Meyer Wins Sun Tour Title
WAIS scholarship holder Cameron Meyer has held on to deliver back-to-back overall victories for his team ORICA-GreenEDGE in the 2015 Sun Tour, following a nail-biting finish on the final stage to Arthurs Seat.
Meyer, having moved into yellow leader’s jersey with Stage 1 victory in Bendigo on Thursday, was the General Classification winner by 11 seconds from Patrick Bevin (Avanti) who won the 122km finale on Sunday. Third overall was Bevin’s teammate, Joe Cooper, 19 seconds in arrears of Meyer.
In winning the 62nd edition of the Sun Tour, Meyer enters an elite club with Stuart O’Grady and Simon Gerrans, having also been victorious in the Tour Down Under.
“It’s huge,” Meyer said of the significance of today’s win. “This is the oldest stage race in Australia and one of the most prestigious.
“To join that honour roll of having the Tour Down Under and the Herald Sun Tour makes me really happy and I know my dad will want that trophy home tonight.”
While the three ascents of Arthurs Seat which decided the race proved the perfect showcase for Bevin’s versatility, Meyer was forced to hang tough and crossed the finish line right on the New Zealander’s wheel, followed by 2014 overall winner, Simon Clarke (ORICA-GreenEDGE) in a time of 2:54:38.
“It was a great feeling to get up that berg for the last time and be there at the pointy end and have enough for the sprint to take out the stage,” explained Bevin. “It’s a great victory and it’s the type of finish I’m beginning to really like.”
Asked by media at the finish about the challenge that he faced right to the finish line, Meyer was frank.
“I was challenged alright,” he said. “That was nearly a WorldTour bike race – that was unbelievable. I’ve never experienced something like that in a Herald Sun Tour. That was just ridiculously fast so I’m glad that’s over and I’m happy to get second. That’s a good effort on this hill.
“Hats off to Pat Bevin, he rode a great race and so did Avanti but my boys were really good,” Meyer continued. “I only had to do 200 metres of the whole race so it was fantastic.”
WAIS athlete Rob Power emulated Meyer’s success by claiming the white jersey as best U23 rider, thanking his teammates post race.
“The guys did everything and I can’t thank them enough,” he said. “They literally just dug so hard today and it was amazing.”