Italian superstar Elia Viviani sprinted home to claim victory in a thrilling end to the Elite Men’s Race. Viviani sought redemption after finishing second to Australian Jay McCarthy in the 2018 edition.
The 29-year-old, who competes for powerhouse Deceuninck – Quick Step, is the fifth rider to win the Elite Men’s race since its inception in 2015. He won the 163km race in 3hr 54min 35sec.
Australian Caleb Ewan (Lotto Soudal) was second across the line, just a split second behind Viviani, with Mitchelton-SCOTT’s Daryl Impey rounding out the top three.
Young Australian talent Nathan Elliott (Australian Cycling Team KordaMentha Real Estate) led an early breakaway of three riders, but was eventually chased down during the gruelling Challambra circuit. He didn’t go home empty handed, winning the Mapei Sprint Classification, while Astana Pro Team’s Laurens De Vreese was crowned Subaru King of the Mountain.
Over 120,000 spectators packed Albert Park Lake and the streets of Geelong and the Surf Coast over the four-day event.
Race Results – Men
1. Elia Viviani (Deceuninck – Quick Step)
2. Caleb Ewan (Lotto Soudal)
3. Daryl Impey (Mitchelton-SCOTT)
4. Ryan Gibbons (Team Dimension Data)
5. Jens Debusschere (Katusha-Alpecin)
Mapei Sprint Classification
Nathan Elliott (Australian Cycling Team KordaMentha Real Estate)
Subaru King of the Mountain
Laurens De Vreese (Astana Pro Team)
Gerry Ryan Award
Benoit Cosnefroy (AG2R La Mondiale)
Average speed: 41.8km/h