Former mountain biker to focus on the road with Continental team
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The 2016 Australian U23 road race champion Chris Hamilton (AvantiIsoWhey)(Image credit: Con Chronis)
Chris Hamilton beats Lucas Hamilton for the U23 title(Image credit: Con Chronis)
Chris Hamilton and Lucas Hamilton catch and drop Chris Harper on the climb(Image credit: Con Chronis)
Lucas Hamilton and Chris Hamilton in the final laps(Image credit: Con Chronis)
Chris Hamilton with Lucas Hamilton on the climb(Image credit: Con Chronis)
Chris Hamilton first rose to prominence in the Australian road scene last January when he won the U23 national criterium title. 12-months later and the 20-year-old has became the U23 champion on the road, continuing AvantiIsoWhey's success at the championships of medalling in three of the four elite men/U23 events thus far.
In 2014 Hamilton was noticed by AvantiIsoWhey's co-owner Andrew Christie-Johnson, the man responsible for providing the launching pads for Richie Porte (BMC), Nathan Haas (Dimension Data), and most recently, Jack Haig among many others, while taking part in the support races at the Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic.
"It's just a great team, everyone gets along so well and we have such good management. Andrew and Steve, the wonders of the team, they go out of their way every single time to get what’s best for us and obviously having someone like Mark Fenner on-board with Todays Plan and The Watts Factory, the resources we get from there is unreal," Hamilton said of the secret's behind the team's success. AvantiIsoWhey have taken medals in the men's criterium via Anthony Giacoppo, the time trial with Sean Lake, and the U23 road race with Hamilton.
While with the team Hamilton has been balancing a programme of both mountain bike and road commitments. Three times a member of the Australian mountain bike Worlds team, Hamilton's ambition off-road was the Rio Olympic Games. Admitting that he was 'around the mark' on the mountain bike, Hamilton has already left an indelible mark on the road at just 20 years of age.
The example of former teammate Haig swapping his mountain bike for the road and going on to finish second at Tour de L'Avenir and sign with Orica-GreenEdge is sure to be food for thought for Hamilton.
"I have to have a look at this year and what I want to do. I definitely want to continue a lot more focus on the road now, mountain bikes have been good to be now it's time to switch the focus to the road," he said.
"I've applied for the WorldTour academy team so we have to have a look at things like that. [Jayco Herald] Sun Tour is coming up and there’' always wildcard spots for Tour Down Under and it would be amazing to do something like that, but you have to take these things as they come."
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With Avanti riders favourable in the eyes of the UniSA team selectors in recent years, a WorldTour debut could be next for Hamilton.
