WHILE many able-bodied cyclists have multiple opportunities to win national selection, for para-athletes, the Road Nationals are one of the only chances they get to put their best forward for national selection.
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And in a Paralympic year, Ballarat's Road Nationals could be one of the few opportunities competitors have to earn the coveted selection.
Cycling Australia's Scott McGrory, himself an Olympic gold medallist, knows how important such events like national titles are.
"This is crucial, perhaps even more so than for the able-body riders," he said.
"Able-bodied athletes have a number of races throughout the year that they can work into and try to earn selection, but for many of the para-athletes, this is the event they are vying for selections in the Paralympics.
"These results are crucial for many of them."
McGrory said the incorporation of the para-athletes into the Road Nationals program had been nothing but positive. "We've noticed just how important it is for them to be included in the national championships," he said.
"For the last couple of years they have been on the same courses as everyone else and from speaking to many of the athletes, they have enjoyed being included far more.
"This is cycling's premier event for the year, they love it and add so much value to the event."
McGrory said this year's fields had exceeded expectations, with the biggest event, the PARA-AWII seeing 15 competitors take to the time-trial course at Federation University.
Nathan Glarvey of Balmoral Cycling Club clocked the fastest time of the day with a 19 minute 24.4 second ride.
But there was also some local success with Ballarat-Sebastopol's Reece-Emerson Van Beek taking part in the PARA-DEAF, finishing in a time of 45 minutes and 25.4 seconds.
McGrory said fields this year had been high due to many keen to "pin the number" on the back again.
