CLOCKING the same time for a stage as Richie Porte - that is how Tom Bolton and Will Hodges marked the start of their Santos Festival of Cycling campaign.
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The Bathurst based duo are taking part in the four-stage event in South Australia, which is acting in lieu of the Tour Down Under.
Though the festival is a domestic based event and does not include the international stars and teams like the Tour Down Under, there are still some big cycling names in the peloton alongside Hodges and Bolton.
They include Porte, a man who placed third in last year's Tour de France and two-time Tour Down Under victor.
Bolton is a member of the Oliver's Real Food Racing team, while Hodges is on debut for his new team Giant Racing Racing.
While they will get the chance to tackle the notorious Willunga Hill on Saturday - a climb where Porte has dominated in recent years - on day one of the festival it was four ascents of Mengler Hill that featured as they made their way through the 106.8 kilometre leg from Seppletsfield to Tanunda.
It was a stage won by Luke Durbridge, who attacked with 80km to go and went solo to the finish line. The two-time Giro d'Italia stage winner crossed the line in a time of two hours, 34 minutes and 51 seconds on Thursday afternoon.
"I said to myself be a bit brave. Go for it. It's only a 100 kilometres but when we got out there and it was 40 degrees I'm like, 100 kilometres is still a long way," Durbridge said.
"I countered the sprint, the first intermediate, and just sort of squeezed on a little bit and no one really came with and after I got a gap, I just settled in."
The Bathurst Cycling Club regulars finished 16:52 later as part of a 55-rider group which included Porte. Bolton crossed the line in 55th and Hodges 86th.
In Friday's second stage Hodges and Bolton face a 116km ride which takes them from Birdwood to Lobethal.
