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The second event in the 2013 Subaru National Road Series got underway in Tweed NSW yesterday.
The Battle of the Border is a five stage event and the first stage, a lumpy 110 kilometres, began at Point Danger with a picturesque and challenging finish atop Mt Warning.
Huon Genesys-Wealth Advisors stamped their authority on the first stage with winner Jack Haig completing the stage in three hours and 29 seconds.
He was followed over the finish line 22 seconds later by his team mate Jai Crawford.
Eric Sheppard of Search2Retain continued his good form, rolling across the line in third, 29 seconds off the lead, as did The Roar’s own Adam Semple of Satalyst Giant, crossing in fourth, 33 seconds down on the leader.
The race began in sunny conditions at Point Danger, on the coast and headed inland. By the time the peloton reached Mt Warning, the rain had set in, making the 4 kilometre ride to the top slippery in places. Along with the rain, riders had to contend with the 9% gradient of this brutish climb.
Point Danger seemed an aptly named spot to begin the race, as the dangers of recording road races was evidenced when a photo moto hit a group of riders at around the 29 kilometre mark.
The race was neutralised until around the 38 kilometre mark, where Ben Grenda of Polygon was reinstated with his 20 second lead from before the incident. Around five riders went down, but there were no reports to emerge of major damage.
Grenda was, however, quickly brought back into the fold.
After a number of unsuccessful breakaway attempts a group of around 14 riders managed to get away.
The breakaway consisted of an assortment of teams, including Satalyst Giant, Team Down Under and Search2Retain but it was Huon Genesys-Wealth Advisors, with Anthony Giacoppo, Jai Crawford and Jack Haig that posed the greatest threat.
As the rain continued, it was Haig and Crawford who handled the challenges of the climb and conditions the best.
Speaking on the NRS website, Haig said “the last 1.8 kilometres was really quite steep, I got on the front because I’m not that good at attacking – I went as hard as I could and tried to ride them off my wheel and it managed to work.”
Today’s victor is confident of a successful Battle of the Border, adding, “the rest of the tour is shaping up quite well – I know there is a time trial and I like to think that is one of my strong suits. So for me it’s about not losing time and then hopefully picking some up in the TT, and really I just look forward to racing, the scenery is beautiful; I’d love to move here.”
Jesse Kerrison of Budget Forklifts wears the sprint jersey.
Stage two will see the peloton begin in Murwillumbah before heading east to Terranora and then turning back to do two laps through Chillingham and Tyalgum before finishing back in Murwillumbah.
The 140km stage could suit an opportunist, so we should see some exciting racing.
Stage Results/GC
Jack Haig (HGP) 3hr 00:29
Jai Crawford (HGP) +22
Eric Sheppard (S2R) +29
Adam Semple (SGR) +33
Bernard Sulzberger (DPC) +52
Alex Wohler (BFL) +1:05
Nathan Earle (HGP) +1:12
Cal Britten (S2R) +1:16
Marc Williams (BFL) +1:21
Matthew Clark (CHM) +1:24
Sprint Points
Jesse Kerrison (BFL) 5
Neil Van Der Ploeg (STR) 3
Scott Law (GPM) 3
Nicholas Woods (PTD) 1
KOM
Jack Haig (HGP) 10
Jai Crawford (HGP) 6
Eric Sheppard (STR) 4
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