It is all over for another year. The top national award in the sport of cycling has played out in Ballarat to a thrilled audience. For the four days of the cycling festival Ballarat has been on show and has proved again it can put a on a great show. Whether it is the exciting criterium on one of the great boulevards in Australia or the thrills and agony posed by the Buninyong course, this is a city that does cycling proud.
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Now the hard work begins in reasserting Ballarat’s right to hold the annual event. The rise and rise of cycling in the decade since Ballarat first held the championships shows just how keenly the competition has sharpened. It has risen in profile as an elite sport, has flourished in the recreational flow-on areas and boomed as a tourism industry. Other events now crowd the weeks which start the international cycling year. The Tour down under has UCI status and attracts international attention and reaps the consequent rewards in tourism and attention. The Herald Sun Tour has received a new lease of life and Cadel Evans own race in Geelong is gaining momentum. The place of the Road Nationals among these is not diminished by this scheduling but rather enhanced by the crowded calendar. And every rider knows that secret joy in anticipating the honour of wearing the jersey that sets them down as the nation’s best.
There has been considerable debate from the cycling fraternity about the road race course and more particularly the fact it remains largely the same each year. But this could be said to be an opportunity rather than a necessary limitation. Innovation in the route around Ballarat could bring fresh challenges and fresh excitement. As a starting point the Buninyong course has the elements that make for great racing; a tough hill, a fast technical descent and an open spectator-friendly finish. While some pure sprinters have complained about its difficulties, the route itself has shown itself capable of delivering some wildly different results. Yesterday’s men’s event was anybody’s race right down to the last lap as breakaways wilted and numerous strong men did battle right down to the line. But it was the cunning and daring of Scotson that sealed victory. Last year its was a heroic solo effort by Jack Bobridge in a pattern of results full of surprises. Veteran Simon Gerrans will be disappointed but he too has thrilled the crowd in the past with a brilliant upset. Whatever the result, a great event and a great place to hold it.
