Irish cyclist Sam Bennett has denied Caleb Ewan the exclamation mark to his outstanding January, winning the inaugural Race Melbourne.
Bennett unleashed the sort of withering sprint that had defined Ewan's cycling form this month to take out Thursday's 116.6km race on the Albert Park F1 circuit.
Winner Sam Bennett of Ireland, centre, second placed Scott Sunderland of Australia, right, and Danny Van Poppel of the Netherlands on the podium after the Men's Towards Zero Race Melbourne on January 26, 2017.Credit: Robert Cianflone
After crashing on January 1, Ewan had been unstoppable with seven wins and had wanted one last win before heading overseas.
"The luck was always going to run out at some stage and it happened today," Ewan said.
Caleb Ewan of Australia and Orica-Scott and Chris Froome of Great Britain and Team Sky ride during the Men's Towards Zero Race Melbourne on Thursday.Credit: Robert Cianflone
"If I got out at the end, I would have had a good run at the finish, but I was just boxed in.
"It would have been nice to finish off on a high, but I don't know - I can't be disappointed at all with how the summer has gone.
"I'm back to Europe tonight and I'm going to be pretty happy with how it all went."
As Bennett built his form in Adelaide, star teammate Peter Sagan led him out at sprint finishes in a major show of faith. It meant Bennett started Thursday's race with growing confidence.
Kirsten Wild of the Netherlands celebrates after winning the Women's Towards Zero Race Melbourne on Thursday.Credit: Robert Cianflone
It was the first race of the season for three-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome, who delighted fans when he was part of a three-rider attack near the finish.
But the race was always going to end in a bunch sprint and Bennett was ready.
"We were pretty happy with last week and we came in here a little bit relaxed," Bennett said. "Obviously, we wanted to win and it all just clicked today ... On Caleb's side, he was just a little bit unlucky - he's incredibly fast and I don't know if I would have won today if he was on top form.
"It really kick-starts the engine for the season."
In the women's race Dutch sprint ace Kirsten Wild held off Australian cycling rival Chloe Hosking for a tight win.
It was Wild's third win so far this month, after two stage wins and third place overall for the Cylance rider at the Adelaide Santos Women's Tour.
Predictably, the 63.6km race on the pancake-flat Albert Park F1 race came down to a bunch sprint.
Wild and Hosking were initially unsure who had won.
"Chloe was coming really fast from the back ... we looked at each other and it was 'is it you? is it me?'," Wild said.
Wild said her strong form is particularly pleasing given they are a new line-up.
"We have a good communication in the race and it really works," she said of their sprint train.
Likewise, Hosking noted her Ale Cipollini team only has one returning rider and the Australian is pleased with her early-season speed.
"We're definitely exceeding expectations ... this was never a target for the team," she said.
"I train to be good at the end of 140km, so to finish with Kirsten and be so close at the end, I am actually quite happy with that.
"Sometimes I wonder 'am I that fast?' and now I think I can confidently say 'no, I am that fast'."
Hosking and Wild will compete on Saturday at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Rd race, their last Australian race before heading overseas.
AAP