Individual Time Trial

On day one of the Championships teenager Sarah Gigante took another giant leap in her young but stellar career, surging to her maiden time trial crown on Wednesday.

Gigante soared over the two laps of the new and challenging technical 13-kilometre course, stopping the clock in 42mins 41.82secs to win by nine seconds over defending champion Grace Brown. 

"I am absolutely stoked, the time trial is always the race of truths, I just came hoping to come out here and give it my best shot,” said Gigante.

“I was meant to be sitting down in the hot seat, but I was not sitting down, I was up there sitting next to the computer biting everything. I’ve probably put holes in my new skinsuit, I was so excited.”

Luke Durbridge secured back-to-back time trial crowns with a dominant performance in the men's time trial. 

Eight years after claiming his first elite national time trial title, Durbridge, 28, added a fourth career time trial national title with a stellar ride ahead of reigning World Champion Rohan Dennis.

“It just gets more and more special and I think when you win them as a young guy, you don’t realise how special they are, and how hard they are to come by,” said Durbridge. 

Durbridge clocked 46mins 18.8secs to hold off the rainbow jersey of Rohan Dennis by seventeen seconds, with Chris Harper (Team Jumbo-Visma) a further one and a half minutes behind in third. 

“Every year I come here I am super motivated, I am a proud Aussie,” said Durbridge. “Rohan is the world champion and the world’s best, so what better way to prepare than trying to beat Rohan. It is a good marker, I don’t think you get a better marker.”

Criterium

Horrid conditions decimated the elite men’s field in the national criterium championships with well over half the field unable to finish the race or deciding not to start at all. 

Reigning team pursuit world champion and world record holder, Sam Welsford battled through the conditions to claim his first elite road medal along with his maiden national road title and could not contain his excitement after crossing the line first. 

“I am over the moon. This has been in the back of my mind to try to win this race. Last year I missed the mark a little bit so it's great to come back this year and take the win,” said Welsford.

“It was extremely tough, it was so wet, I couldn't even see ten metres in front of me at some points. But it was about sticking to what you know and trying to move forward and backing yourself for the tough long sprint.

“This is pretty special to me as I haven't had as much success on the road, as I have on the track, so to have my first elite medal on the road to be gold, it is just unbelievable.

“For me to be able to sprint against some of the best guys, it sets me up for post 2020 and where I want to be, and that is on the road.”

Kaden Groves rode brilliantly to finish second just ahead of home town hero Nicholas White in third. 

Welsford's Team Pursuit teammate Kelland O'Brien continued the strong track performances, winning the U-23 criterium.

In the women’s race, Chloe Hosking took the victory in a thrilling sprint to the finish to claim her maiden elite national title. 

Prior to the start, the women’s race was shortened from 40 down to 30 to ensure the finish avoided the fading light.

Because of the treacherous conditions, the peloton stuck together for the majority of the race with a few attacks from riders like Hosking and Lauren Kitchen but when the bell rang the peloton was grouped together. 

2018 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Hosking edged Brunswick’s young star Ruby Roseman-Gannon and Mitchelton Scott’s Gracie Elvin who rounded out the podium.

“This is my first elite national jersey, despite being around forever, so it is nice,” said Hosking. 

“It was important for me this year as I am going to America to race with an American team and we do a lot of criteriums. I really wanted to take the green and gold crit jersey with me and I have done that so I am really excited. 

“It is phenomenal seeing so many young women coming through in Australian cycling, we have seen with Sarah Gigante and now with Ruby. it is really exciting to see the depth coming through in Australia.”

Road Race

On the final day of competition, Beijing 2008's Cameron Meyer became the first Australian man to claim the Road National Championships trifecta after securing an emotional maiden road race crown in a stunning final lap attack in Buninyong on Sunday. 

Twelve years after finishing fourth as a 21-year-old in his first elite race, and just twelve months after leading the race inside the final few kilometres before being edged to the bronze medal, Meyer added the grueling elite men’s road race to his dual time trial (2010, 2011) and criterium (2013) crowns.

The nine-time track world champion was overcome with emotion at the finish line after securing the road race win in his 12th attempt.

“I have no words to describe this. It means so much to me, there is a lot of emotion on this day, there is a lot of history in it for me.

"Twelve years ago at 21, I fell in love with this race.” said Meyer, who turned 32 on Saturday.

“It has been a long time coming, everyone asks me all my stories over all the years and now I can tell them this is the best story of the lot.

“Last year was so emotional, and with about three kilometres to go I knew I was going to win it and the emotion nearly took over so I had to hold it together,” Meyer added.

“Something ticked over in me there, I didn’t want to come back for a thirteenth time, I’m glad I have the jersey now and it is definitely a highlight in my career.”

Dual Olympian Amanda Spratt claimed her third road race crown with a dominant final sprint.

"This was an emotional one and I can’t thank my team enough for the belief and support to make it happen," Spratt said of her win.

"It's super special to have family, friends and my coach all roadside too. This isn’t my win it’s our win."

She also singled out teammate and bronze medallist Grace Brown for her role in the victory.

"Special mention to the amazing Grace Brown,  for an absolutely selfless ride becoming the super motor of our breakaway"

Australian Cycling Team/olympics.com.au