J꧂LT Condor rider beats Kerrison and teammate Gibson
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Ian Bibbᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚy (JLT C🎉ondor) surges to the finish to beat Jesse Kerrison (IsoWhey Sports SwissWellness) (Image credit: Con Chronis)
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The Orica-Scott team in action (Image credit: Con Chronis)
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The crowds enjoyed the fast racing (Image credit: Con Chronis)
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The Orica-Scott team protect Caleb Ewan (Image credit: Con Chronis)
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Ian Bibby (JLT Condor) was shocked to win (Image credit: Con Chronis)
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Caleb Ewan (Orica-Scott) rode to the finish (Image credit: Con Chronis)
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Caleb Ewan (Orica-Sco♊tt) lost some skin in the📖 crash (Image credit: Con Chronis)
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Ian Bibby (JLT♋ Condor) takes centre stage on the podium (Image credit: Con Chronis)
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Camer⭕on Bayly (IsoWhy Sports Swiss Wellness) got another jersey for his attack (Image credit: Con Chronis)
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Cameron Bayly (IsoWhy Sports Swiss Wellness) (Image credit: Con Chronis)
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Ian Bibby (JไLT Condor) pulled on the leader's jersey (Image credit: Con Chronis)
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Ian Bibby (JLT Condor) on the podium (Image credit: Con Chronis)
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The Orica-Scott team lead the peloton (Image credit: Con Chronis)
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Cameron Bayly (IsoWhy Sports Swiss Welln�♓�ess) made a strong attack (Image credit: Con Chronis)
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Caleb Ewan (Orica-Scott) (Image credit: Con Chronis)
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The men's race is about to start (Image credit: Con Chronis)
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Orica-Scott controlled th✤e ⛄race but came up empty handed due to the late crash (Image credit: Con Chronis)
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Another rider goes down (Image credit: Con Chronis)
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There were several crashes during the hour of i�ꦏ�ntense racing (Image credit: Con Chronis)
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It was fast into the corners (Image credit: Con Chronis)
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Caleb Ewan sat behind his Orica-Scott teammates (Image credit: Con Chronis)
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Scott-Orica doing the hard work (Image credit: Con Chronis)
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All lined out (Image credit: Con Chronis)
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The solo💖 attacker Cameron Bayly (IsoWhy Sports Swiss Wellness) (Image credit: Con Chronis)
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Caleb Ewan (Orica-Scott) takes a corner (Image credit: Con Chronis)
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Orica-Scott lead the race (Image credit: Con Chronis)
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The pace was high all race (Image credit: Con Chronis)
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Ian Bibby (JLT Condor) enjoys his great start to the New Year💛 (Image credit: Con Chronis)
"We were racing for Breton Jones," said Bibby. "I did a good turn, got into ಌposition and sort of sat up and there were only five or six [riders] left, so I thought I should just carry on.
"They all went really hot around the corner🀅 and then they all went down, so I put my chin d♋own," Bibby added. "It's a shame, the crash, but I suppose that's bike racing."
ORICA-Scott will lament the opportunity lost. Ewan appeared in fine form and ready to snag his fourth win on short and intense Richie Boulevard circuit. His Australian-registered squad controlled the peloton from🦋 the start of the Mitchelton Bay 🎐Cycling Classic opener.
Cameron Bayly (IsoWhy Sports Swiss Wellness) attacked 25 minutes into the hour-long affair. ORICA-Scott assumed responsibility for the chase, allowing Bayly to dangle at 15 seconds before reeling him a𓃲head of the finale. With three laps remaining, Bayly was back in the bunch. The South Australian earned the sprint jersey and most aggressive for his efforts.
"The race went pretty flat out really for those last few laps," noted Bibby. "I caught up on the la🌸st ben𒐪d with a lap to go. I had Ed [Clancy] and Brenton on my wheel. I rolled them back and swung over and there were only six or seven left."
Ewan attacked on the back straight of the hot dog circuit, carrying his speed into the final corner with 190 metre𝄹s left to race.
"Going into the corner I was maybe fourth or fifth," Bibbyꦕ said. "There were a couple lads on the straight behind me still, and💦 I thought I'd keep going and get a top five if possible.
"Caleb hit out," Bibby explained. "All I saw was four of them sort of going down the line flat out. Someonᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𝄹ᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚe must have gone down, caught wheels. I tried to dodge them as best I could."
"I came around, and me ano🍸ther lad came out tꦅogether," Bibby added. "It was a drag sprint up and luckily I got the better of him."
Only 18 of the 48 starters in Geelong 𓃲finished the race. Ewan, with the left side of his jersey torn on the shoulder and his shorts in tatters, rolled across the line in 17th place, 51 seconds down on Bibby.
"I'm not exactly sure what happened," said Ewan. "I have hit that corner so many times in exactly the same way, if not faster, and I haven't had an i🦩ssue. There's no major damage, just a bit of skin. There are more days to come,🍒 so we will keep trying."
Brief Results
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#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
Header Cell - Column 3
1
Ian Bibby (GBr) JLT Condor
12
pts
2
Jesse Kerrison (Aus) Isowhey Sports Swisswellness
10
Row 1 - Cell 3
3
Mathew Gibson (GBr) Condor
8
Row 2 - Cell 3
4
Cameron Bayly (Aus) Isowhey Sports Swisswellness
7
Row 3 - Cell 3
5
Anthony Giacoppo (Aus) Isowhey Sports Swisswellness
6
Row 4 - Cell 3
6
Patrick Lane (Aus) Vtwo Team
5
Row 5 - Cell 3
7
Samuel Spokes (Aus) Total Rush
4
Row 6 - Cell 3
8
Alistair Donohoe (Aus) GTR
3
Row 7 - Cell 3
9
Ali Slater (GBr) JLT Condor
2
Row 8 - Cell 3
10
Scott Sunderland (Aus) Isowhey Sports Swisswellness
1
Row 9 - Cell 3
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