IAM Cycling's Heinrich Haussler is the new Australian national road road champion.
Haussler won the 183.6km race which started and finished in Buninyong, beating Orica Green Edge's Caleb Ewen, Neil Van Der Ploeg of Avanti, Campbell Flakemore of BMC, Sam Spokes of Drapac and Jack Bobridge of Team Budget Fortlfts in a sprint.
Haussler, who riders under an Australian licence after reverting back to the country of his birth, took the win in a time of 4.47.24 despite losing his chain in the final sprint and led home a group of six riders who were nine seconds ahead of Angus Morton, 42 seconds ahead of experienced Grand Tour rider Adam Hansen of Lotto Soudele with NFTO's Steel Von Hoff leading home the peloton some 52 seconds after Haussler had celebreated his victory.
There were only 57 finishers out of 149 starters.
Speaking to the Australian Cycling.Org, Haussler said: “To be honest I still can’t believe it, it’s seriously the best day of my life.
“It means everything. To start the season off like this and to have the jersey now, it just puts you on a different level.
“It was just a tough sprint and the lactic acid was just coming out of my ears in that last one hundred metres. Thank god the line came and I got there first, I just couldn’t believe it.”