Tour of the Murray River

The Tour of the Murray River is a 6 day 7 stage road tour which starts in the North Western Victorian town of Mildura for a tough 125km road race, the tour then heads to Swan Hill for a criterium and road race. Stage 3 through to Stage 6 are all road races varying in distance. Stage 7 sees the tour finish off in Yarrawonga with a criterium overlooking the scenic Lake Mulwala.

It's expected a tour for the sprinters with all of the stages being pan-flat. Anyway, crosswinds and the fast crits may lead to some unexpected action, so the favorites definitely have to watch out every day.


+ 2 flat crits




Luke Davison (Drapac) managed to repeat his Murray-victory from 2012, by a small margin of 2" ahead of both Beckinsale (Huon) and Law (GPM).. all three of them grabbed two stage-wins each, so they were the dominating trio one year ago.. it was definitely an interesting and close battle between those three in particular.

Race-leader Scott Law (GPM) kicks off a bunch sprint..

Law celebrates his second stage-win to re-take the lead..

Ben Grenda (Oz Cycling Development) with his stage-win on final day..

Huon, search2, Drapac, GPM.. will those teams be at the front again?

sutty68 wrote:
Looking forward to some good sprint battles here

Tour of the Murray River (Preview #2)

[img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Davison_zpsbb12ebee.jpg[/img-l][img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Platzhalter_zps31ed228a.png[/img-l]Luke Davison (Drapac)
Key stats/ SPR 76, ACC 75
After an impressive overall win of the first flat stage-race in Geelong, Davison had a (too) quiet Great South Coast. If he delivers here, he's a NRS-contender!

[img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Giacoppo_zps69b0f719.jpg[/img-l][img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Platzhalter_zps31ed228a.png[/img-l]Anthony Giacoppo (Huon Salmon)
Key stats/ SPR 75, ACC 75
Giacoppo struggled in Geelong, but then delivered in the Great South Coast with two stage-wins. So his form seems to improve and so he's a top-favorite.

[img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Kerrison_zpsa2c09e8c.jpg[/img-l][img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Platzhalter_zps31ed228a.png[/img-l]Jesse Kerrison (Budget Forklifts)
Key stats/ SPR 75, ACC 73
Still rated as "huge talent", Kerrison has a difficult so far.. he did well in the recently held VRS-events and bad luck stroke him in Geelong. Back on top now?

[img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Law_zpsbebe052a.jpg[/img-l][img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Platzhalter_zps31ed228a.png[/img-l]Scott Law (GPM Data#3)
Key stats/ SPR 74, ACC 76
Law scored a stage-win in Geelong, but lost all GC-ambitions due to a split in the bunch later in the race. He was impressive here in 2013 though, overall 3rd.

[img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Grenda_zps726db1e6.jpg[/img-l][img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Platzhalter_zps31ed228a.png[/img-l]Ben Grenda (Pure Tasmania)
Key stats/ SPR 74, ACC 73
Grenda finished this race as 4th one year back, also taking out a stage. So he knows this race quite well and needs to find back to this old strength now.

[img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Johnson_zps88666973.jpg[/img-l][img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Platzhalter_zps31ed228a.png[/img-l]Shannon Johnson (Charter Mason)
Key stats/ SPR 74, ACC 74
It ain't "his" season so far, to say at least. The veteran couldn't show anything special in Geelong and has no stage-win in his palmares so far in 2014..

[img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Gill_zps27104a4f.jpg[/img-l][img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Platzhalter_zps31ed228a.png[/img-l]Russell Gill (Euride)
Key stats/ SPR 73, ACC 75
The same goes for Gill, who also had a disappointing Geelong Tour: while he managed to finish within the leading peloton in all stages, he couldn't score results.

[img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Johnston_zps2df586e9.jpg[/img-l][img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Platzhalter_zps31ed228a.png[/img-l]Brendan Johnston (Suzuki Bontrager)
Key stats/ SPR 72, ACC 73
5th in the Tour of Geelong thanks to a couple of good stage-finishes on the first day. If he does the same here, bonus seconds may pay off again.

[img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Strachan_zps9ec823ee.jpg[/img-l][img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Platzhalter_zps31ed228a.png[/img-l]Joel Strachan (Target Trek)
Key stats/ SPR 72, ACC 72
Strachan proved that he's a real threat in flat races: his 4th overall in Geelong (including a stage-win) was impressive and he's aiming for the same here.

[img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Jones_zps0f1c5836.jpg[/img-l][img-l]https://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x323/tsmoha/NRS_Portraits/NRS_Platzhalter_zps31ed228a.png[/img-l]Caleb Jones (GPM Data#3)
"This is going to be a thrilling event for us sprinters (at least)! 7 stages to grab wins and bonus seconds, fantastic. Scott Law will be our captain, as he finished last year's edition as 3rd with two stage-wins. I'll be his final leadout."

Tour of the Murray River (Stage 1, Flat, 126km)

The first stage of the Murray River is already the toughest, because longest stage of the whole race. Anyway, even this "queen stage" is all-flat, so anything else but a bunch sprint would be a huge surprise.

NOTE: Bonus-seconds are rewarded as followed: 6-4-2-1 for the stage's Top-4. No bonus for intermediates.


It ain't surprising to see the break of the day caught right in time. We're going to see the first (of maybe seven) bunch sprints!

Pure Tasmania pulls the strings hard with the finish approaching, so Ben Grenda obviously feels like he as the legs today. Most top-favorites are at the front, too.


It looks like a very close decision for this opener: Huon's duo Beckinsale (2nd overall last year) and Giacoppo are the very front with less than a kilometre to go!

In between is Gill (Euride).. Grenda (Tassie) couldn't benefit from the work of his team and on the left side, there's top-favorite Davison (Drapac) moving forward..


But the Huon-boys played out this sprint to perfection: Anthony Giacoppo takes out the stage, ahead of Gill, who finally delivers.

Also veteran Johnson (Charter Mason) proves that he may be a contender here, beating Davison, who at least grabs a first bonus second.

No luck (bonus) for Grenda (5th), Law (6th) or Kerrison (11th) yet.


So obviously Giacoppo will slip into yellow after this first day (all other remaining days will feature two stages each)!

After two stage-wins in the last NRS event (Great South Coast), Giacoppo finally seems to be back at this old strength!

Tour of the Murray River (Days 2 & 3, three flat)

We continue with a summary of the second and third day of the Murray River Tour, with three flat stages in total.. kicking off with a tricky criterium in Swan Hill.

STAGE 2 - SWAN HILL CRITERIUM/


Nothing special happened in the day's opening crit, so we had another bunch sprint:

Grenda (Tasmania), Law (GPM) and also race-leader Giacoppo (Huon) overtook Davison (Drapac), who kicked too early it seems.. only a few metres to go..


Sott Law takes the win! In a thrilling finish, he managed to beat Grenda and Giacoppo in the sprint to the line.

Davison 4th, like in the opening stage. GC's 2nd Gill misses bonus seconds as 5th today.

STAGE 3 - SWAN HILL TO QUAMBATOOK ROAD RACE/


And we're jumping straight to the next bunch sprint in the road race to Quambatook!

This time, Budget made it's homework and brought sprinter Jesse Kerrison into a great position! His leadout Vink is still at the front, too, with the other sprinters like Davison, Giacoppo, Gill and Grenda a few metres behind!


It's the well-needed win for Kerrison! And it's a great stage for Budget, as Vink completes a 1-2 for the team!

Davison 3rd this time for more bonus seconds and also Giacoppo grabs another as 4th. So he stays in the GC-lead with 3" on Law/Kerrison and 5" on Davison/Gill/Grenda..

STAGE 4 - KERANG TO COHUNA ROAD RACE/


Business as usual, as we again jump straight to the bunch sprint in the next road race:

Tasmania crushed the opponents early in the sprint with leadout Jones pulling Grenda several metres ahead of the bunch!


And with such an early advantage it ain't a surprise to see Ben Grenda finishing for a dominating stage-win here!

Law 2nd ahead of race-leader Giacoppo.. Davison with yet another 4th place ahead of Kerrison, who couldn't score bonus seconds therefore.


Anthony Giacoppo defends his GC-lead by a small margin, thanks to his consistent performances so far.

Law and Grenda are close behind by 1" as 2nd and 3rd, with Kerrison and top-favorite Davison completing the Top-5 with 4 of 7 stages done.

So far, we've seen the top-sprinters delivering, fighting for stage-wins and going for valuable bonus seconds as well.

Tour of the Murray River (Days 3 & 4, three flat)

The last two days of the Murray River's sprint-festival! Three - yes - all panflat stages and so three more changes to grab crucial bonus seconds and stage-wins.

STAGE 5 - ECHUCA TO BARMAH ROAD RACE/


Same procedure as every day (so far): the breakaway had no chance to survive and the sprinter-teams took control of the race.

This time, Drapac managed to build the most succesful and strongest train, as Palmer pulls Davison to the line! Only Strachan (Target) hangs on, as there's a clear gap behind.


But it's a double-win for Drapac: top-favorite Davison takes out the fifth stage - and that makes for five different stage-winners so far!

Strachan finishes as strong 3rd behind Palmer, with Law grabbing the last bonus second.. and so we have a close GC-race:

Davison new leader, with Law and Giacoppo behind - all within the same time. Grenda only 1" down as 4th!

STAGE 6 - NATHALIA TO COBRAM ROAD RACE/


Penultimate stage and it's the first with strong crosswinds (35kmh) and a tough pace (by Drapac) leading to a major split in the bunch:

most notable rider being dropped is Michael Vink (Budget, GC's 7th) and Palmer (Drapac, 8th), as well as Johnston (Suzuki)! Tough luck.


And here we are in the middle of the action for the line honours:

it's going to be a close sprint between Giacoppo, Davison and Law - the GC's Top-3 alltogether at the front!


But in the end, it's a clear win for Scott Law - so he's the first to grab two stage-wins here!

Strachan with a great finish for 2nd today, ahead of Jones (GPM) and Davison, who sprints for his fourth 4th place here.

So Law delivered right in time, as he takes the race-lead by 5" on Davison and 6" on Giacoppo, who misses the bonus seconds for the second stage in a row!

STAGE 7 - YARRAWONGA CRITERIUM/


But this may change in the final stage: Giacoppo and his leadout Beckinsale seem to crush the competition, as an again strong Strachan and also Davison can't really follow with less than a kilometre to go!


Giacoppo grabs his second stage-win, even though Strachan came close eventually, sprinting for this third consecutive podium-finish as 2nd!

Beckinsale grabs valuable bonus seconds ahead of Davison, who finishes - yes, again - as 4th. So that's only 1 bonus second for Davison and no bonus at all for race-leader Law as 5th!


But Scott Law wins the Tour of the Murray River 2014! Giacoppo jumps onto 2nd with the same time as Law, who scored the better stage-results though.

Defending Murray-champion Davison completes the podium - he might have hoped for more, as he could put some pressure on the stage-racers in the NRS rankings.

Grenda and an impressive Strachan complete the Top-5 with Kerrison, Gill, Beckinsale, Johnson and Law's leadout Jones rounding up the Top-10!


While Jesse Kerrison couldn't score a top GC-result, he at least won the sprint-competition thanks to him going for several intermediate sprints.

Sam Crome (Charter) sprints to victory at Sam Miranda (VRS)..


Group of favorites on Midland Tour's dirt roads (VRS)..


Peloton chasing in the Murray River Tour..


Jayden Copp (ProTeamDU) attacks the bunch solo..


A breakaway hits Murray River's dirt roads..


GC's 7th Michael Vink (Budget) is dropped in stage six..


The bunch prepares for the mass sprint finish..