Aggressive Felix English extends sprint lead as Orica GreenEdge turn screw in Australia

Felix English in the green jersey of sprints classification leader on the attack with Kiwi Tom Scully on the approach to the first intermediate sprint of the day (Photo: Dean Francis Casey)

After taking second place on the opening leg of the Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic criterium series in Australia yesterday, Irish international Felix English was in the thick of the action again today and has moved himself into a great position to take a classification jersey from the event.

The Rapha Condor JLT rider managed 8th position in the bunch sprint that decided stage 2 today - the Eastern Garden Criterium - to add to his 2nd of yesterday.

And as one of the main animators early in today's lung bursting one-hour contest, he took 2nd place in the opening sprint prime, enough to extend the lead he took in the sprint classification yesterday.

English and Kiwi rider Tom Scully were first to try and take the race to a quality field that includes the Orica GreenEdge ProTour team, and for their efforts took first and second in the first of three primes.

And while English failed to make the top three to take any further points at the next two sprints, his early placing was enough to extend his classification tally to 11 points, putting him a comfortable six points ahead of Luke Durbridge (Orica GreenEDGE) in second place.

Today's race was very fast and aggressive but all of the attacking was shut down with five laps remaining as Orica GreenEdge took control to keep it all together for a bunch sprint and deliver Matt Goss to the line. The former Milan San Remo winner took victory, his first in 10 months.

English's 8th place has put him 4th overall, just one point off the runner up slot. And with the sprint classification jersey on his back, he has it all to play for in the remaining two races in the series in Portarlington and Williamstown, tomorrow and Sunday.

Goss leads overall having been part of the seven-man winning breakaway yesterday when he finished 6^th. He complained afterwards that he never recovered from the effort he needed to put in to make it across to the winning move containing English.

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