Sport
6 March, 2026
Beikoff wins in gruelling dash to finish
AFTER more than five and a half hours in the saddle, and a gruelling sprint to the finish line, Josh Beikoff last weekend celebrated victory in the 110th Powercor Melbourne to Warrnambool Cycling Classic.
Spectators were treated to a nail-biting finish when Beikoff and Oliver Stenning began a sprint to the line some 350 metres out.
“This is the coolest thing I’ve ever done (winning this event); I don’t care what happens for the rest of the season,” an elated Beikoff told awaiting media.
“I made sure Ollie (Stenning) was on my hips so I could watch him and as soon as he started sprinting I started as well.
“But he did it quite early, like with about 350m to go, so that really hurt. I managed to just come around at the very last moment. I couldn’t have imagined this win in my wildest dreams.”
An early break of seven riders went out around 20 kilometres from the start of the challenging 267 kilometre race – at points, stretching the gap to over 12 minutes.
Three of those seven riders were involved in the final sprint to the line on Raglan Parade; Beikoff, Stenning and individual rider Kevin Biffiger.
Stenning had gone out early and looked like he would make it but Beikoff didn’t let him get away, pushing to the line and winning in the tightest of sprints.
Senning was second by just centimetres after 5.45.14 of racing while Biffiger crossed the finish line seven seconds behind.
Australian road champion Patrick Eddy (Team Brennan) had gone in to the event as one of the favourites but finished fourth.
Sunday’s Lochard Energy Warrnambool Women’s Classic saw Sophie Edwards make history as the first two-time champion, repeating her feat of three years ago by sprinting to victory from a leading group.
The debuting Keira Will was second and Alyssa Polites third after kicking off the sprint, having launched a string of attacks through the final stages of the race.
Starting from Colac, the classic is a 156.9 kilometre race.
