An extension to the Cycling Australia Road National Championships road race circuit will take riders through the Federation University’s Mt Helen campus precinct.
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Retired Ballarat professional cyclist Pat Shaw, who was on a Cycling Australia committee specially formed to review the nationals’ courses in Ballarat, believes the change has the potential to put more riders in contention in the closing kilometres.
He expects the more technical nature of the new section, which replaces a downhill dash in Fisken Road, to make it easier for lead riders who lose time on the Mt Buninyong climb on the last lap to get back into title contention.
Shaw said the Fed Uni addition would most likely slow frontrunning riders down as they executed roundabouts and undulations, improving the chances of chasers shutting down gaps.
He said the most important thing about the change was that it was different – offering a new challenge to riders without compromising the tough nature of the road race, with a view to ensuring the long-term future of the nationals in Ballarat.
Cycling Australia chairman Steve Bracks launched the nationals on Monday at a ceremony at Federation University, which is the new naming rights sponsor of the championships.
Reigning elite men’s road race champion Miles Scotson, 2017 elite women’s road race bronze medallist Lucy Kennedy, para-cycling champion Carol Cooke and Ballarat professional rider Liam White were among guests.
The championships on January 3-7 have been expanded from elite and under-23 criterium, time trial and road race categories to include under-19s and para-cycling.
All criteriums will again be in Sturt Street on Wednesday, January 3; para time trials at Buninyong on January 4; para road races at Bo Peep and under-19, under-23, club team and elite time trials on an unchanged course at Buninyong on January 5; under-19 and under-23 road races at Buninyong on January 6; and under-23 and elite road races at Buninyong on January 7.
Kennedy said she was looking forward to tackling the new-look road race circuit, which had been extended from 10.2 to 11.6km.
The specialist climber said she was pleased all the climbs had been retained.
Kennedy, who is joining the powerful Orica Scott outfit next year, said while this visit had given her a glimpse of what to expect she would not get to ride it until arriving in Ballarat for the nationals.
She said she was unsure exactly what her role would be in the road race.