Joel Pearson could have been excused for sitting up and letting a large group of riders go when he noticed a break going away twelve kilometres into the Melbourne to Warrnambool one-day classic. Pearson had just completed a wind-swept and freezing Herald Sun Tour as well as the Scody Cup series around the country.

Weary legs could have been used as an excuse.

Instead, he sensed an opportunity, and quickly tagged onto the break, along with his Savings and Loans teammate Will Dickeson. The group of more than twenty riders stretched the gap out to fifteen minutes approaching the first feed-station at Inverleigh.

Effectively the race was over.

Joel Pearson takes out the 2009 Melbourne to Warrnambool Classic.

For Decker to stay in contact with the lead group, let alone make it onto the podium in Warrnambool was a huge effort, and didn't go un-noticed by the appreciative crowd at the finish.

By the time the leaders had hit the category four climb out the back of Camperdown the gap was still hovering around 15 minutes. They began to splinter on the climb, riders began dropping off but who could blame them after 192 kilometres - there was still 70 to the finish!

A small group containing 2009 British Road Champion Kristian House of Rapha Condor; Savings and Loan's Jai Crawford and David Pell; Drapac Porsche's Rhys Pollock; Rock Racing's David Tanner and Pratie's Joshua Chugg had formed on the climb and began the search for the leaders.

It was the only real serious threat to the lead bunch through-out the race and although they had reduced the margin to under seven minutes by the time Pearson crossed the line it was always going to be a case of too little too late.

By the time any chasers from outside the original lead group had made it to Warrnambool Joel Pearson was sipping on a latte in the main street.

The podium celebrations begin in Warrnambool.

The likeable red-head formerly from Warragul an hours drive south-east of Melbourne,was apreciative of his teammate Dickerson's role in the break and indicated that he was definitely owed a 'few beers' that night.

Pearson had plenty of time to give a grand salute on Raglan Parade as he crossed the line; from well out he looked the winner. Around the same time another winner was looking the goods well out when Bart Cumming's So You Think saluted in the WS Cox Plate at Moonee Valley in Melbourne.

There's nothing like a grand salute at the finish.