The 34-year-old sent a message that she has much more to deliver on the bike after a tough year which saw her cut from the Australian endurance track team and continuing a battle with the effects of concussion after a fall.

Wiasak’s hopes of riding at the 2020 Olympic Games were dashed mid-year when she lost her place in the Cycling Australia program owing to to her specialty, the individual time trial, not being on the Olympic program. 

While each of these issues remains at the forefront of her mind, there was no hiding her joy after retaining her title against the might of the Mitchelton Scott team, which controlled the majority of the race.

Wiasak produced the freshest legs in the last of 40 laps to ride away from Sarah Roy (Victoria), with under-23 rider Ruby Roseman-Gannnon (Victoria) third.

She said the race had played into her hands, with the pressure constantly on at the front.

“I am really excited it was bunch sprint.”

Wiasak she was excited to be taking the green and gold jersey back to the United States, where she rides in a criterium team.

“There’s a lot of opportunities to showcase the jersey there.”

Wiasak reflected on being “unemployed” and the financial impact the loss of CA funding had had on her, but emphasised that a national championship was something money could not buy.

BALLARAT has a new national champion.

Ballarat Sebastopol Cycling Club’s Jesse Norton claimed gold in the men’s under-19 criterium early in day.

The 16-year-old took out a sprint finish to capture the title.

He had competed in under-15 and under-17 nationals, but this was his first time at this level.

It did not all go smoothly for Norton though.

He finished up lying on the bitumen after fourth-placed Kurt Eater crashed Norton as he celebrated past the finish line.

IN a rare occurrence, Jarrad Drizners and world team pursuit champion Kelland O’Brien had the circuit to themselves for the last two laps of the men’s under-23 criterium.

The main bunch received the chequered flag early after being lapped by the two-man break away.

Reigning champion Cam Scott took the bronze medal from Ballarat’s Nick White in a sprint, then handed over the race to the leading duo.

It was to be the unheralded Drizners who took his first national title after track-like cat and mouse tactics.