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Amanda Spratt and Jack Bobridge were the winners of the women’s and men’s elite road races at the Australian road championships on Sunday.
REPORT: SPRATT WINS SECOND CHAMPIONSHIP
Spratt sprinted to win her second national title in the women’s race, putting her name forward for Olympic selection as she did with her first title in 2012.
REPORT: BOBRIDGE STARS AT BALLARAT
It was Bobridge’s second title also after he first won in 2011. He went clear by himself about halfway through the race and hung on to beat second-place Cam Meyer by almost three minutes.
After the hotly contested criteriums and time trials, we now come the crown jewel of the Cycling Australia Road Championships, the men’s and women’s elite road races. Join The Roar for all the action from Ballarat from 1pm (AEDT).
For keen Australian viewers, you should be familiar with the route being ridden, it being exactly the same as it has been for the previous few years, the main attraction of the course centering around the main climb of Mt Buninyong and the fast descent into the finish.
Elite women’s
As I alluded to above, this year’s edition of the race is the first time it has been held on the same day as the men, in an attempt to increase the profile of the race, and to allow for it to be broadcast live.
The women will be starting off the day extremely early with race start for the 102 kilometre race scheduled for 8am.
The course is fairly simple, with a difficult long ramp of 2.3 kilometres at over five per cent to start off, then a fast flowing descent back into town.
Expect Orica AIS to do the majority of the work, with both Gracie Elvin and Katrin Garfoot coming into the race with great form after success in the early part of the season already. They should have enough depth to send multiple strong riders up into the break as well, so they have a variety of ways to attack the race.
Let’s not write off riders like Shara Gillow and Tiffany Cromwell though, who have shown that they can climb with the best in the world.
Former Australian time trial champion Gillow showed herself as an improving climber, taking a top 10 at the Giro Rosa last year, while Cromwell always produces on hilly stages.
Other riders to look out for include Amanda Spratt, Rachel Neylan, Peta Mullens, Ruth Corset and Kimberley Wells.
Elite men’s
While the women clock up just over 100 kilometres, the men take on an extra eight laps of the course before they come down the final descent towards the finish.
What makes the elite men’s road race my favourite race of the week is the different ways it has been won in the past.
In 2013, it was won by Luke Durbridge, who placed himself in the breakaway, and rode away from his companions in the final few laps to solo to victory, whereas in 2014, it was taken out by Simon Gerrans, who won in a three up sprint between himself, Cadel Evans and Richie Porte.
After three years of dominating the race, last year Orica-GreenEDGE failed to win the title for the first time in their short history, with punchy sprinter Heinrich Haussler taking out the win in front of Caleb Ewan.
So for mine, the race can be won three ways, via the break, a bunch sprint or from an elite group. This is ultimately why l love this race.
If it comes to a sprint, then Caleb Ewan has to be the hot favourite, after showing the crowd last year that he not only has a fast finish, but can also handle himself over both the distance, and the terrain to feature in the final. After winning Bay Crits, and the Criterium title on Wednesday, he is definitely worth a punt.
Also watch out for last year’s champ Haussler, who disappointed in the national champions jersey last year, but will want to win it again this year.
In terms of a breakaway, then an Orica-GreenEDGE rider would be a favourite. 2013 was a fairly simple win for OGE in terms of tactics. Put a few riders in it, don’t do any work to bring it back, just follow attacks of the riders trying to bridge, and the race will take shape.
I think, though, that the peloton has learnt its lesson from then, so I doubt we will see the winner arise through this tactic.
What I do see is a small elite group getting to the line, with riders attacking over Mt Buninyong over its final pass to get away. Gerrans, Dennis, Porte, Haas, Meyer, Hansen and Clarke are just some of the names that should feature in the final.
It is Orica’s race to lose, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they were upstaged once again.
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