Tour set to ‘go off’ in gruelling test up Mount Buller
RACE leader Jai Hindley admits he’s “pretty nervous” and Kaden Groves predicts it will “really go off” as the JaycoHerald Sun Tour holds its breath for today’s Mount Buller showdown.
The 67th edition of Australia’s oldest stage race will be decided by a 106.6km journey from Mansfield to the ski resort, with Team Sunweb’s West Australian Hindley holding a four-second lead over Mitchelton-Scott’s South Australian Damien Howson.
The hardest stage of the race comes after Groves won yesterday’s Stage 3 sprint into Wangaratta, with the Aussie powering over the top of Italian Alberto Dainese and Estonian Mihkel Raim.
“It was a pretty hard stage today and it was the stage I picked for the week,” Groves said. “I’m not climbing too bad at the moment so I was pretty happy with the hard pace on the first climb.
“In the end, after a hard climb just before the finish we managed to drop some of the guys and we had ‘Yatesy’ (Simon Yates) and Cam Meyer riding the front.
“It all came back together, but I was one of the freshest. Coming into the last corner, I think I came around in sixth wheel, but with 400m to go there was a lot of wind around and I was confident I could come over the top.”
But Mitchelton-Scott’s youngster will fulfil a different role today as he looks to give climbing teammates Howson and Yates good position at the base of Mount Buller.
“Everyone is super motivated and they’re all riding well. It’s going to be exciting and going to really go off so it will be a good spectacle,” Groves said.
“If I can help position the guys up the front it gives them the best shot.”
Hindley held on to the yellow jersey without problem on the roads to Wangaratta, but knows he will be put under relentless pressure back in the Victorian Alps.
“I’m pretty nervous, but I’m really keen to give it a good nudge on Buller. I’ve never done the climb before,” Hindley said. “I think everyone has got everything to race for, so I think there’s going to be fireworks. I’ll have a look at the maps and street view and I’ll do my homework.”