Welsford Victorious at Cadel's Criterium After Strategic Breakaway

Sam Welsford of Ineos Grenadiers claimed victory at Cadel's Criterium, securing the win by joining a breakaway group and then triumphing in the final sprint among seven riders. Jensen Plowright (Alpecin-Premier Tech) finished second, with Matteo Sobrero (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) taking third place in the 25-lap, 50km criterium.

Welsford attributed his success to his team's well-executed strategy and the cooperation within the breakaway.

The team "played the perfect team game" by marking attacks from behind, preventing the chase from organizing.

Event Context: Racing Amidst Extreme Conditions

Cadel's Criterium served as a mid-week event after the unfortunate cancellation of the Surf Coast Classic women's and men's races. These events were called off due to extreme fire conditions, including a bushfire in the nearby Otways, and scorching temperatures of 45°C.

Fortunately, conditions had eased significantly for the men's criterium, which took place in comfortable temperatures in the low 20s. The race maintained a high pace from the very start. Welsford noted the course was challenging, stating he was "ready for anything" and successfully managed to join a key move.

The Decisive Breakaway

The pivotal breakaway formed past the halfway mark, approximately 15 laps into the race. It comprised a strong contingent of riders:

• Laurence Pithie and Callum Thornley (Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe)
• Rémi Cavagna (Groupama-FDJ United)
• Fabio van den Bossche (Soudal-QuickStep)
• Kelland O'Brien (Jayco AlUla)

The breakaway riders worked together effectively. With Ineos Grenadiers team members actively disrupting the chase from behind, the lead group managed to extend its advantage to approximately 30 seconds. Cohesion within the group decreased slightly as the race progressed, but collective effort, including Thornley's work for teammate Pithie, helped maintain its momentum.

The Sprint Finish

As the final lap began, the seven-rider breakaway held its crucial advantage. Fabio van den Bossche attempted an attack, but the lead group remained intact, setting the stage for a dramatic sprint.

Pithie launched early, but Welsford demonstrated superior power, holding off Plowright to secure the victory. Sobrero finished third, followed by Pithie, O'Brien, Cavagna, and Van den Bossche.

Eight seconds behind Welsford, Ethan Vernon (NSN Cycling) won the bunch sprint.