Dutchman Floris Goesninnen (Drapac) was able to outlast the field in the epic 269km Melbourne to Warnaambol Classic and was aptly rewarded with line honours after he out sprinted the only rider who could stay with him, Aaron Donnelly (Jayco-AIS).
The pair escaped from the peloton after a taxing 230km, and quickly established a 40 second lead. Combining their efforts they continued to draw more time from the tiring peloton, pushing their advantage out to one minute 44 seconds with 20km to go.
Their lead dangled around the one minute mark as they approached the line, and it was enough of a buffer to ensure that the peloton would fight for third.
Plan B's Racing Bradley Hall brought the peloton home 35 seconds behind Goesninnen.
It was a solid performance from 21 year old Donnelly who fell down some stairs at the Jayco-AIS base in Italy in April, breaking a bone and tearing ligaments in his wrist which ended his international season.
Rain and crosswinds added another element to the historical endurance race.
A crash 10km into the race split the field for the early stages with key riders including defending champion Joel Pearson and his Genesys Wealth Advisors team-mates Anythony Giacoppo and Nathan Earle, and Tour of Tasmania winner Lachlan Norris (Drpac) touching the tarmac and wasting precious energy as they chased to regain contact with the lead of the race.
The dynamic race was lead by multiple groups throughout the massive trek with a noteable group of riders establishing a 29 second lead.
Those riders, Will Walker, Gordon McCauley (Drapac), Peter Herzig (Budget Forklifts), Andrew Roe, Alex Edmondson (SASI), Alex Smyth, Daniel Bonello (Plan B) and Andrew Crawley (GPM-Wilson Racing), were soon caught by a chase group as the race hit the first KOM, 40km in.
The race, now in five separate groups on the road, was soon illuminated by another lead group of nine riders.
McCauley was again a ringleader, with his Drapac team-mate Rhys Pollock and Brenton Jones (Genesys), Josh Berry (Suzuki / Trek), Sean McCarthy (Budget Forklifts) Ed White, Rutherford (GPM - Wilson Racing), Liam Dove (Plan B Racing) and Northey (SASI) joining him.
The lead group grew to 12 riders as they pushed their advantage to over six minutes before Genesys Wealth Advisers and Budget Forklifts took responsibility for pulling the leaders back.
Pollock made a solo attack just before the 200km mark to win the Victorian 200km Championship title held as part of the race, while the distance took its toll on the lead riders and they were caught by the peloton.
Four riders, Luke Davison (Budget Forklifts), Goesinnen, Edmondson and Neil Van Der Ploeg (search2retain) tried their luck off the front of the race but their lead was short lived.
With 40km to go, Goesinnen again tested the peloton, with weary legs watching as he and Donnelly rode away for the victory.
Drapac Professional Cycling dominated the awards, earning the over honours, the sprint jersey, KOM jersey, team's classification and the Victorian 200km Championship title.
Melbourne to Warrnambool: 269km: Werribee-Warrnambool
1. Floris GOESINNEN (DPC) 7hr 23sec
2. Aaron DONNELLY (Aussie Farmers Direct)
3. Bradley HALL (PLB) +35
4. Neil VAN DER PLOEG (STR)
5. Joel PEARSON (GEN)
6. George TANSLEY (SAS)
7. William WALKER (DPC)
8. Thomas PALMER (DPC)
9. Russell GILL (Aussie Farmers Direct)
10. Luke DAVISON (BFL)
