Kalma claims historic win for OTOC Vault
OTOC Vault rider Guy Kalma snared this year’s Tour de Perth in a tense criterium at Langley Park yesterday, capping a fairytale National Road Series debut for the local team.
Kalma, 20, claimed the yellow jersey with a strong ride in Saturday’s Kalamunda road-race stage, one second ahead of Budget Forklifts rider Jack Bobridge.
An 18th-place finish yesterday was enough for him to hold on to that margin and claim the win, with Bobridge second and Charter Mason Giant’s Sam Crome third.
Angus Tobin (search2retain) took out yesterday’s final stage.
OTOC Vault director Brad Hall said the team was still coming to grips with an outstanding debut.
“It was an incredible ride,” Hall said. “I don’t think in the history of the (National Road Series) a team in their inaugural year has won GC before in their first race.”
He said the result could open plenty of doors for Kalma.
“Guy just put himself in the right positions at the right times and rode himself into the race,” Hall said.
“He had a good prologue, didn’t lose any time, then at Perry Lakes he was away all day with one other rider and finished top 10 there.
“Then on the Kalamunda stage up the final climb he managed to ride with Bobridge and some of Australia’s best power climbers and taking yellow by a second.
“Today was a hell of a day. The team had to ride on the front of the race for 90 minutes against teams that really have a 10-fold budget compared to what we do.”
