Romain Bardet (Factor Racing-Rapha Cycling Club) won on debut at RADL GRVL p/b Quad Lock, using a late solo attack to seal the victory. His gravel teammate Cameron Jones (Scott Sports USA-Rapha Cycling Club) overcame two flats to finish second, 56 seconds back.
Another 51 seconds later Alexey Vermeulen (ENVE) secured third place just ahead of Australian gravel national champion Mark O’Brien (Trappist). The remaining riders from the main chase group then trailed through, Brent Rees (Santa Cruz-SRAM Australia) in fifth and Ian Boswell (Wahoo Specialized-RCC) in sixth.
How it unfolded
Riders tackled a hilly route of 128km and 2,300 metres of elevation gain through the Adelaide Hills, with approximately 65% of the terrain gravel. It had been hot all week, and Friday was no different, with the temperature climbing to 32°C in the first hour of racing and heading to 39°C by the time the elite women finished in just over four hours.
The elite men were all together over the first two climbs in the opening 20km, and then a small group gained an advantage, which included Australian gravel champion O’Brien joined by Rapha Cycling Club duo Bardet and Boswell. Unbound Gravel 200 champion Jones, also with Rapha Cycling Club, was reported to have punctured twice, but was in a pack of chasers.
At the halfway mark, with technical descents after Prospect Hill, the gap of nearly two-and-a-half minutes had been closed and the elite men’s race wall back together.
With 100km covered under clear skies and with mainly flat hard-packed dirt remaining, six riders had moved away from the field -…
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