Road Nationals isn’t just for professional and elite riders to seek glory. It’s also a chance for club riders to have a crack at a national title in the club teams time trials.
Today, teams of four from myriad cycling clubs took off from the Federation University campus in Ballarat, testing themselves against the clock and their rivals.
Among them were seasoned racers and first-timers; teenagers and veteran club riders.
These are some of the stories from day four of racing at the 2023 Federation University Road National Championships.
‘ONE FOR THE MEMORY BOOKS’: VETERAN RACER PETER MILOSTIC MAKES DEBUT WITH TEENAGE SON
It was a particularly special day at Road Nationals for seasoned campaigner Peter Milostic, who for the first time raced with 16-year-old son Lyndon.
The pair, together with Peter Wakefield and former Giro d’Italia competitor Tom Leaper, took out the Open Men’s Time Club Team Time Trial racing for Penrith Cycling Club.
Milostic, 48, who has countless road racing achievements to his name including second in the individual time trial at the 2004 National Championship, said today’s race was one of the best.
“Today to be up on the podium with my son, it’s a bit emotional. My mum passed away a while ago but she would have loved it; it’s special,” Milostic said.
“I’ve been in this sport ever since I was 16. To be racing with my son at 16, it’s a special day. This is one for the memory books. I’ve won a lot of races but this one is right up there with the best.
“It was an absolute honour to race with my son, something I’ve dreamt about ever since he was born.”
Lyndon has now switched from watching his dad race from the roadside, to following his wheel on the course.
“My motivation was sitting on their wheel. It was pretty fun chasing my dad and Peter Wakefield because I’ve watched them for years, and now I know how hard they really do race, and it was good fun out there,” Lyndon said.
The Penrith Cycling Club team finished 1:45.96 ahead of Carnegie Caufield CC in second and 2:11.17 ahead of third-placed Ballarat / Sebastopol CC.
QUEENSLANDERS SOAK UP FIRST NATIONALS EVENT
It was a tough, but rewarding, day on course for the first-time racers from Kangaroo Point Cycling Club who made the journey from Queensland for their first Club Teams Time Trials National Championships.
Kym Krey, Sally Caraher and Selina Green and Kelly Taylor pulled together a team just five weeks ago for the event, after some club TT events were cancelled.
“This is the first women’s team we’ve sent interstate for a team event, and this sets a bit of a profile for our club and women in cycling,” Kelly said.
“This is about raising the profile of female participation at another level in cycling.”
Out on course, the women said it was a battle against the headwind and early climbs on the course, but they used each others’ strengths to push through.
“I found it tough from the start line. It was a climb out of the University and then it was a really tough climb over the hill, and then once we got up over the top of Gear Avenue we could start to settle in,” Sally said.
The team finished second in the Masters Women 120 category.
HUGE ST KILDA CONTINGENT MAKES PRESENCE KNOWN
There was a sea of red, yellow and white on the time trial course with a strong showing of St Kilda Cycling Club riders taking part in the club teams time trials.
Twenty-eight women across seven teams competed in the event, as well as one team of four men from the Melbourne club.
Daniela Mollica, whose team conquered the Masters Women 150 category, said it was great day on the course.
“The ride was amazing, we won! We built our three-times nemesis, Harlequin,” she said.
“The team that I was with, we do one of the St Kilda training rides – the Wednesday morning one – together on a regular basis, so we’re used to riding with each other as a team.
“We’re all on the wrong side of 50, so it was very easy to put our team together. Because we’re used to riding with each other, we know how to work together. Even though we don’t do a lot of team time trials, because we train together as a club, we know how to ride together.”
St Kilda CC won five of the 10 categories contested today.
For full results, visit the 2023 Road Nationals results page.
Photos: Josh Chadwick
More than 280 riders tackled Mount Buninyong on Saturday in the 2023 AusCycling Gran Fondo National Championships.
Participants completed five laps of the 11.6km circuit, climbing 205m each lap, with the grade maxing out at 8.4%. Riders ranged in age from 19 to more than 75 years of age.
A selection of images from the 2023 AusCycling Gran Fondo National Championships National Championships are available below.
Individual Category Winners
19-34 Female
- Georgia Lenton Williams
19-34 Male
- Angus Sutherland
35-39 Female
- Amy Bradley
35-39 Male
- Josh Brooker
40-44 Female
- Gill Lugg
40-44 Male
- Brett Kingston
45-49 Female
- Heidi Hunt
45-49 Male
- Matt Sparnon
50-54 Female
- Kelly Phuah
50-54 Male
- Chris Ling
55-59 Female
- Meredith Clark
55-59 Male
- Alan Adams
60-64 Female
- Angela MacRae
60-64 Male
- Alan Nelson
65-69 Female
- Meg Parnaby
65-60 Male
- Toni Horne
70-74 Female
- Catherine Lewis
70-74 Male
- Roger Cull
75+ Male
- George Goodrope
Team Category Winners
Teams Male 150+
- Northside Cluster
Teams Male 180+
- MWCC
Teams Men 150+
- AMP Racing
Teams Men 90+
- Fed Falcons
17-year-old Canberran Oscar Chamberlain has bounced back from disappointment in the Junior Men’s Road Race to win the Junior Men’s Individual Time Trial crown.
Chamberlain was at his best on Monday morning, recording a time of 24 minutes and 16 seconds on the 18.8km course at an average speed of 46.46km/h – a new course record for U19 Men.
The AG2R Citroën U19 Team rider’s winning time was 41 seconds ahead of ARA Skip Capital’s silver medallist Wil Holmes, and 46 seconds ahead of Saturday’s road race winner Joshua Cranage, who collected bronze.
Oscar Chamberlain was at his best for the time trial. Picture: ZW Photography/Zac Williams
HE SAID IT
“It feels good. Obviously, after the road race I was a bit disappointed. Fourth isn’t terrible but I was looking for the win, but to get the win here is pretty good,” Chamberlain said.
“It wasn’t too windy, it’s not crazy hot, so it was pretty much perfect for a time trial.
“It’s super special [to pull on the jersey], I’ll be able to wear it when I’m overseas in the TT, so I’m looking forward to that.”
Oscar Chamberlain is looking forward to wearing the green and gold in Europe for time trials in 2023. Picture: Josh Chadwick
(On changes for 2023) “As soon as I swapped teams to AG2R Under-19 I changed coaches. Working with him it’s a bit different to my old coach. Obviously, I’ve been doing quite a few hours on the bike. The riding isn’t the sole importance, recovery and nutrition is also important, so I’ve been working on all aspects for this.
“I’ve got a team camp in February, and then after that the Classics start. I’ll try to win as many of them as possible. E3 [Saxo Bank Classic Juniors – Chamberlain is the defending champion] is a big goal, Paris-Roubaix is another big one.”
Felicity Wilson-Haffenden has confirmed her status as a rising star of Australian cycling, obliterating the Junior Women’s Individual Time Trial field by nearly two minutes at Federation University’s Mount Helen Campus in Ballarat.
The 17-year-old was all business as the last junior woman to roll down the start ramp for the 18.8km course, recording a time of 26 minutes and 41 seconds at an average speed of 42.26km/h.
It is the Team BridgeLane rider’s second national championship in 48 hours, after winning the road race in a sprint finish on Saturday.
The 2023 Junior Women’s Individual Time Trial National Championship podium. Picture: ZW Photography/Zac Williams
The Tasmanian’s winning margin to ARA Skip Capital’s silver medallist Lauren Bates was one minute and 51 seconds.
Wilson-Haffenden’s Team BridgeLane teammate Talia Appleton collected her second bronze medal of the week, finishing two minutes and six seconds behind the new national champion.
SHE SAID IT
“I came into this RoadNats trying to be competitive, improve on last year, but to come away with two golds and a silver, I can’t believe it. And for the team, it’s a testament to the support they’ve given me. We’ve been together for one week; it’s looking pretty good for the team, I reckon,” Wilson-Haffenden said.
“I don’t think we could’ve imagined much better [for the team], for both of us to get two medals [ie Felicity and Talia]; Nicole rode so well in her first year of under-19s; the future’s looking pretty good for us.”
Felicity Wilson-Haffenden and elite teammate Emily Watts soak in the moment after the Junior Women’s Individual Time Trial. Picture: ZW Photography/Zac Williams
(Should the rest of cycling be scared of BridgeLane?): “Yeah, why not? We’ve been together for one week and look at what we’ve achieved, the under-23s and elites, as well. We’re here to make our mark, we’re here to be in the races, and people should be keeping their eyes out.”
(RR versus TT) “The road race is so unpredictable. I was nervous for that, but you get to build into it. I think I was nearly sick before this race. It’s only you and the clock, if you mess it up, you mess it up, it’s all on you. So, to come away with the win it feels just as good.”
