2024 was the year O'Brien began to retreat a bit from cycling, with an emphasis on work and family, but that landmark victory made it even more difficult to skip the races, which will take place on 2/8 and 9th, and will be part of the new Probero Super League in 2025.
The line "No one asks a fisherman whether to retire" was one of his favorite reactions when asked if he would quit racing and retire, according to O'Brien told Cyclingnews earlier this year. The line was also useful this week as riders stepped up as defending champions at the start of the 2025 race.
"I think I first saw Warni when I was 8 years old. I remember being there many times when Dave McKenzie won, when Simon Gerrans won, when Jamie Drew won," O'Brien told DISC Velodrome this week about the launch of Melbourne's next edition to Warrnambool
"And then of course I started doing it myself and kicked my head a few times, and I was like, "I'm going to be here." In 2010 was the second and I go right, "I'm going to win it next year." This is what I'm going to go back to," and I just kept trying to try... It's just a huge event for me, something I've always seen, and I've seen a lot of friends win it and go to the top tier," said the 2024 solo winner.
"It's not about it for me, it's just the thing I want to do and I love to challenge myself on those hard races to get everyone started to fall apart and eventually get my name on the honor roll I was on for a month."
The 37-year-old hobby cyclist now often uses the commute to and from work to help rack up his 16-18 hours a week of cycling and his evening workouts to keep up with his coaching clients, so he will be riding together in Warrnambool Melbourne." Many of the people you can find here.
However, despite the training time constraints, riders are looking forward to making the most of their lined-up experience as defending champions, so they won't wait until the last minute to sign up for 2025, which they are already committed to.
"It's actually going to be a real novelty," O'Brien said. "For my type of rider, I don't win that often, so I'm really excited to go there with number one on my back. I'll probably have to wait another 13 years for the stars to align, but I'll go back as fit as I can and see what I can do."O'Brien, who won the first edition of Sutton Grange Winery Uncorked Gravel in May of this year, is the latest winner of Warrnambool Melbourne. Given that he had already been targeted as a good rider to follow a given sprint, he said he wouldn't change the way he rides a lot.
"They know that if they run away with me, they will beat me at the finish," he said, briefly explaining if there was a chance in 2025 if the race progressed
"If I have good legs, you will know about it - I will attack and run."
Melbourne to Warrnambool will deliver the 1st round of the race in the Probero Super League, following the South Australian opener of Stage 1-18-20 from 3-2. The race at Raglan Parade in Warrnambool will be the first of the 4-day classic in a 3-day stage race of 1 day.
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