The Ballarat 21-year-old claimed the jersey in the Mars Cycling Australia Road Championships in Buninyong on Saturday.

But it was battle.

Gillett narrowly avoided being lapped by the race leaders, which would have forced him to retire and ineligible to receive the sprint championship jersey.

He had just the length of the home straight to spare when he crossed the finish line for the second last time in the 122.4km (12 laps) event.

Gillett picked up enough points for the title as a member of a three-man breakaway in the opening six laps.

From there it was a battle to the line.

He just missed out making it a double with the King of the Mountain, in which he was second.

Gillett has been signed by an Italian-based team for 2012.

World track champion and pre-race favourite Rohan Dennis (South Australia) won the road race title from Victorian Eric Sheppard in a two-way sprint, with Calvin Watson (Victoria) third.