It was by the barest of margins that Hone missed out on the overall general classification title, as eventual winner Samuel McKee (Launceston City CC) clinched the win in dramatic circumstances on the final stage.
With four different types of stages across two days, there was a need to be consistent, and Hone was exactly that with four top 10 finishes. In the first stage, a criterium, Hone was the first of the finishers to be classified in the group behind the leading pack, just four seconds down in 10th.
In the decisive road race stage, Hone was a part of a trio that distanced everyone, with the local star crossing the line in second place with the same time as the stage winner McKee.
Hone’s group finished 51 seconds ahead of the fourth-placed rider, and nearly five minutes ahead of 10th place, to ensure the overall result would be fought out between the three of them.
After the majority of the field finished on the same time in stage three, Hone was still second in the general classification, just four seconds down, with the overall win coming down to the final individual time trial.
The riders set off in reverse order, meaning Hone would be second last to leave, with race leader McKee the final rider to get under way. Averaging a blistering 39.4 km/h, Hone crossed the line to go top of the time sheet, covering the 16km course in 24 minutes and 22 seconds.
Hone would win the stage from McKee, but by only three seconds, meaning he missed out on the general classification by a single second.
Max Trewhella rode strongly across the weekend, recording a 12th place during the criterium on stage one, however he missed the move on the road race stage to finish nearly 13 minutes down on Hone in 18th, the same place he would finish in the overall general classification after stage four.