Year In Review: Cadel Road Race Champions - Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race

In our final Year in Review, we take a look at how each of the four former champions of the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race – Rachel Neylan, Gianni Meersman, Amanda Spratt and Peter Kennaugh – performed in 2016.

Rachel Neylan

After a breakthrough 2015, Neylan enjoyed her first full season with ORICA-AIS in 2016.

Once again Neylan showed good form during the Australian season, taking the bronze medal at the Australian championships and finishes second behind teammate Amanda Spratt in the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.

In May, Neylan took out the Grand Prix de Plumelec-Morbihan Dames in France and her efforts in the last 12 months earned her a position in the Olympic Games team where she finished in 22^nd position.

Rachel Neylan – Top 10 performances in 2016

1^st Grand Prix de Plumelec-Morbihan Dames
2^nd Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
3^rd National Championships Australia – Road Race
3^rd Energiewacht Tour – Stage 1 (TTT)
4^th Internationale Thuringen Rundfahrt der – Stage 7
5^th La Classique Morbihan
6^th Internationale Thuringen Rundfahrt der – Stage 5
10^th Festival Elsy Jacobs – Stage 2
10^th Auensteiner – Radsporttage – Stage 2a

Gianni Meersman

After a slower start to 2016, Gianni Meersman rode to his first podium in mid-March, finish third at the Handzame Classic.

After a series of podiums at the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, Tour de Wallonie and Vuelta a Burgos, Meersman finally stood on the top step of the podium at the final Grand Tour of the year, the Vuelta a Espana.

The Spanish tour was a breakthrough for the 30-year-old, taking his firt Grand Tour win on stage two and going on to take another on stage 5.

In 2017, Meersman will take a step down from the WorldTour to race for Pro Continental team Fortuneo – Vital Concept.

Gianni Meersman – Top 10 performances in 2016

1^st Vuelta a Espana – Stage 2
1^st Vuelta a Espana – Stage 5
2^nd Volta Ciclista a Catalunya – Stage 2
2^nd Tour de Wallonie – Stage 3
2^nd Tour de Wallonie – General Classification
3^rd Handzame Classic
3^rd Tour de Wallonie – Stage 4
3^rd Volta a Burgos – Stage 1
3^rd Volta a Burgos – Stage 2 (TTT)
3^rd Volta a Burgos – Stage 3
3^rd Vuelta a Espana – Stage 21
4^th Vuelta a Espana – Stage 16
5^th Vuelta a Espana – Stage 1 (TTT)
7^th Vuelta a Espana – Stage 7
8^th Vueta a Espana – Stage 18
8^th Sparkassen Munsterland Giro

Amanda Spratt

Amanda Spratt claimed her second national championship in Ballarat in January and went on to take her first victory in the colours at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race later in the month.

The 29-year-old was a consistent performer all season with her new-found confidence and leadership before taking her third victory for the year at the Internationale Thuringen Rundfahrt der Frauen in July.

Spratt also represented Australia at the Olympic Games in Rio, finishing as the top Australian in 15^th position.

Amanda Spratt – Top 10 performances in 2016

1^st Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
1^st National Championship Australia – Road Race
1^st Internationale Thuringen Rundfahrt der Frauen – Stage 6
2^nd Internationale Thuringen Rundfahrt der Frauen – General Classification
4^th Aviva Women’s Tour – Stage 4
5^th Aviva Women’s Tour – General Classification
5^th Esukal Emakumeen XXIX Bira – Stage 1
6^th Durango-Durango Emakumeen Saria
6^th Boels Rental Ladies Tour – Stage 2 (TTT)
7^th Santos Women’s Tour – General Classification
7^th Santos Women’s Tour – Stage 3
7^th Crescent Women’s World Cup Vargarda
8^th Boels Rental Ladies Tour – Stage 6
10^th Santos Women’s Tour – Stage 2
10^th Internationale Thuringen Rundfahrt der Frauen – Stage 7

Peter Kennaugh

Team Sky’s Peter Kennaugh started his 2016 in phenomenal form Down Under.

Following his victory at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, he went on to claim a stage of the Herald Sun Tour, leading the race for three days before teammate Chris Froome won the final queen stage to claim the overall.

In May, Kennaugh’s year took a turn for the worst when he broke his collarbone at the Tour of California, ruling him out of the Tour de France.

Despite returning to racing in July, he also withdrew from the Olympic Games in Rio because of the injury, not able to return to full fitness before the all-important race.

By the middle on August he was back on the podium, part of the Team Sky team that won the opening team time trial stage of the Vuelta a Espana. The team nominated the 27-year-old to cross the line first, seeing him wear the red leader’s jersey the following day.

Peter Kennaugh – Top 10 performances in 2016

1^st Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
1^st Jayco Herald Sun Tour – Stage 1
1^st Vuelta a Espana – Stage 1 (TTT)
2^nd Jayco Herald Sun Tour – General Classification
3^rd Jayco Herald Sun Tour – Stage 2
4^th Vuelta a Burgos – Stage 2 (TTT)
5^th Vuelta a Burgos – General Classification
6^th Vuelta a Burgos – Stage 5
7^th Jayco Herald Sun Tour – Stage 4
8^th Jayco Herald Sun Tour – Prologue
8^th Tirreno – Adricatico – Stage 1 (TTT)