The Orica GreenEdge team is hoping to complete a rare hat trick of Australian national titles in the same category, with Sunday’s road race now being the big target for the team.
After Luke Durbridge’s success in yesterday’s time trial, Cameron Meyer soloed to a hugely impressive victory in today’s criterium title, thus making it two wins this week for the men’s team.
“We’ve won two titles now,” said a pleased Meyer after the race. “We’re looking to add the big one on Sunday and make it three for three.”
The team won the men’s road race last year with Simon Gerrans. He’ll be trying to repeat that victory but, on today’s form, Meyer must also be counted as one of the big favourites.
He surged after an early move by his brother Travis was brought back, taking off 26 laps from the finish, opening up a decent lead and then maintaining it all the way.
As directeur sportif Matt Wilson explained, the tactic was planned. “The Meyers are going really well, and the plan was to have them animate the race to make things as difficult as possible,” he said. “Their attacks would impact the lead-outs for other teams and leave Leigh [Howard] fresh for the sprint. As it turned out, they made it so hard that they destroyed the field and Cam was able to ride away.”
Meyer had previously won the time trial in 2010 and 2011 and while this was his first senior criterium title, he was able to use his solo power regardless. “Obviously to win any Australian championship is special. I’m a little surprised as the criterium is not my forte,” he said. “I’m definitely thought of more as a time trialist or road racer, but I went out there today and showed I have good form.
“Travis went in the first couple laps. Four or five laps after he went, I took my turn. I never thought it was the race winning move. I went out to the front and hoped some other riders might come across. It’s hard to stay away for that long. No one came, so I just kept going. Still no one came, and I kept going some more. Eventually, I had to commit myself.”
Despite holding a solid advantage, he admitted that he was worried about being hauled back. He said that he only dared think of the victory when the finish line was getting close.
“I’ve been in the situation before,” he explained. “Many times, it comes back and you get caught. It looks good but you get nowhere. I thought that’s what would happen today as the gap held around twenty seconds. Further into the race, Matt Wilson was standing on the side and yelling at me to keep going.
“With ten laps left, he told me the field was cracking. That’s when I started to think I had a chance. Not until four or five laps to go did I think I could win.”
His brother tried to jump clear to nab second place, but was caught before the line. Gamin-Sharp rider Steele Von Hoff picked up silver some sixteen seconds later, while Leigh Howard landed bronze.
In the other events, Kimberley Wells won a big group sprint ahead of Loren Rowney and Gracie Elvin to take the women’s criterium. Bradley Linfield got the better of Joshua Taylor and Andrew Martin in the under 23 event.
Attention now turns to the road race events, which will provide a clearer picture of riders’ form prior to the Santos Tour Down Under.
Mars Cycling Australia national criterium championship, Ballarat:
Elite men:
1, Cameron Meyer (WA) 44 kilometres in 59 mins 49 secs,
2, Steele Von Hoff (VIC) at 16 secs,
3, Leigh Howard (VIC)
4, Ben Grenda (TAS)
5, Jonathan Cantwell (Qld)
6, Chris Jory (NSW)
7, Neil Van Der Ploeg (VIC)
8, James Mowatt (VIC)
9, Anthony Giacoppo (WA)
10, Shaun McCarthy (VIC)
11, Stuart Shaw (ACT)
12, Samuel Witmitz (VIC)
13, Malcolm Rudolph (Qld)
14, Luke Davison (NSW)
15, Dominik Dudkiewicz (VIC)
16, Richard Lang (NSW)
17, Lachlan Norris (VIC)
18, Rico Rogers (VIC)
19, Peter Thompson (Qld)
20, Nathan Elliott (VIC)
21, Fabio Calabria (ACT)
22, Jai Crawford (TAS)
23, Christopher Tymms (VIC)
24, Jayden Copp (Qld)
25, Jason Spencer (VIC)
26, Shannon Johnson (VIC)
27, Travis Meyer (WA)
28, Nathan Earle (TAS)
29, Jacob Kauffmann (NSW)
30, Edmund Hollands (WA)
Under 23 men:
1, Bradley Linfield (WA) 33 kilometres in 46 mins 36 secs,
2, Joshua Taylor (NSW)
3, Andrew Martin (WA)
4, Jack Beckinsale (NSW)
5, Shaun O'Callaghan (SA)
6, Damien Howson (SA)
7, Harry Carpenter (SA) at 3 secs
8, Samuel Spokes (NSW) at 8
9, Julian Hamill (NSW) at 14
10, Aaron Donnelly (NSW) at 27
11, Campbell Flakemore (TAS) at 32
12, Scott Law (NSW) at 59
13, Jesse Kerrison (Qld)
14, William Heath (WA)
15, Craig Hutton (NSW)
16, Samuel Davis (WA)
17, Nicholas Graham-Dawson (WA)
18, Samuel Nelson (NSW) at 1 min 3
19, Sam Sautelle (ACT)
20, Sam Crome (VIC)
21, Brenton Jones (VIC)
22, Mitchell Lovelock-Fay (ACT)
23, Scott Mcphee (SA)
24, Michael Phelan (ACT)
25, Jack Haig (VIC) at 1 min 10
26, Nicholas Schultz (Qld) at 1 min 14
27, Ryan MaCanally (Qld) at 1 min 56
28, James Butler (VIC) at 1 min 58
29, Alex Wohler (Qld) at 2 mins 32
30, Joshua Prete (Qld)
Elite/Under 23 women:
1, Kimberley Wells (ACT) 33 kilometres in 52 mins 29 secs
2, Loren Rowney (QLD)
3, Gracie Elvin (ACT)
4, Peta Mullens (VIC)
5, Leonie Burford (WA)
6, Lauren Kitchen (NSW)
7, Sarah Roy (NSW)
8, Nicole Whitburn (VIC)
9, Emily Roper (QLD)
10, Naomi Williams (VIC)
11, Amy Bradley (VIC)
12, Melina Bernecker (VIC)
13, Jessica Mundy (SA)
14, Brittany Lindores (QLD)
15, Kate Finegan (VIC)
16, Samantha De Riter (VIC)
17, Grace Sulzberger (Tas)
18, Taryn Heather (VIC)
19, Jenelle Crooks (QLD)
20, Judith Louise Betts (QLD)