rapha Condor JLT 35:10
64. Germain Burton (Gbr) Great Britain National Team 35:14
65. Thomas Moses (Gbr) Rapha Condor JLT 35:21
66. Matej Mahoric (Slo) Cannondale Pro Cycling 35:22
67. Ji Wen Low (Sin) OCBC Singapore Team 35:27
68. Elchin Asadov (Aze) Synergy Baku Cycling 35:29
69. Matty Lloyd (Aus) Kordamentha Real Estate – Team Australia 35:42
70. Samuel Horgan (Nzl) Team Budget Forklifts 36:04
71. Michael Cuming (Gbr) Rapha Condor JLT 36:08
72. Joshua Prete (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts
73. Jason Spencer (Aus) African Wildlife Safaris 36:29
74. Adrian Hegyvary (Nzl) UnitedHealthcare 37:10
75. Thomas Rabou (NED) OCBC Singapore Team 39:07
76. Daniel Klemme (Ger) Synergy Baku Cycling 40:03
77. Christoph Schweizer (Ger) Synergy Baku Cycling 40:05
78. Rico Rogers (Aus) OCBC Singapore Team 40:07
79. Umardi Rosdi (Mas) Terengganu Team 40:13
80. Shahrul Mat Amin (Mas) Terengganu Team 40:15
81. Hamish Schreurs (Nzl) New Zealand Team 43:49
82. Harrif Saleh (Mas) Terengganu Team 43:57
83. Christopher Opie (Gbr) Rapha Condor JLT 44:43
84. James Rendall (Aus) African Wildlife Safaris 49:22
85. Christopher Lawless (Gbr) Great Britain National Team 52:17
86. Samuel Witmitz (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts 52:21