ID :
39917
Sat, 01/10/2009 - 19:41
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Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/39917
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Ryan, Bobridge win rare cycling double
Two riders at the forefront of Australian cycling's new guard have completed rare doubles at the national open road championships.
Queenslander Carla Ryan and South Australian under-23 competitor Jack Bobridge won the road races on Saturday, after they also took out Wednesday's time trials in their divisions.
Two-time Olympian Oenone Wood is the only other rider to have won two titles in the
one year at the road nationals since they were made open in 1999, winning the 2004
elite women time trial and road race.
New national women's road coach Martin Barras said Ryan was the top woman at these
titles.
"We can come out of these championships with one rider having put her hand up,
saying 'here I am, take me to the races'," he said.
Ryan also won the elite time trial two years ago, but this was her first road race
win, anywhere, since she took up competitive cycling in 2005.
She had no expectations going into the road race, but knew she had good legs with
two laps left in the 10-lap, 102km race at Buninyong, near Ballarat.
The 23-year-old attacked at the start of the last lap and won by 40 seconds.
Queensland swept the elite women's podium - 31-year-old mother of two Ruth Corset
won the four-rider sprint for second and Nikki Butterfield was third.
"I knew I was riding strongly from the time trial, but I didn't particularly expect
to get a result ... I'm rapt that I got one," Ryan said.
Told she had emulated Wood, Ryan replied: "That means a lot - to be classed among
riders like her, I'm really happy."
Wood is among a large group of top Australian cyclists who have retired in the last
year.
The women's road race clearly lacked the likes of Wood to control the tempo.
Corset had the biggest result of her career and former three-time world rowing
champion Amber Halliday again impressed, spending a lot of time at the front of the
main bunch before taking 19th.
ACT rider Vicki Whitelaw was fourth and Great Britain's Sharon Laws was fifth after
her shock second placing last year.
The top five, along with under-23 competitor Shara Gillow, were the dominant riders
in the last few laps.
South Australian Alexis Rhodes attacked by herself on lap seven and gained a minute,
but was caught on the next circuit and she did not finish.
Victorian Peta Mullens finished seventh overall to take out the under-23 title,
ahead of West Australian Sarah Kent and Tiffany Cronwwell from South Australia.
Other notable competitors included German star Judith Arndt, who was 12th.
Kathy Watt was 13th and Olympic rower Sally Robbins was among the 39 riders out of
the field of 69 who did not finish in the warm, windy conditions.
Earlier on Saturday, Bobridge won a four-rider bunch sprint to win the 122km
under-23 men's race.
The Beijing Olympian also took out the under-23 time trial and the 19-year-old is
destined for a big professional career in Europe.
Michael Matthews tied with Mark O'Brien for second and Nathan Earle took fourth.
The nationals end on Sunday with the 162km elite men's road race, where Matt Lloyd
will defend his title.
Queenslander Carla Ryan and South Australian under-23 competitor Jack Bobridge won the road races on Saturday, after they also took out Wednesday's time trials in their divisions.
Two-time Olympian Oenone Wood is the only other rider to have won two titles in the
one year at the road nationals since they were made open in 1999, winning the 2004
elite women time trial and road race.
New national women's road coach Martin Barras said Ryan was the top woman at these
titles.
"We can come out of these championships with one rider having put her hand up,
saying 'here I am, take me to the races'," he said.
Ryan also won the elite time trial two years ago, but this was her first road race
win, anywhere, since she took up competitive cycling in 2005.
She had no expectations going into the road race, but knew she had good legs with
two laps left in the 10-lap, 102km race at Buninyong, near Ballarat.
The 23-year-old attacked at the start of the last lap and won by 40 seconds.
Queensland swept the elite women's podium - 31-year-old mother of two Ruth Corset
won the four-rider sprint for second and Nikki Butterfield was third.
"I knew I was riding strongly from the time trial, but I didn't particularly expect
to get a result ... I'm rapt that I got one," Ryan said.
Told she had emulated Wood, Ryan replied: "That means a lot - to be classed among
riders like her, I'm really happy."
Wood is among a large group of top Australian cyclists who have retired in the last
year.
The women's road race clearly lacked the likes of Wood to control the tempo.
Corset had the biggest result of her career and former three-time world rowing
champion Amber Halliday again impressed, spending a lot of time at the front of the
main bunch before taking 19th.
ACT rider Vicki Whitelaw was fourth and Great Britain's Sharon Laws was fifth after
her shock second placing last year.
The top five, along with under-23 competitor Shara Gillow, were the dominant riders
in the last few laps.
South Australian Alexis Rhodes attacked by herself on lap seven and gained a minute,
but was caught on the next circuit and she did not finish.
Victorian Peta Mullens finished seventh overall to take out the under-23 title,
ahead of West Australian Sarah Kent and Tiffany Cronwwell from South Australia.
Other notable competitors included German star Judith Arndt, who was 12th.
Kathy Watt was 13th and Olympic rower Sally Robbins was among the 39 riders out of
the field of 69 who did not finish in the warm, windy conditions.
Earlier on Saturday, Bobridge won a four-rider bunch sprint to win the 122km
under-23 men's race.
The Beijing Olympian also took out the under-23 time trial and the 19-year-old is
destined for a big professional career in Europe.
Michael Matthews tied with Mark O'Brien for second and Nathan Earle took fourth.
The nationals end on Sunday with the 162km elite men's road race, where Matt Lloyd
will defend his title.
