Team Sky's Chris Froome wins Herald Sun Tour
By Peter Gilbert
Last Updated: 07/02/16 9:24am
Chris Froome has won Australia's Herald Sun Tour ahead of Team Sky team-mate Peter Kennaugh.
Froome, who had not raced for five months, claimed victory in the fourth and final stage after finishing the 75.7-mile stage 17 seconds ahead of home hope Damien Howson.
The two-time Tour de France champion's solo push saw him wipe out fellow Briton Kennaugh's 13-second overnight lead with the Olympic gold medallist finishing in seventh place and second overall.
"It's an amazing feeling," said Froome. "(I've) put in a lot of hard yards this winter, which hasn't been easy with the new family starting and everything back home."
Froome and New Zealand's Joe Cooper (Avanti IsoWhey Sport) built a lead as they took on the second climb of three ascents of Arthurs Seat with the Briton attacking with some three kilometres to go.
"It was something that unfolded out on the road when I went for the King of the Mountain points," Froome said.
"The second time up Arthurs Seat, the team behind said, 'Listen, Chris, just sit on the wheel, we're not going to ride behind, you are in a great position to go for the stage win and overall victory, and Pete (Kennaugh) would bring it up from behind'."
Froome first tackled Australia's oldest stage race in 2008, when he finished fourth.
"It's quite a sentimental feeling looking back to 2008... obviously what's happened between then and now, it's amazing to come back here and have won this final stage and the race overall," said Froome, who won the Tour de France in 2013 and 2015.
Kennaugh said he was "a bit gutted not to win" but said teammate Froome deserved the victory.
Stage four result:
1 Chris Froome (GB) Team Sky 02hr 58min 44sec
2 Damien Howson (Auys) Orica-GreenEDGE +17sec
3 Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UHC + 21sec
4 Chris Hamilton (Aus) VIC +29sec
5 Robbie Hucker (Aus) Avanti IsoWhey Sport +29sec
Final overall standings:
1 Chris Froome (GB) Team Sky 12hr 53min 00sec
2 Peter Kennaugh (GB) Team Sky + 29sec
3 Damien Howson (Aus) S/Orica-GreenEDGE + 1min 01sec
4 Jack Bobridge (Aus) Trek-Segafredo + 1min 04sec
5 Jack Haig (Aus) Orica-GreenEDGE) + 1min 14sec.
