The men's and women's NRS peloton took on the speedy but technical 110km course which also featured the challenging Mount Coot-tha climb.
Riding this year for Roxsolt Attaquer, Roper out sprinted Taryn Heather (Specialized) in the elite women's race after the duo broke free from the main bunch with 17 kilometres to go.
This was after the race came back together, 44 kilometres from the finish, shutting down the day's main break that contained the likes of Roper, Heather, Matilda Raynolds, Jaime Gunning, and Jenelle Crooks.
Roper's team mate Peta Mullens beat home the bunch to take third.
Mave Plouffe claimed the young rider's classification, Sarah Gigante (also Roper's team mate) the points, and Bree Wilson (KOM Financial Advice) the QOM.
"I’m really happy," Roper said. "Coming first over the line here in Brisbane with a lot of spectators was really exciting. It was topped off by seeing Peta cross the line first in the bunch kick. We had a really good day.”
“It was a great race and I’m happy to get the second," Heather said. "Emily’s legs were pretty fresh when we broke away, so I knew if it was a sprint between us that’d be hard, but it was great that we managed to stay away from the bunch and make it on to the podium.”
Freienstein (InForm TM Insight Make) and Dylan Sunderland spent most of the race up front together with Jesse Coyle, Jay Vine, Liam Magennis and Dylan Newberry until the pair were left dangling out the front alone. Almost caught by the bunch, Freienstein managed to out gun his breakaway companion at the finish with Sunderland's BridgeLane team mate Tristan Ward taking third in a bunch sprint.
The win moves last year's overall NRS champion into the series lead when added to his fifth at Melbourne to Warrnambool.
“I’m feeling stoked," Freienstein said. "I’m glad that I got away with the win, but we had a good back up in the bunch, so in my head, I was thinking if you stay away and come away with second or third it’s always a pity. So I am super stoked to win and that it was backed up by a fourth place for my teammate Jarrad Drizners.”
Dylan Sunderland said “We knew it was going to be close with the peloton coming into the finish, but Raph and I agreed we had to go all the way together and fight it out for a sprint otherwise neither of us was going to make it.”
A happy Raphael Freienstein at the 2019 Tour de Brisbane (Bruce Wilson / Veloshotz) Source: Bruce Wilson / Veloshotz
