The 31-year-old, who won the 2014 Bay Crits, announced the 2022 event would be his swansong and he delivered in his final ride sprinting to victory at Geelong’s Ritchie Boulevard.
The Bayside Citroen rider was forced to wait more than 10 minutes to be announced as the overall winner with race officials forced into a countback with stage two winner Graeme Frislie finishing in third.
Jones was given the nod ahead of Frislie on account of his two-stage wins compared to his rival's one stage victory.
Flanked by his heavily pregnant wife Lucy and his mother Karin Jones, who is the event organiser, Jones was thrilled with the victory
"That was incredible, just amazing - I felt good all race, just comfortable," Jones said.
"I'm in really good form but I can't do it without the Bayside Citroen team, they did an incredible job.
"You saw Plappy (Luke Plapp) at the start, Ferg (Fergus Browning) and the rest of the boys during the race and then Blake (Quick) leading me out as I did for him last year. The camaraderie there is amazing and I'm incredibly proud to do it again."
Earlier in the day, it was Jubilation for another Bayside Citroen rider as Matilda Raynolds powered to victory in the Elite Women’s race.
Matilda Raynolds celebrates victory on stage 3 of the Citroen Bay Crits Credit: Con Chronis/Con Chronis
Ruby Roseman-Gannon, who had an insurmountable lead in the overall standings heading into Stage 3, took out the yellow jersey for the second consecutive year.
A jubilant Raynolds admitted she began to doubt her ability to win the race but found a second wind to claim a sublime victory.
"There were points there I could feel it overcoming me because I've had more seconds than dinners throughout my career. I just really needed the win today and obviously that added pressure, with wanting a team for 2023, but I just actually stopped myself and just said go with your gut, it rarely lets me down," Raynolds said.
"I've never been in a situation like that and to have Scandolara there who is just so experienced and the girls have a really good snap in them, so I knew I had to go long. I whacked them before the corner, stayed last wheel – I've never done anything like that before and I just had to back myself."
“Ruby (Roseman-Gannon) and the team gave me the belief to get the win and I’m so fortunate to have such great riders and people pushing me to achieve great things.”
