National Junior Racing Series – Round 4 Recap
Round Four of the National Junior Racing Series saw riders take on the National Championships Courses. J15 and J17 riders tackled what has been described as a surprisingly tough course that has been designated for the Junior National Road Championships in Wagga Wagga later this year. The Junior 19 riders took on the tough and iconic Bunyingong course.
Round 4 Category Recaps
JW15 Race
Lauren Bates (Canberra Cycling Club, ACT) and Georgia Gardiner (Jindabyne Cycling Club, NSW) put in yet another set of performances. Gardiner launched her final attack with 500m to go and looked set to take the victory until Bates rode past her with under 200m to go and take out her second consecutive victory. Isabelle Russell (Dubbo Cycling Club, NSW) soled her way back onto the podium with her third-place finish.
JM15 Race
Eddie Willis (Tamworth Cycling Club, QLD) took home is second straight victory powering away from the field by over a full minute. The rest of the podium was a hard-fought sprint with only .2 from second to fourth places. Hamish Clarkson (Blackburn CC, VIC) took the sprint over fellow Victorian Finbar O’Sullivan (Seymour Broadford Cycling Club, VIC) and Neil Van Niekerk (Mount Gambier Cycling Club, SA).
JW17 Race
In what could be described as an ‘instant classic’ the JW17 race saw seven riders finish within 40 seconds. In the end, three Victorians Talia Appleton (Mansfield Mount Buller Cycling Club, VIC), Ava Giarmondo (Brunswick Cycling Club, VIC) and Lucinda Stewart (Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club, VIC) distanced themselves in the final kilometers to battle out for the win in a sprint finish. Appleton proved too strong on the day winning the race over Giramondo and Stewart who finished second and third respectively.
JM17 Race
Four riders were too much for the rest of the field with Ryan Britten (Illawarra Cycling Club, NSW), Sam Golding (Norwood Cycling Club, SA), Harvey McIntosh (Hamilton Wheelers Cycling Club, QLD) and Leo Zimmerman (Norwood Cycling Club, SA) battling for the podium. Ryan Britten once again was too strong for the field taking his third consecutive win in the series. McIntosh moved up one spot from round #2 to finish second with Golding rounding out the podium.
JW19 Race
Round #2 winner Amy Wright (Launceston Cycling Club, TAS) displayed her strong climbing ability by jumping over the round #3 winner Briana McDonald (Townsville Cycle Club, QLD).
JM19 Race
Mitch McGovern (Blackburn Cycling Club, VIC) returned to the final round in impeccable form riding away from the field by over a minute to take the top spot. After three consecutive victories, Callum Milne (Peel District Cycling Club, WA) was bested for the first time finishing second. Jacob Casey (Horsham Cycling Club, VIC) displayed great consistency with another 3rd in the final standings.