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Dutchman Floris Goesinnen used a daring breakaway in the final 40km to win the Melbourne to Warrnambool Cycling Classic on Saturday.
The 28-year-old completed the 262km race in seven hours and 23 seconds, beating young NSW rider Aaron Donnelly.
The duo bucked the trend of recent Classics and staged what proved a successful breakaway well out from the finish, leading by more than 90 seconds with 20km left before holding off the closing pack.
Donnelly finished second – 35 seconds clear of third-placed Bradeley Hall.
The first international winner in seven years, Team Drapac rider Goesinnen described the win in the 117-year-old race as the biggest triumph of his career.
“Everybody in Australia and even in Europe knows the Melbourne to Warrnambool,” he said.
“Honestly, the Melbourne to Warrnambool was the only race I knew about before I came over, so it’s pretty cool to win it.”
Donnelly’s effort was made even better after he recovered from an early race crash.
“I then spent 80 kilometres chasing to get back,” he said.
“I was very close to getting off the bike at the first feed station.”
Drapac rider Rhys Pollock, the 2010 Melbourne to Warrnambool champion, comfortably took out the Victorian 200km championship held in conjunction with the Classic.
Most of the field will back up in Sunday’s Shipwreck Coast Classic.
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