It was a great day for Orica-GreenEDGE with Tiffany Cromwell and Luke Durbridge delivering their first wins of the 2013 season.
Cromwell won in a similar fashion to the way she did two years ago on this same course. “The way I won today was quite similar to my win two years ago,” Cromwell said. “I got into a breakaway early two years ago, too. Both times it was about getting into a good rhythm to hold off the field.”
Cromwell jumped from the bunch early on in the nearly 46 minute race. After a few attacks softened the field, Cromwell timed her move to perfection on lap three and immediately opened up a gap.
“The rest of the girls organized behind Cromwell,” explained Sport Director David McPartland. “Because they were well organized [i.e. Orica-GreenEDGE AIS], Tiff was able to grow her gap to 30 seconds really quickly. By the mid-point of the race, her gap was holding steady and I was confident that she would win.”
Cromwell crossed the finish line with a 29 second gap on the group behind to take her second Portarlington Criterium win.
This was also the same circuit that Durbridge was outsprinted by Giacoppo last year when they got such a gap that most of the field was pulled. Durbridge wasn’t about to make the same mistake again.
“I attacked myself silly at the start,” said Durbridge. “Inside the final two laps, I thought that I might have gone too hard too early. I didn’t think I’d get the win. I went for it with one lap to go and ended up staying away.”
Durbridge was part of a group of favourites that forced a split in the field ahead of the first intermediate sprint. Shortly after the first sprint lap, he attacked the front group and managed to stay away alone for nearly 20 minutes.
As the laps ticked down, Durbridge, Kristian House (Rapha Condor JLT) and James Oram (Grays Online) gained a 20 second advantage on a chasing, shattered peloton with Steel Von Hoff nearly bridging across. Durbridge attacked on the bell lap knowing that he had a better chance at riding away from House and Oram rather than letting it come down to a sprint.
Tomorrow is the final stage of the Bay Crits in Williamstown. If you’re in the area this one is well worth coming over and watching. The Support Men start at 11am, Support Teams at 12pm, Elite Men at 1pm, and Elite Women at 2:15pm. That evening will see the opening 4.8km prologue ITT also in Williamstown as the beginning of the Jayco Herald Sun Tour. The temperature is going to reach 36C, so come early to find some shade!
Stage 2 Results: The Esplanade, Portarlington
Elite Men’s STAGE Results
| Pos. | Rider | Team | Points |
| 1 | Luke DURBRIDGE | Orica GreenEDGE | 12 |
| 2 | Kristian HOUSE | Rapha Condor JLT | 10 |
| 3 | James ORAM | Grays Online New Zealand | 8 |
| 4 | Steele VON HOFF | Huon Salmon – Genesys Wealth | 7 |
| 5 | Leigh HOWARD | Orica – GreenEDGE | 6 |
Elite Men’s GENERAL CLASSIFICATION Results
| Pos. | Rider | Team | Points |
| 1 | Caleb EWAN | Bikebug | 17 |
| 2 | Luke DURBRIDGE | Orica – GreenEDGE | 12 |
| 3 | Graham BRIGGS | Great Britain | 11 |
| 4 | Kristian HOUSE | Rapha Condor JLT | 10 |
| 5 | Leigh HOWARD | Orica – GreenEDGE | 10 |
| 6 | Jens MOURIS | Orica – GreenEDGE | 10 |
| 7 | James ORAM | Grays Online New Zealand Team | 8 |
| 8 | Thomas SCULLY | Grays Online New Zealand Team | 8 |
| 9 | Steele VON HOFF | Huon Salmon – Genesys Wealth | 7 |
| 10 | Greg HENDERSON | Degani Bakery Café | 6 |
Elite Women’s STAGE Results
| Pos. | Rider | Team | Points |
| 1 | Tiffany CROMWELL | 12 | |
| 2 | Melissa HOSKINS | Orica GreenEDGE – AIS | 10 |
| 3 | Peta MULLENS | Anytime Fitness Trek | 8 |
| 4 | Gracie ELVIN | 9 | |
| 5 | Carla RYAN | Crino Cycles – Casa & Bottega | 7 |
Elite Women’s GENERAL CLASSIFICATION Results
| Pos. | Rider | Team | Points |
| 1 | Melissa HOSKINS | Orica GreenEDGE – AIS | 20 |
| 2 | Peta MULLENS | Anytime Fitness Trek | 13 |
| 3 | Tiffany CROMWELL | 12 | |
| 4 | Kimberley WELLS | Specialized Securitor | 12 |
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- Greg Henderson, Degani Bakery Cafe, in the Green jersey being interviewed by Matt Keenan prior to the start.
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- Shortly after the first sprint lap, Durbridge attacked the front group and managed to stay away alone for nearly 20 minutes.
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- What’s left of the peloton rides up the difficult climb that makes this Portarlington course so extremely hard.
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- Caleb Ewan sitting in yellow for the series so far and still leading after Portarlington
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- Steele Von Hoff, Team Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda, attempting to bridge to the lead bunch during the final few laps of the race.
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- Koen de Kort, Degani Bakery Cafe, leading the peloton on the final lap of the second stage in Portarlington.
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- Koen De Kort shows us his recent tattoo of a gladiator on his side. I asked Koen about the significance behind this and he told me that it comes from this thoughts after a nasty crash he had after E3 Prijs Vlaanderen – Harelbeke last year. He was questioning why he keeps sacrificing himself for this sport and came to the conclusion that it’s no different than the entertainment that the ancient gladiators used to provide. Thus the tatoo which coveres his scars from that crash.
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- Durbridge leapfrogged up to second place on the general classification following his stage win.
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- Durbridge still trails race leader Caleb Ewan (Bikebug) by five points.
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- (Top Left) Alex Smyth’s (Total Rush) data after 40 minutes of racing. 344 watts (he’s 70kg), spikes of over 1300w, average HR of 183bpm. Alex said, “Greg Henderson is a freak. I tried following him in a move and I was sitting on 1000w behind him as we went up the climb. Then once it flattened out he decided to go hard…” Let me tell you, Alex isn’t too shabby on the bike.
