Crome, 22, won the general classification by 11 seconds over Ben Hill (racing for local sponsor Lakes Oil, but from Attaque Team Gusto) with team-mate Pat Shaw in third and was understandably ecstatic with the result.
“It’s just a big relief to get the win done,” said Crome who was also the first leader of the NRS in 2015 when he was with CharterMason-Giant.
“There has been a few nervous times especially obviously when I crashed on stage four and then yesterday when I was sort of dropped off the back. But we got the job done, this is what we came here to do so I couldn’t be happier.”
The domestic road series regularly attracts a high standard of competition from domestic riders who have performed well in top company. That was borne out by the podium for the general classification with saw Crome (Tour of Japan stage winner), Ben Hill (Tour of Thailand overall winner) and Pat Shaw (9th at nationals, 3rd at Grafton to Inverell).
Crome held off attacks from Hill all afternoon and cemented his win after emphatically winning stage two in Mount Gambier on Wednesday.
“I was worried. I knew he was going to throw everything at it,” said Crome. “He is the kind of rider who won’t go down without a fight, no matter what. I obviously know him very well, we got on quite well together last year when we raced together.”
The Victorian thanked his Avanti IsoWhey Sports Team for their role in ensuring his overall victory.
“The boys have been incredible. Joe Cooper and Pat Lane have done a power of work all week and then Pat Shaw he’s still got it… Robbie Hucker today was just sensational. Couldn’t be happier.”
Stage by Stage
It was a double stage start to the race, with the Stage 1 morning criterium won by Jesse Kerrison (State of Matter-MAAP). It was an impressive sprint for the win by the young fast man who took the win over the preeminent sprinter of last year's NRS, Scott Sunderland (Inform Racing/Illuminate) with Pat Shaw in third.
Stage 2 ended up being the decisive stage for the general classification after torrential conditions made the race very selective. Sam Crome and Ryan Cavanagh escaped from the attacking riders in the final kilometres with Crome emerging the strongest in the sprint finish.
Stages 3, 4 and 5 all ended up going to breakaway winners as Avanti IsoWhey Sports controlled the peloton and prevented any dangerous attacks from going away. They were also happy to let the breakaway take the win if it meant less bonus seconds on offer at the finish.
Alex Porter, Harry Carpenter (both SASI/Callidus) and Jake Klajnblat (JML Racing) all won stages from opportunistic attacks before Nick Kergozou (Mobius Futures Racing) took out the sprint in an exciting Stage 6.
Young New Zealander Robert Stannard (Mobius Future Racing) then made it two in a row for his team as he won the final Stage 7 criterium in Portland. The 30 lap, 1.6 kilometre course saw a frantic finish that almost saw the breakaway caught by the peloton, but Stannard managed to power clear to make it two stage wins in a row for his team.
