What to expect at the Australian Nationals

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The women wait in Buninyong to start their Championship(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)

The 2015 Australian national championships once again take place in the inland Victorian city of Ballarat with the road race to be staged in nearby Buninyong. The defending men's champion Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEdge) is out of the race due to a broken collarbone while two-time defending women's champion Gracie Elvin (Orica-AIS) will start the race as a favourite after impressing at the Bay Crits with a solo victory.

In 2014, Drapac entered the criterium hungry for the win, eager to show itself worthy of the Pro-Continental license the team successfully applied for. It looked like Drapac were going to come away with the win until a final lap crash brought down the majority of the team, dashing any hopes of a green and gold jersey. Steele von Hoff cantered away to claim his first elite national title and is looking to defend it despite having no teammates this time around.

Caleb Ewan (Orica-GreenEdge) proved himself as the inform rider of the moment with three straight wins at the Bay Crits but with just Leigh Howard for company, Ewan will have to be at his best if he wants to replicate his U23 win in the Elite ranks. Riders to watch include Shannon Johnson from CharterMason, last year's runner-up Brenton Jones, Neil van der Ploeg (Avanti) and track specialist Scott Sunderland (BudgetForklifts).

Orica-AIS suffered a similar fate to Drapac last time round as a crash ended the team's chances of claiming victory. It was Sarah Roy who emerged victorious and the 28-year-old now finds herself racing for the only Australian professional women's team. A bought of illness saw her sit out the majority of the Bay Crits, hindering her preparation for her title defence and she will need to dig deep to make it two in a row. In Lizzie Williams, Orica-AIS have a more than capable back up rider and sports director Gene Bates has said the team will look to make it an aggressive race as they also have several other cards to play.

Chloe Hosking (Wiggle-Honda) will be a formidable rival for the rest of the peloton after an impressive Bay Crits by the 24-year-old, winning a stage and the overall. Former teammate and last year's third place getter, Lauren Kitchen (Hitec Products) will also be a rider to keep an eye on. 2014 silver medallist Peta Mullens took an impressive solo win at the Bay Crits and enters the race knowing its a parcours on which she can excel. Other riders to keep on eye on are former champion Kimberley Wells, Carlee Taylor (Lotto-Soudal Ladies) and Lisa Jacobs.

This is a race that tends to be open and aggressive with teams not quite capable of controlling the peloton with the same success as the elite men. Last year, a Harry Carpenter attack and solo ride for glory was almost rewarded with the ultimate prize only to fall short in the closing laps. While there will be plenty of attacks during the race, with several fast men confirmed to start the race, a bunch sprint looks likely. Watch out for the likes of South Australian duo Robert-Jon McCarthy and Alex Edmondson, while Jesse Kerrison and Alistair Donohoe will are sure to challenge for the win.

A new time trial course closer to the roads of the road race in Buninyong will challenge the specialists against the clock with the chance of a storm another factor to be considered. There is hardly a flat metre of road on the lumpy out-and-back course for the riders to take a breath and a small incline to finish could prove decisive. The U23 men and women's course is 29.3km in length with a turn around point at Flemmings Road while the men turn around in the shadow of a wind farm. A spot in the town at the start finish will be the place to be to keep on top of all the time checks and cheer the riders over the line.

Men's time trial - 40.9km
The elite men's time trial will be one of the most hotly contested editions in recent years with a world class field to battle it out for the green and gold jersey on a new lumpy course. The event has been won by an Orica-GreenEdge rider since 2012 with the team occupying all three places on the podium last year. While defending champion Michael Hepburn and two-time winner Luke Durbridge will line up confident of adding another win to their palmares, they will face stiff competition from the likes of three-time world champion against the clock, Michael Rogers (Saxo-Tinkoff), Richie Porte (Team Sky) and their teammate Damien Howson.

Also having a crack at the title is Rohan Dennis (BMC) who is regarded as a favourite for the win following his mid-season transfer to BMC last year. The 24-year-old was part of the winning team time trial squad at the Worlds and then finished fifth in the individual time trial and been on a role since changing teams. Having announced an attempt at the Hour Record in February, Dennis' time trial will also be a mark of where he's at in his bid for the record.

Women's time trial - 29.3km
Three-time national champion Shara Gillow moves across to Rabo Liv for 2015 after several seasons with Orica-AIS and there could hardly be a better way to start off the year than by winning a fourth title which would see her tie Kathy Watt as the most successful woman against the clock. Gillow was beaten by Flick Wardlaw in 2014 and the 26-year-old was visibly disappointed with that result. Gillow will have the opportunity to turn the pedals over in anger on a course that should suit her characertistics.

The road races take place on the familiar surrounds of Bunninyong with no changes to the attritional 10.2km loop that finishes on Warrenship Road. The race generally comes alive on the final two laps of the course while breakaways are a certainty. For the fans, a spot on the climb up Mt Bunninyong is the place to be with riders describing the atmosphere as 'European' while a large screen at the finish line ensures that fans won't miss a moment.

Men's road race - 183.6km
Until Simon Gerrans crashed while training on his mountain bike just before Christmas, he was odds on favourite to claim a third career and second straight green and gold jersey. Orica-GreenEdge are yet to taste defeat in its three years but 2015 could see the team lose its grip on the jersey for the first time. Cadel Evans will have two BMC teammates to call on for support this year having ridden solo and into second place in 2014. Third last year, Richie Porte will be able to call upon Nathan Earle, who is also capable of a high finishing position, and CJ Sutton throughout the race.

Women's road race - 102km
Gracie Elvin has made the women's race her own in the last two years. Dropped on the final lap of the 2014 championships, Elvin dug deep to catch the leaders and then outsprinted Lauren Kitchen for the win. A solo win on the tough Eastern Gardens Bay Crits course was evidence of Elvin's form ahead of the championships, ensuring she will be a marked rider for the race. Her Orica-AIS team will have planned for several scenarios and in Katrin Garfoot, Lizzie Williams and Amanda Spratt, will be confident of securing a fourth straight green and gold jersey.

Rob Power, who placed second at the 2014 Tour de L'Avenir, will be a favourite for the road race having placed second last year and will start the race with the number dossard on his back. Power's likely challengers will be Orica-GreenEdge bound Jack Haig along with Harry Carpenter and Shaun O'Callaghan. If the race comes down to a bunch finish, fast finishers Jesse Kerrison, Robert-John McCarthy and individual pursuit world champion Alex Edmondson would all be worthy winners.