Doull in sprint mix at Great Ocean Road Race

28 Jan 2018

Doull in sprint mix at Great Ocean Road Race

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Owain Doull narrowly missed out on a top-10 finish as the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race produced a thrilling finale.

A group of nine riders pushed clear on the final ascent of the Challambra climb, only for the move to be caught within the final metres in Geelong.
 
Team Sky pushed hard to ensure the race came back together, but as the sprinters arrived back on the scene Doull was just too far back to influence the final sprint.
 
Jay McCarthy (Bora-Hansgrohe) narrowly held on to take victory over a fast-finishing Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors). Doull came home 12th, while Salvatore Puccio (25th) rode hard to pull things back together on the run-in.

Chris Lawless just missed the split following the final climb, eventually finishing 31st on a sweltering day, which saw temperatures hitting 40 degrees.
 
Five leaders attacked from the gun, and the peloton were made to work hard as the leaders still maintained an advantage of 2:20 heading into the final 30km.
 
Lasse Norman Hansen (Aqua Blue Sport) and Pavel Kochetkov (Katusha) were the last men to be caught with 15km to go on the finishing circuit. That sparked a fresh set of attacks and a grandstand finish.
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After the race Sport Director Brett Lancaster talked us through the action.

He told TeamSky.com: "Salva and Owain were there in the second group and when it came back together at the end Owain was able to have a bit of a sprint to get 12th there.

"It was very very hot conditions out there. All the riders in the race suffered today. The boys just stayed in the peloton but it was a race of attrition. Christian (Knees) just got dropped on the last lap. Chris Lawless did a very good job and he almost got over that last climb. He tried to peg back onto the bunch but just missed them which was a shame, as he would have been our sprinter for the day. It wasn't to be, but a decent enough ride from the boys."
Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race result:
 
1. Jay McCarthy (Bora-Hansgrohe) 
2. Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors) s.t.
3. Daryl Impey (Mitchelton-Scott) 
4. Dries Devenyns (Quick-Step Floors)
5. Simon Gerrains (BMC Racing)
12. Owain Doull (Team Sky)