Ocean Grove rider Stephen Draper explained he had to take six toilet stops while competing in the Melbourne to Warrnambool Cycling Classic.

"(It was because) it was a little cold," he said. "Coming down the highway in the morning it's three or four degrees."

The Geelong Cycling Club member didn't let his bladder interrupt him too much, choosing not to pull over.

"A lot of guys do but a lot manage to lean to one side, then you don't have to stop," he said. "You can keep rolling along."

Having to slightly decrease the tempo to carry out his business - which he revealed often gave riders stage fright - didn't set him back too much but a punctured tyre midway through the race was an unwanted distraction.

"The bunch was going quite hard at that particular time so I had to grovel my way back in," Draper said. "When we went through the feed zone at Lismore, boys went flat out through that bit.

"A couple managed to stay back in our group ? Kristian House and some other favourites ? but of course we still couldn't get back to that (front) group."

There was no C grade rider in the lead bunch, which enabled Draper - cycling in his fifth classic - to claim the C grade title.

He clocked in at six hours, 44 minutes and 19 seconds, which was 15 minutes and 54 seconds behind winner Joel Pearson.

"I'm turning 40 shortly," Draper conceded. "I hope to do (the classic) a few more times."

He enjoyed pedalling through the Lakes and Craters, with scenery the reason he entered yesterday's inaugural Shipwreck Coast Classic which included the Great Ocean Road.

"It's beautiful countryside," he said. "You can't not do it."

He thanked all the people who lined the course and gathered at the finish line to support the classic.

Camperdown Cycling Club's Dylan Hately (6:54.52) was third in C grade and fourth was Camperdown's Steve Pickles (6:55.06).