Ally Wollaston wasn’t even sure that she would be lining up at the New Zealand Road National Championships, having just had an operation to remove some metal from her wrist after a previous injury, but the uncertainty turned into two days of triumph that will see the 22 year old wear the black and white jersey of the national champion across three disciplines.
The twenty-two year old AG Insurance-Soudal QuickStep rider swept up the national criterium title for a second year running last month, then on Friday she lined up to take on the under 23 time trial, posting a time that not only won her the U23 title but proved to be the fastest across all categories. Then in the combined category road race Saturday she sprinted to victory in Tokoroa, not only beating all her U23 rivals but also the elite ones as well to claim the silver fern jersey of the national champion.
“Racing really attentively today was the key,” Wollaston said in a Cycling New Zeland media release. “I really backed myself after my performance in the time trial yesterday and just to ride aggressively and was smart.
"Today was important with tactics. There were girls all over the place – attacks right from the gun so staying really active and following good wheels was the secret."
Wollaston beat Georgia Williams (EF Education-Tibco-SVB), in the dash for the line, with Sharlotte Lucas third. The next rider was Ella Wyllie, also in the U23 category, while Kate McCarthy took fifth. It was more than seven-and-a-half minutes later that Georgia Danford (Coop-Hitec Products) won the sprint from the bunch to take sixth, ahead of Michaela Drummond (Zaaf) and then it was Belle Judd who secured a spot on the U23 podium with her eighth place.
Williams may have come second over the line but Cycling New Zealand said she was still awarded the elite title. However it will be Wollaston not Williams wearing the national champions road race jersey for 2023 as the race technical guide states that: "If an U23 rider wins the combined race, they will be awarded the NZ National Champions jersey. The first placed Elite rider does NOT receive a Jersey. Top 3 medals will be presented to both categories."
While winning overall was of course the main aim for Williams, the addition of Saturday's elite title to her results record delivered at least some consolation. The 29-year-old now has four in the road race and five elite time trial titles to her name.
“That was a very fast race across the top of the course and a hard, hard race,” said Williams. “I gambled a bit today which didn’t quite come off, but I have won the elite title and so I am honoured that I am equal top for number of wins in the road race and time trial.”
The combined women’s elite and under 23 road race took place over four laps of an undulating course in South Waikato in fine and mild summer conditions on Saturday. The race had a total length of 105.9km with 1,354m of elevation gain,
The splits in the field came early in the racing with five riders having carved out a gap of close to 50 seconds to the bulk of the field by the end of the first lap – Kate McCarthy, Sharlotte Lucas and Georgia Perry, along with U23 riders, Wyllie and Wollaston.
By lap 2 Perry had slipped back and the only riders now within a minute of that lead group of four were Georgia Williams and Henrietta Christie, sitting just over 50 seconds back while the peloton had slipped a further three minutes behind.
Lap 3 and it was still six riders ahead of the field, which was now more than five minutes back, but positions had altered up the front with Lucas leading the way and Christie close behind while Wyllie, McCarthy and Williams were in a cluster around 45 seconds back from the leading rider. The attacks kept coming but the leaders came together on the final lap, with the exception of Christie who slipped back to the field. As a result, it was a five-way sprint for the title, the perfect scenario for the fast-finishing Wollaston.
Earlier in the day Eli Tregidga (ilabb Fruzio Devo) crossed the line first in the 105.9km U19 men’s race to claim the junior title while Georgia Simpson (Bike Manawatu) won the 81.8km U19 women’s race, with the junior women setting off ten minutes after the U23/Elite riders and taking on three laps of the course instead of four.
The elite and U23 men’s road race will be the final event of the New Zealand Road Championships on Sunday with riders taking on seven laps for a total distance of 178.2km and 2,347m of climbing. The weather could potentially be a factor for a second year running, with the remnants of Cyclone Dovi cutting short the men’s race in 2022, however given the 10am start (local time) there is a chance the race could avoid the incoming rain and wind associated with Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle. The forecast for Sunday is for rain developing by afternoon, with southeasterlies becoming strong and gusty.
