JAYCO AIS rider Calvin Watson took out the 71st staging of the Footscray Cycling Club’s annual bikebug.com Midlands Tour at Anglesea on Saturday.
One of Victoria’s road classics, the tour is held in honour of the late ‘Tas’ Johnson, who reached the pinnacle of cycling by representing Australia at the 1934 Empire Games and the 1936 Olympics.
In the 120km feature race, 19-year-old Watson proved that fortune favours the brave by succeeding in an early breakaway.
Watson, a Frankston resident, returned after six months of racing in Europe, and this was his first race for the under-23 feeder team for Orica Greenedge.
“It’s my first race in Australia so it’s great to get the win,” he said.
“When the break went so early I thought it would be a big ask, but all the guys in the break were willing to work and once our lead was out to over two minutes, we started to relax a bit.
“The race really lit up with about five laps to go, when John West rider Matt Clark and I got away together and I thought that would be the race. But, to his credit, Jason Spencer bridged across and brought a few other riders with him.
“In the last few laps a lots of guys were in survival mode and really feeling the hill.
“It really busted up then.”
Watson and Spencer crossed in first and second — 27 seconds ahead of third-placed Clark.
In the teams classification, John West Cycling took the win, with its rider, Clark, taking the king of the mountains classification.
As well as the main event, a separate women’s race and masters A, B and C grade races were held, with 32-year-old Stephen Lane clinching the A grade honours.
Holden Cycling Team rider Miranda Griffiths took out the women’s race.
Richard Longmire took out the B grade and Matt Hand the C grade.
