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The 2016 Cycling Australia National Road Championships got underway on Wednesday, with the criteriums, but the first major event of the week comes today, with both the men’s and women’s individual time trials being staged.
Racing will be held south of Ballarat, starting in Buninyong and heading south along hilly roads, before turning around and making their way back into Buninyong.
The women head out first, and will tackle 29.3 kilometres of road, while the elite men will suffer an extra 11.6 kilometres (40.9 kilometres in total) of pain.
As both courses are reasonably long, riders will need to be patient and use their energy in key sections.
The course is hilly, but the hills are long and gradual, and should not hurt the genuine time trialists who favour the flatlands.
While Australia has a plethora of time trialling talent, unfortunately few of the big guns come out to play at the national championships, and this year is no different.
For example Orica-GreenEDGE, Australia’s only team in the WorldTour, are only entering three riders across the two elite races.
Elite women’s
Katrin Garfoot is the clear favourite after a stellar season where her most notable performance was finishing fourth at the World Championships in the individual time trial.
She will be hard to beat, but last year’s champion, Shara Gillow, will be wanting to come back and regain her title.
After a below-par 2014, Gillow moved teams to Rabo-Liv and had a solid season, finishing inside the top 10 at the Giro Rosa. However, after winning the Australian time trial crown on her first race day of the season, she failed to finish inside the top ten in another time trial stage for the year.
The hilly course should suit her, but Garfoot has earned a reputation after an outstanding end of last season.
Other riders to watch include winner of the recent Bay Crits Gracie Elvin, Tiffany Cromwell, Bridie O’Donnell, Rebecca Mackey and Anna-Leeza Hull.
Elite men’s
Rohan Dennis had a break out year last year, winning the Tour Down Under, claiming the opening stage time trial at the Tour de France, and finishing sixth at the World Championships. So who can challenge him?
One man is last year’s national champion in the discipline Richie Porte. Porte will want to win the Tour Down Under later in the month, so getting one up over his new BMC teammate, Dennis, early will be an important confidence booster.
Two other names that stand out are former Under-23 world time trial champions Jack Bobridge and Damien Howson.
After racing for Budget Forklifts in the NRS last year, and making a return to the track, Bobridge has moved back into the WorldTour ranks with Trek. It is an important year for Bobridge, who has set his sights on glory on the track at the Rio Olympics, while backing himself on the road once again. Early success will be paramount.
After a solid first season at Orica Orica-GreenEDGE, Howson will be looking to kick onto bigger and better things. Performing well in the first month of racing in Australia is the perfect way to show his potential.
Other names to look out for include Jordan Kerby, Ben Dyball and Alexander Edmondson (if he takes part).
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