The Final Moments to Inverell: Nathan Elliott vs Raph Freienstein
In this podcast interview with Nathan Elliot (Bennelong Swisswellness) – winner of the 2018 Grafton to Inverell – we deep dive into the final moments of the race. Both Nathan and Raphael (Raph) Freienstein (InForm Make) attacked the breakaway at roughly 40km before the finish line. They both remained off the front, not visible to the remnants of the peloton until the final moments of this 228 km one-day classic. With roughly 30 riders breathing down their necks, both Raph and Nathan sprinted to the finish line shoulder-to-shoulder in a tantalising finish.
As we all know by now, Nathan took a well-deserved win, but only by millimetres to a man who was equally deserved. What happened in the final moment of the race between Nathan & Raph?
Listen to the podcast:
[podcast]
Show Notes:
Show Sponsor: Bennelong Funds Management
4:42 minutes: Nathan discusses how he got into road cycling. His pathway was unique, not picking up a road bike (his dad’s) until he had finished school and was studying at University. Road cycling was originally an idea to keep fit for playing footy for his team, Diamond Creek.
7:45 minutes: Road cycling quickly became a ‘thing’ for Nathan. He discusses how one thing led to another, despite not really having much awareness of his ultra-endurance capabilities.
9:15 minutes: Nathan discusses riding for his first NRS team. The pathway and the lessons he learned.
11:00 minutes: Nathan discusses some of his stints in the US. He describes how he approached US teams and the reasons why he enjoyed racing there.
12:30 minutes: After Nathan won his first Melbourne to Warrnambool (Warny) he describes how he approached IsoWhey (now Bennelong Swisswellness), and then ultimately how he joined the team.
13:00 minutes: The 2016 Warny win. We go back in time as Nathan talks us through his first big win.
15:15 minutes: Nathan describes his accident in 2017. After being picked up by IsoWhey, Nathan was struck down by a car while training in Adelaide at the Tour Down Under. He describes his recovery process.
18:15 minutes: After the accident, Nathan’s first race back on the bike was the 2016 Grafton to Inverell. Nathan describes that race and his capacity to perform solidly, despite several months off the bike.
19:35 minutes: Nathan went on to win the 2017 Warny, despite the serious accident at the start of the year. Nathan describes the mental preparation and his ability to target an event.
21:00 minutes: Nathan reminds us all of his ultra-endurance capacity by walking us through his Warny race in 2017. The attacks, the breakaways, and the sensational finish.
24:10 minutes: A deep dive into the Grafton to Inverell. Notably, the morning of the race and then fast-forwarding to the final moments with Raph. Nathan describes the cat and mouse tactics and his mental approach during those final moments.
32:00 minutes: Nathan discusses what the Grafton to Inverell win means for his season goals and his cycling career more broadly.
34:30 minutes: The podcast is rounded out by discussing the Bennelong Swisswellness team. The culture, the ethos, and the goals for the remainder of 2018.
Photography by Bruce Wilson Photography
