Last year’s Jayco Herald Sun Tour and Women’s Herald Sun Tour presented by Let’s Go Motorhomes saw some impressive rides by Australian hopes and International pros alike.
It started with a high calibre display from 3x Olympic Gold Medallist Ed Clancy, winning the opening prologue of the 2018 Jayco Herald Sun Tour for British team JLT Condor. The triumph was a thrilling victory as the powerful champion track cyclist burst along the banks of the Yarra River in Melbourne to win the stage and take the yellow jersey.
“Leading the Sun Tour was a real privilege and possibly my biggest achievement on the road. I loved the whole race!”
Danish rider Lasse Norman-Hansen won stage 1 of the 2018 Jayco Herald Sun Tour after narrowly missing out on the opening prologue victory. Norman-Hansen took control of the bunch sprint into Warrnambool after a hard day’s racing along the Great Ocean Road.
“Winning a stage in the Sun Tour meant a lot to me. Before the race I was preparing hard to go for the win on the prologue but finishing 3rd there meant that I had to carry that form and motivation on to the next day. Winning the next day was a huge relief and it meant that I could start a long season with some good confidence in the bag. The Sun Tour was a great experience. One that I look back on with a smile on my face.”
Danish champion Mads Pedersen from Trek-Segafredo took Stage 2 at the iconic climb of Mt Buninyong near Ballarat. Wearing the national colours he commented at the time about the history of the location and how hard it is to claim a stage win
“I was so close at the prologue and again on stage one. We did some really good team work today, and it was great to finish it off for the victory. The winning move was really from Koen de Kort. It is nice to have win here – and always nice to have a victory in the national colours.”
The ever popular Colombian kangaroo Esteban Chavez tool the honours with an amazing solo climb up Lake Mountain on Stage 3, and it was enough to set him up for the overall win – at the time the Mitchelton-Scott superstar generous in acknowledging the efforts of his team and the magnitude of the event.
“We raced from the beginning until the end. Congratulations to everyone – the level of racing here in Australia is just unbelievable. It is a really nice feeling to win here at our home race. The team did really well – thanks so much to all the guys for all they did for the general classification. This is a great start to the season.”
Bendigo’s Sam Crome won the final stage of the 2018 Jayco Herald Sun Tour in Kinglake, out sprinting and out-witting the European Pros of the peloton. Crome put the colours of the Bennelong SwissWellness Australian National Road Series team on the world’s radar.
“To win a stage of the Herald Sun Tour was very special! It has a very long history with so many iconic winners, so to have a stage win next to my name is something I won’t forget.” – Sam Crome.
In the women’s event, it was little known mountain biker Brodie Chapman who stole the show, winning stage 1 in Healesville and taking out the inaugural Women’s Herald Sun Tour in spectacular fashion. Chapman upstaged the world’s number 1 ranked cyclist in Annemiek van Vleuten, with the victory launching Chapman’s professional career.
“Winning the very first edition of the women’s Herald Sun Tour was a special day for so many reasons. Watching the men’s Tour year after year and wishing for a women’s Tour was the first thing – but winning it was more than I could have ever hoped! It has helped launch my career as professional and showcased just what talent Australian women have on the road.” – Brodie Chapman.
