The first titles in the newly located AusCycling Road National Championships were awarded today, with Zac Marriage claiming the U23 men's time trial title in Perth with a storming run over the 28.8km course.
After making it to the third step of the podium in the U23 category in both 2022 and 2023, the 21-year-old Butterfields Ziptrack Racing rider this year found his way to the top step with a time of 35:53 for the event which played out on a course around Bold Park. The race against the clock was comprised of three laps of a 9.8km loop with 109m of elevation gain per lap.
"I've been trying to win this since I was first-year under-23. Now it's my last year, so it feels really good to finally get the top step," said Marriage in an AusCycling statement. "I know the last corner was a bit 'techy' as well, so it was kind of like full concentration until the end, but the final 10 metres felt pretty sweet.
It was a clear-cut win, with 2024 U23 road race champion Fergus Browning (CCACHE x BODYWRAP) second, coming over the line 41 seconds back while his third-placed teammate John Carter was 1:29 behind Marriage's time.
The junior categories also took to the course earlier in the day, with Max Goold claiming the U19 men's time trial by five seconds despite a crash on the last corner. Goold had delivered a clear indication he was working towards flying form, with an attacking ride and fourth-place finish in the Mt Buffalo stage at the Tour of Bright in December. His winning time was 25:11, with Lucas Stevenson second in the 19.2km test, while Fletcher Medway was third.
"Final corner, I was full sprinting, and I didn't realise it cut back on itself. I locked it up, went sideways and hit the ground," said Goold. "Luckily, my chain didn't drop, for one. I could get back on, I was pedalling with one foot over the line."
Having already accumulated a national title on the track in December, 17-year-old Amelie Sanders stepped onto the top step again in Perth as she won the U19 time trial in 29:36, with the ARA-Skip Capital rider more than ten seconds ahead of her nearest rival Georgia Gardner and twenty seconds ahead of third-placed Leani van der Berg.
The 38.4km men's time trial plus the 28.8km long U23/elite women's events will take place on the same loop on Thursday afternoon.
Results powered by FirstCycling
