It was a good start to the inaugural 174-kilometer Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race for Trek Factory Racing, but what began well did not end well – at least for Laurent Didier.

Didier wasted no time in jumping in the early escape to join four other ambitious riders, but after 50 kilometers his day, unfortunately, was over.

While grabbing a bottle from the team car, on the opposite side than what he was used to (this being a southern hemisphere race), he lost control on the wet road.  He was unable to continue and was taken to the hospital with a feared broken hand.

Trek Factory Racing started with five riders and with Didier out they were down to four.  

As the race neared Geelong for the start of the local circuits, Cannondale-Garmin blew the race wide open in the crosswinds, and by the start of the punishing city circuits the front group whittled to little more than 35 riders.

Trek Factory Racing still numbered three in the leading group.

“Everyone knew where the crosswinds were going to be, but no one really expected to happen like it did,” explained Hayden Roulston shortly after the race had concluded. “Cannondale-Garmin went full gas as soon as we rounded the corner into the crosswinds and blew it to bits there. It did come back together a little, but for a lot of riders it was over 15kms before the circuits.”

The three tough circuits in Geelong began to shape the final outcome; first a break of four moved ahead that the ever-aggressive Calvin Watson and two others bridged across to form seven leaders. 

It was a smart, calculated move by Watson, but it sounded alarm bells behind and the chase begun in earnest. The breakaway was short-lived.

Everything was back to one large group with just over one lap and 25 kilometers remaining. The final time up the steep, leg-searing climb carved out the final selection with 10 riders holding off the rest to contest the finish.

“Overall, our guys rode well. Calvin made a good attack and was only dropped on the last lap. Hayden was really close to fight for the top 10. And both him and Jesse showed good form today. Obviously, the wind made a huge difference, and being able to be in the right position, in the right moment was played perfectly by them,” summed up General Manager Luca Guercilena.

“This race, and also Tour Down Under, are suited more to riders who are competitive in the Ardennes Classics. The race itself is good, well organized and lots of people on the roads, but it is always hard to do a race for the first time. Still at the end it was really a good race.  As for our performance we were unfortunate that Laurent crashed out of the breakaway. For us I can say the race was not terrible, but also not super.”

Gianni Meersman (Etixx-Quick Step) sprinted to the win ahead of Simon Clarke (Orica GreenEdge) and Nathan Haas (Cannondale-Garmin). Hayden Roulston was the top finisher for Trek Factory Racing coming across the line nine seconds later for 21st place.

“It was pretty hard to be honest,” agreed Hayden Roulston.“It was a pretty nervous race because it was so windy, and the first time for this race so no one really knew what to expect. On the circuits it was very, very hard. I didn’t feel super today, and through positioning I bluffed my way through most of it.”

Laurent Didier broke a metacarpal bone in his left hand and is scheduled for surgery upon his return to Europe.