In a flashback to a previous life supplying cycling magazines with photos, I had the opportunity yesterday to photograph some world class riders doing their thing.
Finally, following the World Cyclocross Championships, bike racing on roads got started in 2021. While the European season got started on the same day, with the Etoile De Besseges won by Cofidis rider Christophe Laporte, on the other end of the world, the Australian National Championships Time Trial got underway in Ballarat (a former gold mining hot-spot, 100Km north of Melbourne). So, who struck gold?
Rather than an opportunity for European based World Tour riders to show their dominance, the 2021 event turned out slightly differently – thanks to 20 year old, youngster from Melbourne, Lucas Plapp. Plapp rode the challenging 37.5 Km course averaging nearly 49 KPH, to beat Luke Durbridge by 43 seconds.
Youth was definitely on the top step of the podium in the Elite Women’s race. Following her emphatic win in last year’s edition, Sarah Gigante proved the strongest again with an awesome ride from the Melbourne based 20 year old. Both Plapp and Gigante rode for the Melbourne based Brunswick Cycling Club.
With both winners just 20 years old, the next generation of Australian talent is looking very strong. It will be good to see how they both go in their Road Races at the weekend.
Mens 37.5 Km Race Result
| 1. | Lucas PLAPP (InForm TMX Make) | 46:00.73 | ||||
| 2. | Luke DURBRIDGE (Team Bike Exchange) | 46:43.50 | ||||
| 3. | Kelland O’BRIEN (InForm TMX MAKE) | 47:11.72 | ||||
| 4. | Chris HARPER (Team Jumbo Visma) | 47:28.56 | ||||
| 5. | Lucas HAMILTON (Team Bike Exchange) | 49:01.39 | ||||
| 6. | Alastair CHRISTIE-JOHNSTON (Team BridgeLane) | 49:27.95 |
Women 28.6 Km Race Result
| 1. | Sarah GIGANTE* (Team Tibco–Silicon Valley Bank) | 40:41.1 | ||||
| 2. | Grace BROWN (Team Bike Exchange) | 40:58.0 | ||||
| 3. | Nicole FRAIN (Sydney Uni – Staminade) | 44:39.0 | ||||
| 4. | Danielle DE FRANCESCO (Specialized Women’s Racing) | 44:47.8 | ||||
| 5. | Alana FORSTER | 44:48.6 | ||||
See our road & time trial framesets here
Race ready TT / Tri race bikes here
Time Trial helmets here
