At the end of a gruelling 4hr 59min 19sec he had a 37sec buffer over Chris White, of Bendigo. Collingwood's win in the last of the Tattersall's Cup series assures him of a spot in the VicHealth Herald Sun Tour, which starts in Echuca on October 10. White, 27, who has battled a virus this week, had some consolation by winning the series overall by just one point from the Wagga-based sensation.
White had finished third in the two previos events around the Bellarine Peninsula and the Bendigo goldfields. Yesterday, White was the only rider able to match Collingwood once the race began in earnest at the base of the 20km climb to the Mt Buffalo Chalet, but Collingwood soon gained the upper hand and powered away to ride the last 12km on his own.
And the plucky teenager said he again overcame bad luck during the early part of the race: "I broke a back wheel after 30km and broke a spoke in my front wheel another 20km after that," he said. "Then I had a puncture going down Happy Valley and did 30km off the back of the bunch."
"I thought I wouldn't be able to do anything once I got to the climbs, but it's all just come together. I just had really good legs today." Veteran, Peter Besanke, aiming to ride in his 20th Herald Sun Tour, finished in 10th spot but has another chance for selection in next weekend's Tour of Sunraysia.
Wangaratta to Mt Buffalo (176 km)
1: Josh Collingwood 4h 15min 19sec 2: Chris White +37sec 3: Robert Tighello +3min 12sec