Under 23 riders pick up KOM and sprint jerseys for their efforts
Image 1 of 2
Briand McLeod leads Tim Cameron (right) and Rhys Gillett during their breakaway which got out to a minute-and-a-half at one point(Image credit: Shane Goss)
Brian McLeod from Queensland attemps a solo breakaway during the men's under 23 race.(Image credit: Shane Goss/licoricegallery.com)
Brian Mcleod (Budget Forklifts) and Rhys Gillett found themselves in the the day’s escape a little earlier than they had anticipated in the under 23 road race at the Australian Road National Championships yesterday. They gapped the field with four other riders on the first rise out of the town of Buninyong, facing the prospect of 122 kilometres in front of the race if they were to win.
While the break had promise early on, by the third lap of the demanding circuit it had reduced to just three riders, Gillett, Mcleod and Suzuki-Trek rider Tim Cameron.
Cameron was offering help when he could but clearly wasn’t up to the strain of the "hilly" parcours. That left Gillett and Mcleod to think about other things – the only other two options for them, the supplementary classifications – the King of the Mountains and the Sprints.
"My plan before the race was definitely to get into the day’s EB, but I probably didn’t think I’d be in there that early," said Mcleod to Cyclingnews.
"But you can’t slow up," said Gillett on the prospect of waiting for more help from other riders.
"If you wait, more than likely you’ll get swallowed up and you won’t get another chance to get away. You just have to grin and bear it."
The two worked seamlessly together all day at the front, accumulating points in the KOM and sprint classifications before, with the bunch closing Gillett made the call that it was "race on" and there would be no more –co-operation.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
"I didn’t even hear him," said Mcleod. "He just zipped away."
"But then he smashed me on the climb, so it all worked out," smiled Gillett.
Once the two were caught, it was pretty much race over, they’d given it their all but they still had to get to the finish to be eligible for the jersey.
Gillett was actually seen asking the commissaries "do I have to continue?" with about two laps to go. In the end he did, and settled for the sprint classification jersey.
"I’m happy I came here with no expectations, and I’ve picked up the jersey. I’m really happy."
Mcleod didn’t go home empty handed as the winner of the KOM, but admitted he would’ve liked to be fighting for the national championship.
"I came here to win the championship, but I left it all out on the road so I can’t complain. I tried to hang on when I caught but I just had nothing left."
Alex Hinds is a graduate of Economics and Political Science from Sydney University. Growing up in the metropolitan area of the city he quickly became a bike junkie, dabbling in mountain and road riding. Alex raced on the road in his late teens, but with the time demands of work and university proving too much, decided not to further pursue full-time riding.
If he was going to be involved in cycling in another way the media seemed the next best bet and jumped at the opportunity to work in the Sydney office of Cyclingnews when an offer arose in early 2011.
Though the WorldTour is of course a huge point of focus throughout the year, Alex also takes a keen interest in the domestic racing scene with a view to helping foster the careers of the next generation of cycling.
When not writing for Cyclingnews Alex is a strong proponent of the awareness of cyclists on the road in Sydney having had a few close run-ins with city traffic in the past.
