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It had been a run of near misses and almost for Mark O'Brien at the Melbourne to Warrnambool, but the 108th edition and the 13th for the Victorian saw him shake the tag of runner-up as he triumphed in style.
The long-time elite cyclist had stopped riding full-time for teams over the past few years, but he has lost little form or hunger for the big events, and showed again why he is one of the strongest riders on the domestic scene with a strong performance over the 267-kilometre course that saw him outlast the rest of the field.
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Men's Race Mini Recap
episode • Melbourne to Warrnambool 2024 • cycling • 15m
episode • Melbourne to Warrnambool 2024 • cycling • 15m
The peloton split with 50 kilometres remaining on a hot day of riding, then another group went clear again at 35 kilometres to go, with O'Brien present on both occasions. He bridged over to the dangerous move of Connor Sens (St George Continental) with seven kilometres left, before striking out solo for the finish line.
He was able to lose Sens and hold him off to the finish on Raglan Parade, where O'Brien was ecstatic with the performance.
"Thank god my wife let me," were the first words out of O'Brien's mouth post-race. "It was a last-minute decision, I sent her yesterday on a plane to Adelaide with our son so I could race here and then drive straight to Adelaide.
"I'm bloody rapt, I was talking to an old friend, saying that it was lucky number 13 edition of Warrny for me. So, to get the win after second, third, fourth and fifth, I'm pretty rapt. I think I can hang up the boots at the Warrny now."
O'Brien's decisive move came on the biggest of the small climbs that form the last major challenge for the riders as they head into Warrnambool, and it was again the scene of action, with O'Brien's unrelenting pace dropping Sens.
"Connor and I have had some good battles," said O'Brien, "he got the upper hand at Gravellista and Gravel Nats (National Championships), I got him back at Dirty Warrny. Once I got away with him, I though you beauty, but the only chance to get rid of him was on the hill after that.
"As everyone knows, I'm the slowest guy in the bike race, if I'm not solo, I've already lost. I had to try and drop Connor there, or else I was just riding for second. I was rapt I was able to get away and engage the old diesel mode."
How it happened
The race got underway from Avalon Airport, with the wind not expected to explain a major part during proceedings. It was a hot day out on the road, with temperatures reaching 35 Degrees on course.
A nasty crash on the freeway around Geelong saw pre-race contender Declan Trezise (ARA Skip Capital) ruled out of the event, with teammate Dylan Proctor-Parker following on a later crash.
A breakaway formed at the head of the race, with initially five men present, before it slimmed down to three riders, with Sam Eddy (St George Continental), Jack Aitken (Royal Bikes) and former Melbourne to Warrnambool winner Nicholas White (DUDA) going clear.
The gap was never a large one for the length of the race, the trio kept on a tight leash by the major teams.
The break were swept up by the peloton with 90 kilometres to go, Jack Aitken the final rider caught as he just managed to hold on to claim the intermediate point for the mountain classifications. The peloton ramped up the pace heading towards the Great Ocean Road, with the decisive section past Port Campbell normally the signal for attacks.
Team Bridgelane, Aidan Buttigieg (St George Continental) and Fergus Browning (Trinity) were prominent in the moves to split the race apart, but the pace of the peloton and the absence of wind on the route saw the main bunch stay together until a dramatic split with 50 kilometres to go.
A peppering of attacks meant some sustained pressure at the head of the race, and the peloton split into three main groups with an elite selection of about 30 riders forging clear. They worked well together to push out their advantage over the remnants of the peloton over the next ten kilometres, before a general slowing as riders and teams thought that they would be fighting it out for the victory.
Connor Sens (St George Continental), Sam Jenner (Team Bridgelane), Mark O’Brien, Iven Bennett (Van D’am p/b Butterfields), William Moloney-Morton (DUDA) and Tyler Tomkinson (ARA Skip Capital) almost drifted off the front of the leading group, a few riders not wanting to spend energy allowing the escapees a small advantage with 35 kilometres to go.
They were eventually joined by some riders bridging across, with defending champion Tristan Saunders (Team Bridgelane), Brendon Davids (Villawood) and Browing some of the more prominent additions to the head of affairs.
The chase group remained close behind on the riders entered the outskirts of Warrnambool, forcing the leaders to keep the pace high until the attacks started, with Mark O’Brien the first to launch a small skirmish over the rolling hills entering the coastal town.
Sens launched clear with 8 kilometres remaining, with O’Brien trying to respond a few times before being able to jump across to the reigning national gravel champion. O’Brien then poured on the pressure on one of the short climbs into town, streaking away from Sens on the descent.
He then kept up a strong pace into the finish, winning by 31 seconds ahead of Sens, with Saunders leading the chasing group home for third on the day a further 19 seconds in arrears.
The Melbourne to Warrnambool Cycling Festival continues tomorrow with the Lochard Energy Women's Warrnambool Cycling Classic, which you can watch from 10.30am AEDT on SBS On Demand.
