Caleb Ewan wins People's Choice Classic for second time

(Image credit: Watson)

By Richard Windsor 2017-01-15T10:19:53Z

Orica-Scott's Caleb Ewan made it two out of two at the People's Choice Classic, as he took victory in the 2017 race on Sunday to add to his victory in 2016.

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The Australian national criterium champion sprinted well clear of his rivals in the final run to the line of the 50.6km criterium race, with only Ireland's Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe) able to make a late surge for the line to take second.

22-year-old Ewan benefited from a dedicated team which lead him around the entirety of the course, and still had more support riders than rival teams' sprinters as the race rounded the final bend.

Watch: People's Choice Classic 2017 highlights

World champion Peter Sagan did his best to setup Bennett for the win, but as Ewan was dropped off by a teammate on the front of the bunch on the left side of the road, there was nothing anyone was able to do and he powered his way to a second victory.

The rest of the race had been a fairly sedate affair. Neo-pro Ben O'Connor (Dimension Data) got away into the break with Will Clarke (Cannondale-Drapac) on lap three and admirably continued on his own with a massive solo effort until lap 19 of 22, when he was inevitably caught.

The riders will now take a rest day tomorrow before the Tour Down Under race proper begins on Tuesday with a 145km route from Unley to Lyndoch that should end in a sprint.