Press Release: Team AIS is celebrating two wins from two stages after South Australian Jack Bobridge, 19, sprinted home for victory in a tough second stage of the U23 International Thuringen Tour in Germany.
Bobridge launched his sprint from 500m out and held off all challengers to claim the 164km race at Oberhof. He crossed in a time of 4hr00min40sec with Germans Kim Lachmann ( Team Seven Stones) and Tino Meier (LKT Team Brandenburg) taking second and third respectively.
"The stage was, on paper, the hardest of the whole week with one category one and two category two climbs and many small groups tried to get away early but didn’t succeed," said Team Manager, Dave McPartland. "Our guys were in all the main moves and as the race hit the final climb all six Team AIS riders were still there."
"Around 40 riders survived the climb and Bobridge did well to respond to all the moves launched within the final 10km," explained McPartland. "Then coming into the final kilometre he positioned himself near the front and gave himself every chance to win."
Geelong’s Leigh Howard who won yesterday’s opening stage, surrendered the leader’s jersey to Dutchman Steven Kruijswijk (Rabobank) but continues to lead in the sprinter’s classification which is his goal for the Tour. He also leads the points classification on a countback although he is tied on points with Bobridge and Lachmann. Bobridge is now sitting second, 18 seconds off the lead, in the best young rider classification and overall is ranked in ninth place at 2min34sec.
The seven stage Thuringen Tour runs though to 13 June.
Meantime in Canada the Australian Women’s Team is contesting the Tour of Prince Edward Island where 2008 Australian time trial champion, Bridie O’Donnell, placed second on the 15km time trial second stage to move into second overall in the Tour.
The race against the clock from New Brunswick over the 12.9km Confederation Bridge to PEI was won by Canadian Tara Whitten in 19min45sec with O’Donnell one second slower. Jessie McLean was fourth at 42sec and is now sitting fourth overall while former rowing World Champion, Amber Halliday, was seventh at 52sec and now sits seventh overall. The Australian team leads the teams classification.
Website: Cycling Australia
