Simon Clarke of the Orica GreenEdge team powers towards the finish line. Source: Michael Klein / News Corp Australia
YOU knew the Orica-GreenEDGE cycling team meant business when they arrived at Arthur's Seat by helicopter yesterday while every other team came by car, as usual.
Team owner Gerry Ryan, one of Melbourne's biggest businessmen, does nothing by halves and he knew after the six road-weary riders attended a function for sponsors the previous night the last thing they needed was a three-hour drive to the punishing final stage of an already tough race.
So Ryan drove himself and put the riders in the chopper he normally uses to get around his various home and business bases.
How much it helped is a moot point but by the end of the afternoon Ryan was leading the celebrations after Cameron Meyer won the Tour overall, finishing second in the final stage with teammate Simon Clarke, riding shotgun to help protect his narrow lead, following in third place.
With Meyer having won stage one and the team's new pro Caleb Ewan taking the next two, GreenEDGE naturally won the award for the tour's best team.
That made it a huge week for Ryan, who last Friday night hosted a dinner for 600 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his caravan company Jayco, which is the naming sponsor of the bike race.
Tour Winner Cameron Meyer during the final stage. Source: News Corp Australia
The team's success was no great surprise given it is the only World Tour outfit in the race — the only one in Australia — but they were under pressure after losing their best rider Simon Gerrans to injury and running up a string of minor placings without a major win throughout the six-week summer of cycling.
Now they're up and running and ready for their fourth season in Europe.
Meyer, Ewan and Clarke were the stars of the week but Damien Howson was also prominent and Michael Hepburn and New Zealander Sam Bewley did their fair share of the hard yakka involved in looking after the yellow jersey.
Clarke deserved extra applause for a brave performance yesterday, starting the stage with his left arm and leg bandaged after a painful crash the previous day.
Some wondered whether he would be able to take part but he never considered not doing so, and rode beside Meyer every millimetre of the 122km.
Cameron Meyer with the winner's trophy. Source: News Corp Australia
"I'm not going to say it didn't hurt but unfortunately that's just part of cycling," he said.
"A little lapse of concentration and you can pay a price — but it takes more to knock me out than that.
"It was superficial — I didn't break or tear anything."
Clark won the Tour last year but was denied the chance to soak up the glory when the final stage, also at Arthur's Seat, was cancelled because emergency workers were required elsewhere to deal with fire hazards on a scorching day.
That was disappointing for everyone, none more than tour director John Trevorrow, a triple winner of the race back in the day.
This time he got not only a race but a c racking finish full of possibility right to the line, and a hard-fought, intense and interesting five days of racing overall.
In its 62nd year, Australia's oldest stage race hasn't had many better weeks — or many more delighted winners.
ron.reed@news.com.au
Twitter: @Reedrw
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