Kiwi Greg Henderson with help from Endura Racing’s Zak Dempster and Dean Windsor has won the first race of 2012 when he sprinted to victory in round 1 of the Jayco Bay Crit in Australia.
Fifteen riders finished the first stage and Aussie WorldTour team GreenEDGE had four riders among the finishers. Wesley Sulzberger and Leigh Howard, riding for GreenEDGE, and Baden Cooke and Allan Davis, racing under the Mitchelton Wines – Lowe Farms squad, were part of a break that lapped the field three-quarters into the race. Greg Hendersen (Degani Bakery Cafe) took the win ahead of Chris Sutton (Urban Hotels) while Davis clinched the final step on the podium. Raleigh’s new signing Bernie Sulzberger was fourth.
“The winning move was basically when Pat Lane attacked with about five or six laps to go,†Henderson said on Cycling Central’s website in Australia. “I said to Zak Dempster and Dean Windsor, ‘Go’ and they just rode four laps full-gas. Dean got me to the top corner there and I went from the top corner all the way through my gears down to the 11 and managed to hold everyone off on a long sprint.â€
Henderson finished second on the same circuit last year in a photo finish against Bernard Sulzberger who rides for Raleigh in 2012. “This year, it’s all been gym and strength training” says Henderson. “Last year was a lot easier but I got beaten, this year was so hard and I won. I’ve done no intensity, this is the first time I’ve gone really, really hard. I thought, well, I know I can sprint – all my training has been sprint training – so if they (teammates) can keep me out of trouble for four or five laps, which they did amazingly, I’ll have a go in the sprint.”
On Twitter after the race, Greg was certainly pleased, saying, “Nice start to my Lotto-Belisol days. First day of the year, first race, first win!!!!! @Ridley_Bikes @lazerhelmets. Awesome work Degani guys. Very happy.Thx 4 all the support.”
Dean Windsor had been part of a five man break earlier in the race along with the Sulzberger brothers, Nathan Haas and Baden Cooke and were chased by a three-man group including Windsor’s teammate Zak Dempster, Alan Davis and James Mowatt. That move did not succeed however and instead the race came together when the peloton was lapped and Dempster and Windsor practiced their leadout skills.
Asked about the plan for today, GreenEdge directory sportif Matt White admitted the team lacked a solid tactical strategy. “Today’s race is one of the hardest circuits in the world,†explained White. “It makes it difficult to have a plan set in place. It’s hectic on the circuit. The race always breaks up, and it doesn’t always break up as expected.â€
A move that included Sulzberger and Cooke forced the race to shatter. “Wesley and Baden were in a break of five riders, and Leigh and Allan were in the chase group,†White said. “Eventually the chase group grew to include 10 riders. The chase caught the break, and these were the riders that lapped the field.â€
White called the first day of racing for GreenEDGE a ‘solid start’ to the season. “It was a positive way to begin,†he said. “It was actually a bit of a relief. This whole thing felt a bit surreal until today. There has been so much planning and organization that has had to happen before the racing could begin, and it’s good to finally get the first race out of the way.â€
Fans who have eagerly awaited the GreenEDGE debut crowded the team tent in Geelong. “There were big crowds out today,†White said. “The weather was beautiful. This circuit is on the edge of town here in Geelong. It’s a natural amphitheatre right on the coast. We had a lot of support from the locals. People were interested in seeing our bikes and checking out our kits. It was very encouraging to see.â€
White hopes to put out a show of strength for fans in the next three days of racing. “The remaining courses are more open criterium circuits, so we can ride more constructively as a team on these stages,†explained White. “We’re here to win, but we’re also here to try a few things out with our sprint group. The courses we have coming up allow us to play around with sprint tactics a bit more.â€
Women’s Race – First win of the season for Specialized-lululemon’s Hosking
Australian Chloe Hosking won the first round of the Jayco Bay Series in Geelong on Sunday, starting her 2012 season with positive momentum. The 21 year old sprinter from Canberra soloed to victory at the end of an action filled race and will now wear the yellow leaders jersey going into the second of four stages.
The victory from Hosking came after the seven rider break she was involved in early in the race was halted due to the race being neutralised by a serious crash on the course. When racing resumed Hosking was quick to go on the attack again and rode the final three laps to her solo victory. “It was a really exciting race,” said Hosking. “It was aggressive from the start and the Green Edge girls made the race pretty hard. My teammates were fantastic and I was lucky to have my new teammate Loren with me today.”
Specialized-lululemon’s newest recruit Loren Rowney, racing with Hosking this week as part of the local Total Rush Team, rode an extremely professional race. After bridging to the seven rider break early in the race, she drove the pace for Hosking and later also helped her teammate by to victory by ensureing she was still in the action after the mid-race crash.
Racing continues tomorrow at Eastern Park in Geelong as the girls lead into the Mars National Championships this weekend in Ballarat.
Results
FULL RESULTS
MEN
1.   Greg HENDERSON (Degani Bakery Cafe)
2.   Chris SUTTON (Urban Hotels)
3.   Allan DAVIS (Mitchelton Wines/Lowe Farms)
4.   Bernie SULZBERGER (Raleigh)
5.   Steele VON HOFF (Bike Bug)
6.   Anthony GIACOPPO (Bike Bug)
7.   Dean WINDSOR (Endura Racing)
8.   Leigh HOWARD (GreenEDGE)
9.   Caleb EWAN (NSWIS)
10.   Zak DEMPSTER (Endura Racing)
11.   Patrick LANE (Mitchelton Wines/Lowe Farms)
12.   James MOWATT (Rapido Cycles/Four Points Geelong)
13.   Wesley SULZBERGER (GreenEDGE)
14.   Baden COOKE (Mitchelton Wines/Lowe Farms)
15.   Nathan HAAS (Bike Bug)
Did not finish
Matthew GOSS (GreenEDGE)
Robbie MCEWEN (GreenEDGE)
Mitch DOCKER (GreenEDGE)
Luke DURBRIDGE (Mitchelton Wines/Lowe Farms)
Michael HEPBURN (Mitchelton Wines/Lowe Farms)
Koen DE KORT (Urban Hotels)
Bert DE BACKER (Urban Hotels)
Richard LANG (Rapha Condor Sharp)
Heinrich HAUSSLER (Bike Bug)
Alex CARVER (Bike Bug)
Mark JAMIESON (Degani Bakery Cafe)
Joel PEARSON (Genesys Wealth Advisers)
Nic SANDERSON (Genesys Wealth Advisers)
Campbell FLAKEMORE (Genesys Wealth Advisers)
Kane WALKER (Genesys Wealth Advisers)
Peter LOFT (Budget Forklifts)
Mark O’BRIEN (Budget Forklifts)
Luke OCKERBY (Budget Forklifts)
Blair WINDSOR (Budget Forklifts)
Sam WITMITZ (Budget Forklifts)
Michael KNOFF (John West Cycling)
Rene KOLBACH (John West Cycling)
Oliver KENT-SPARK (John West Cycling)
Nicholas BRAIN (John West Cycling)
Trent DERECOURT (John West Cycling)
Nathan BRADSHAW (NSWIS)
Luke WILLIAMS (NSWIS)
Tirian MCMANUS (NSWIS)
Jack MCCULLOCH (NSWIS)
Taiji NISHITANI (Geelong Mazda/Japan)
Intermediate Sprints
Intermediate Sprint 1
1.   Caleb EWAN (NSWIS)
2.   Mitch DOCKER (GreenEDGE)
3.   Zak DEMPSTER (Endura Racing)
Intermediate Sprint 2
1.   Bernie SULZBERGER (Raleigh)
2.   Dean WINDSOR (Endura Racing)
3.   Nathan HAAS (Bike Bug)
Intermediate Sprint 3
1.   Bernie SULZBERGER (Raleigh)
2.   Nathan HAAS (Bike Bug)
3.   Baden COOKE (Mitchelton Wines/Lowe Farms)
Sprint Ace Competition after Stage 1
1.   Bernie SULZBERGER (Raleigh)
2.   Caleb EWAN (NSWIS)
3.   Nathan HAAS (Bike Bug)
4.   Dean WINDSOR (Endura Racing)
5.   Mitch DOCKER (GreenEDGE)
6.   Zak DEMPSTER (Endura Racing)
7.   Baden COOKE (Mitchelton Wines/Lowe Farms)
Series Points: Greg Henderson (Degani) 12, Chris Sutton (Urban Hotels) 10, Allan Davis (Michelton Wines-Lowe Farms) 8, Bernie Sulzberger (Urban Hotels) 7, Steele von Hoff (Bike Bug) 6, Anthony Giacoppo ((Bike Bug) 5, Dean Windsor (Degani) 4, Leigh Howard (GreenEDGE) 3, Caleb Ewan (NSWIS) 2, Zak Dempster (Degani) 1.
Women
1.   Chloe HOSKING (Total Rush/Hyster)
2.   Melissa HOSKINS (GreenEdge-AIS)
3.   Rochelle GILMORE (BikeExchange.com.au Dream Team)
4.   Tiffany CROMWELL (GreenEdge-AIS)
5.   Jessie MACLEAN (GreenEdge-AIS)
6.   Kirsty BROUN (BikeExchange.com.au Dream Team)
7.   Peta MULLENS (BikeExchange.com.au Dream Team)
8.   Rebecca HENDERSON (Suzuki-Trek Women)
9.   Lucy COLDWELL (Carnegie Caulfield CC)
10.   Annette EDMONDSON (Pitcher Partners)
11.   Grace SULZBERGER (Jayco – AIS)
12.   Chloe MCCONVILLE (Carnegie Caulfield CC)
13.   Nicole WHITBURN (Degani Bakery Cafe)
14.   Rebecca WIASAK (Suzuki-Trek Women)
15.   Melina BERNECKER (Le Grange)
16.   Rowena FRY (Jayco – AIS)
17.   Shara GILLOW (GreenEdge-AIS)
18.   Sinead NOONAN (Jayco – AIS)
19.   Loren ROWNEY (Total Rush/Hyster)
20.   Gracie ELVIN (Jayco – AIS)
21.   Alex CARLE (Jayco – AIS)
22.   Liza RACHETTO (Spencers Race)
23.   Nicole COOKE (BikeExchange.com.au Dream Team)
24.   Sue FORSYTH (Pitcher Partners)
25.   Myfanwy GALLOWAY (BikeExchange.com.au Dream Team)
26.   Amanda SPRATT (GreenEdge-AIS)
Did not finish
Imogen JELBART (Suzuki-Trek Women)
Ailie MCDONALD (Suzuki-Trek Women)
Allison RICE (Suzuki-Trek Women)
Isabella KING (Pitcher Partners)
Elizabeth PHILLIPOU (Pitcher Partners)
Trudy VAN DER STRAATEN (Pitcher Partners)
Sequoia COOPER (TORQ)
Nadine LE MESCAM (TORQ)
Thomay MICHALTSIS (TORQ)
Katherine O’SHEA (TORQ)
Chloe MCINTOSH (Total Rush/Hyster)
Kimberley WELLS (Total Rush/Hyster)
Carly WILLIAMS (Total Rush/Hyster)
Kate FINEGAN (Spencers Race)
Delphine ASTIER (Spencers Race)
Ella HOPKINS (Spencers Race)
Holly HEFFERNAN (NSWIS)
Laura TRIGGS (NSWIS)
Ashlee ANKUDINOFF (NSWIS)
