Caleb Ewan showed why he is considered the next big thing in Australian cycling by taking out the national road under-23 men's road race at Buninyong on Saturday.
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Ewan used his superior sprinting power to come out on top at the end of a gruelling 132.6km.
Robert Power, of WA, finished second after an aggressive last 10km, while Bradley Linfield, also of WA, was third after six riders were left to fight for the medals.
The title completed a big double for Ewan, who won the under-23 criterium title in Ballarat on Thursday night.
Although best known at this stage of his career as a sprinter, Ewan was determined to show his all-round qualities and he delivered.
He will now go to the Tour Down Under in South Australia where he will rub shoulders with some of the best professional road sprinters in the world.
Ewan is determined to show in the tour that he has what it takes to be an all-round rider in stage events.
He has no plans just to make up numbers despite his youthfulness and relative inexperience.
He said he was determined to get results.
Ewan had to battle cramps in the last 10km lap in Mitoday's championship race.
He said he tried not to show his rivals that he was cramping, fearing that if they knew they would attack harder.
Ewan described his ride as conservative, doing just enough on the climbs to stay in contention and then taking advantage of the descents.
He said he was sure the only way to approach a race of this nature was conservatively.
MICHAEL Crosbie was crowned king of the mountain after being part of a five-man breakaway which led by as much a one minute, 47 seconds before being caught on the ninth of 13 climbs.
132km, Bunniyong
1 Caleb Ewan (NSW) 3hr 23min 31sec
2 Robert Power (WA)
3 Bradley Linfield (WA)
4 Harry Carpenter (SA)
5 Shaun O'Callaghan (VIC)
6 Thomas Hamilton (VIC)
7 Robert McCarthy (SA) 0:00:03
8 Alexander Clements (TAS) 0:00:05
9 Jack Beckinsale(NSW)
10 Jack Haig (VIC) 0:00:09