Raphael in top cycling form

IN FRONT: Bennelong Swiss Wellness Cycling Team’s Michael Freiberg celebrates as he claims the opening stage win of the 2018 Tour of the Great South Coast. Freiberg bested the remainder of the field to win the criterium stage, which was held on the streets surrounding Vansittart Park in Mount Gambier yesterday. Picture: JAMES MURPHY

INFORM Make NRS cycling team’s German rider Raphael Freinstein claimed the leaders jersey in Stage 1 of the Tour of The Great South Coast yesterday morning after a top performance in the 30-lap criterium in Mount Gambier.

Freinstein battled the wet and wintry conditions to cross the finish line in third when the National Road Series event took to the streets surrounding Vansittart Park.

Bennelong Swiss Wellness Cycling Team’s Michael Freiberg and Tristan Ward showed early domination in the field of 104 riders, finishing first and second respectively in the opening stage of the tour.

While the top step of the podium was Freiberg’s, Freinstein enjoyed his fair share of success at the presentations, also contesting every intermediate sprint to take out the sprint jersey with 16 points.

His efforts gained him enough points to don the leaders jersey for Stage 2.

The 1.2km circuit was full of challenges as riders attempted to break away from the main peloton throughout the stage, which provided excitement for the committed spectators who braved the cool conditions.

As the leader of a young team, Freinstein said he was excited for the remaining stages, particularly after the performance from Carter Turnbull.

Turnbull proved he is learning from the best, joining his team mate at the presentations, taking out the rising star jersey after finishing at the pointy end of the peloton.

“We have definitely got a good young team,” Freinstein said.

“Carter (Turnbull) won the rising star jersey and we have a good young rider Ben Jones who was in the peloton.

“The team is a good environment to be in, we are well looked after.

“It has been a great start to this year, I think I still take a lot of benefit out of the last couple of years of racing.

“I really enjoy it and it is good to be back here and racing.”

Freinstein will not have it all his own way with 2017 National Road Series Championship winner Freiberg – who hails from Western Australia – in stellar form.

The wintry weather conditions did not phase Freiberg who made his way to the pointy end of the field at the end of the 30th lap of the 1.2km circuit to win the opening stage.

Freiberg said Stage 1 had its challenges, but he looked forward to the remainder of the tour.

“We had a great year in 2017, but we have certainly got our work cut out for this tour,” he said.

“We are going to see how it goes this afternoon, it is a pretty tough stage and the wind is going to be a big factor.

“It is certainly going to be wet and wild again.

“We are going to just have to work together as a team and see what we can bring.”

Mobius Bridgelane’s Ben Metcalfe also had his fair share of success in the opening stage, taking out the most aggressive classification.

Metcalfe – a member of one of the smaller teams on tour – said he enjoyed the criterium event and the challenges the wet weather brings.

“Everything is against us this weekend, but we still have to send it a bit, I guess,” he said.

“From mountain biking I enjoy the wet weather, so it was fun.”