Race Wrap-Up: Jayco Herald Sun Tour

MELBOURNE, Australia (February 5, 2017) – Travis McCabe showcased his sprinting talents at the Jayco Herald Sun Tour last Saturday, winning the penultimate stage from Benalla to Mitchelton Winery in commanding style.

McCabe said snagging the first victory of the season for UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling team ranks highly on his list of cycling accomplishments.

I think this and the Tour of Utah win that I had last year are the top two. This is my first year racing with UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling and getting an early season win, you can’t ask for anything else. It’s fantastic.
–Travis McCabe

After successfully negotiating a hectic and frantic last few kilometers, McCabe sat behind ProTour rider Mitch Docker (Orica-Scott) and timed it perfectly to come around in the closing meters with enough time to celebrate. Leigh Howard (Aqua Blue Sport) finished in third in the 167 km stage.

“We came into the stage with pretty high hopes,” McCabe said. “We did well last year coming out. We looked at this stage as a really good stage for me to win so I’m glad it worked out the way we planned, but it was hairy. It got really crazy those last few kilometres but I put all my faith and trust in the guys and everyone rode really well keeping me safe and out of trouble.”

The stage prior, McCabe’s teammate Tanner Putt also stamped the color blue on the Herald Sun Tour, claiming third place on the 165 km stage from Mt. Beauty to Beechworth. Sky rider Luke Rowe took the win.

“The team did very well over the whole Herald Sun Tour,” UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team Director Hendrik Redant said. “Good ambiance and great performance. Now we head to the Tour of Oman for more.”