Elliott’s record double
NATHAN Elliott became the first man to win back-to-back Melbourne to Warrnambool cycling classics with one of the most daring rides in its 102year history.
Elliott was part of a six-rider breakaway from the start of the 277km trip, but despite a lead of more than five minutes he was collared at the two hilly sections at Camperdown, with 65km still to race.
The 26-year-old was part of every attempted breakaway for the next 50km before he “went for broke” with 6km to ride.
After repelling the efforts of Tom Robinson (fourth), Elliott beat home Olympian Sam Welsford and Tommy Nankervis by two seconds in the smart time of 6hr 34min 23sec.
“I really went for it at the 2km, dug deep . . . it was hard, those last 300m up the hill and into a headwind,” Elliott said. “But I wanted it so bad.
“I knew nobody had gone back to back in this great race and when I had it in my grasp I certainly wasn’t going to die wondering. I just gave it everything.”
Elliott now has an extraordinary record in the southern hemisphere’s longest road race, and world’s second-oldest cycling event.
The Doreen rider crashed out at his first attempt three years ago and won the next two.
Runner-up Welsford almost caused one of the great upsets.
He is a world champion in the teams pursuit and was the Rio Olympics silver medallist.
“It was a great experience and good to show that track riders can be competitive in these really tough road races,” Welsford said.
Welsford said he “wanted to have a crack at this legendary race” and was pleasantly surprised to be right in the finish.
“The two mountain climbs were really tough for big guys like me, but when I rejoined the peloton and it became obvious it would be a sprint home I was rapt.”
The dash to the finish was marred when 20 riders at the head of the peloton crashed just 150m out.
But Elliott was home and hosed by then as he wrote his name into the race’s records.