Jongewaard and Mullens grab green and gold glory
Australian cross country national champions crowned
Chris Jongewaard and Peta Mullens snared the cross country crowns at the Australian National Championships at Canberra's Stromlo Forest Park. Jongewaard (JetBlack Products BH Lightsview) prevailed in an intense battle with Dan McConnell (Trek Factory) to claim his fifth elite men's cross country title while Peta Mullens' win was her first.
Men
On each other's wheel for much of the six laps of the 5.5-kilometre course, Jongewaard eventually broke clear to finish in a time of 1:29:53, over a minute clear of McConnell, the latter's hopes dashed with a last-lap mechanical. Sid Taberlay (NSW) rounded out the podium.
"I'm pretty sure that is the best victory I've had in quite some time, maybe ever," said Jongewaard.
"It was a lot different to how I've won in the past. I did have to work for the rest of them, but that one definitely I didn't know I had it until maybe 500 metres before the line."
The South Australian started strongest and by the end of the first lap he'd opened a 20-second gap on McConnell with Paul van der Ploeg, Shaun Lewis, Luke Fetch and Jared Graves in the chasing bunch.
The gap was narrowed to 14-seconds after two laps and by the time the third lap was completed the pair were wheel to wheel, with van der Ploeg and Dylan Cooper chasing and Taberlay lurking in fifth position.
McConnell switched past Jongewaard and led him through the finishing straight with two laps to go, while Taberlay moved up to third position with Cooper and van Der Ploeg chasing.
Before the final lap, Jongewaard was again leading McConnell, the pair setting themselves up for a grandstand finish and sending a pulse through the Canberra crowd.
While Jongewaard did his best to ward off the chasing McConnell, an issue with the Victorian's chain deprived him an opportunity to challenge at the line.
Post-race Jongewaard was full of praise for his rival. "Dan [McConnell] rode unbelievably, he was super strong, and I knew I was going to be in trouble if he had a bit more strength in the climbs - he was going to climb away from me.
"I managed to stay with him though on the lap he caught me, and I guess that moment gave me a bit of confidence to keep going and see how long I could last."
Trek Factory man McConnell was visibly disappointed post-race. When quizzed on the tactical battle with Jongewaard and his final lap mechanical issue, the London Olympian was circumspect.
"It was probably a bit of a mistake on my half really, I think I was the strongest rider but I just mucked it up a little bit. I lost count of laps and just other silly mistakes cost me big in the end.
"Down the last descent my chain just jumped off and twisted, so that was fairly disappointing getting so close and not being able to finish it. But the last few weeks have been good, so you have to take that as a positive and look forward," McConnell said of his recent return to racing following a broken wrist.
In the under 23 category, Victoria's Jack Haig (TORQ) prevailed ahead of Ben Forbes with Cameron Ivory making his move late in the race to grab third place from Brendan Johnston.
In the under 19 category Ben Bradley prevailed from Jack Lavis, second, and Tristan Ward, third.
Women
Earlier in the day Mullens (Target-Trek) finished the five laps in 1:29:03, 50 seconds ahead of second-placed Jenni King while Rowena Fry won a sprint to the line for third, ahead of Tory Thomas.
Mullens couldn't hide her joy post-race. "I'm so emotional! I'm about to cry just thinking about it. I never imagined it, I really didn't."
The Victorian broke from the field with Henderson early to establish a 34-second gap on King, Fry and Thomas after the first lap.
Defending champion King dropped the chase group on the second lap, with Mullens maintaining her lead, extending it to 40 seconds after the third lap.
With Henderson beating all comers to the line after the fourth (and final under 23) lap for her fourth-consecutive under 23 title, Mullens powered on with King trailing behind. On the bell lap, the battle for bronze was fierce with Fry, a two-time national champion, prevailing.
For Mullens it was an amazing ride that's sure to instill some future belief.
"I knew that my form was in a good place, and I was probably just a bit nervous about the technical aspect of the course, and probably didn't back myself in that way. I went out on the course with the Hendersons this week, and they showed me the lines, and day-by-day I started to feel a bit better about it.
"I was able to follow Bec [Henderson] for those first couple of laps, and really get a feel for it, and then I just had to hold on those last few laps. And I was looking back, I was waiting for them!"
The win now has Mullens rethinking the rest of 2013. "I'm going to have to rethink a few things this year. I'd like to see that jersey [green and gold national championships] overseas, and now that it's on my back I might have to head over there.
For Henderson it was another faultless ride. "The race went really smoothly. It was amazing, nothing went wrong and I was able to get a lead early. I was trying to work with my teammate Peta Mullins."
Proving she has the class to claim an elite title, Henderson has her eyes on the future. "I'm really motivated to try and get an elite jersey next year, and maybe one day I might be able to win a masters one too!"
In the under 23 category the ACT's own Rebecca Henderson claimed her ninth junior national title, completing the four-lap course in 1:09:44.1.
In the under 19 category Holly Harris successfully defended her title in a battle to the line with Emily Parkes.
Full results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Chris Jongewaard | 1:29:53 |
2 | Daniel McConnell | 0:01:01 |
3 | Sid Taberlay | 0:02:45 |
4 | Paul Van der Ploeg | 0:02:51 |
5 | Dylan Cooper | 0:03:44 |
6 | Luke Fetch | 0:05:17 |
7 | Jared Graves | 0:05:26 |
8 | Shaun Lewis | 0:05:26 |
9 | Ben Mather | 0:07:43 |
10 | Mark Tupalski | 0:08:17 |
11 | Sam Chancellor | 0:08:45 |
12 | Troy Herfoss | 0:08:49 |
13 | Adrian Jackson | 0:09:37 |
14 | Nick Both | 0:09:42 |
15 | Michael Illing | 0:10:45 |
16 | Aaron Bashford | 0:11:07 |
17 | Andrew Fellows | 0:12:15 |
18 | Nicholas Morgan | 0:13:03 |
19 | James Downing | 0:13:14 |
20 | Lewis Cressy | 0:13:28 |
21 | Garry Millburn | 0:14:34 |
22 | Travis Frisby | 0:14:49 |
23 | Ben Hogarth | 0:15:01 |
24 | Andrew Arthur | 0:18:51 |
DNS | Andrew Blair | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Matt King | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Peta Mullens | 1:29:03 |
2 | Jenni King | 0:00:50 |
3 | Rowena Fry | 0:02:18 |
4 | Tory Thomas | 0:02:18 |
5 | Jodie Willett | 0:03:31 |
6 | Katherine O'Shea | 0:09:32 |
7 | Jenny Fay | 0:10:25 |
8 | Anna Beck | 0:10:28 |
9 | Therese Rhodes | 0:10:05 |
10 | Sarah Holmes | 0:14:31 |
11 | Karen Hill | 0:17:15 |
12 | Jaclyn Schapel | 0:19:57 |
-1lap | Katie Chancellor | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Shannon Kennedy | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Jack Haig | 1:15:06 |
2 | Ben Forbes | 0:02:47 |
3 | Cameron Ivory | 0:03:27 |
4 | Brendan Johnston | 0:03:46 |
5 | Kyle Ward | 0:03:54 |
6 | Michael Crosbie | 0:04:51 |
7 | Stephen Matthews | 0:07:23 |
8 | Brenton Jones | 0:07:30 |
9 | Sebastian Jayne | 0:07:47 |
10 | Christopher Aitken | 0:08:06 |
11 | Billy Sewell | 0:08:10 |
12 | Ben Comfort | 0:08:28 |
13 | Blake Polverino | 0:11:04 |
14 | Jason Lowndes | 0:11:09 |
15 | Alexander Meyland | 0:11:32 |
16 | Tane Crosby | 0:12:20 |
17 | Daniel McDonald | 0:12:27 |
18 | Russell Nankervis | 0:13:23 |
19 | Ben Marshall | 0:15:06 |
20 | Brendan Adair | 0:15:41 |
21 | Rodger Pogson-Manning | 0:17:09 |
22 | Travis Parkley-Simpson | 0:17:09 |
23 | Angus Tobin | 0:19:30 |
-1lap | Torren Lamont | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Casper Oxlee | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Gregory Manttan | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Tom Goddard | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Harry Herne | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Rebecca Henderson | 1:09:44 |
2 | Clea O'Brien | 0:20:05 |
-1lap | Rosemary Stewart | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Ben Bradley | 1:02:24 |
2 | Jack Lavis | 0:01:17 |
3 | Felix Smalley | 0:01:32 |
4 | Tristan Ward | 0:01:34 |
5 | Chris Hamilton | 0:02:54 |
6 | Scott Bowden | 0:03:27 |
7 | Mitchell Greenway | 0:03:49 |
8 | Tasman Nankervis | 0:03:50 |
9 | Reece Tucknott | 0:04:22 |
10 | Jayden Ward | 0:04:31 |
11 | Ethan Kelly | 0:04:38 |
12 | Simon Harrington | 0:05:54 |
13 | Harrison Wiles | 0:06:32 |
14 | Dean Madden | 0:08:54 |
15 | David Bleakley | 0:09:10 |
16 | Cameron Prosser | 0:09:24 |
17 | Jordan Butler | 0:09:29 |
18 | Jack Jude | 0:10:42 |
19 | Jonathon Noble | 0:10:44 |
20 | Harrison Ernst | 0:12:43 |
21 | Bryce Clark | 0:12:44 |
22 | Aaron Felton | 0:18:47 |
-1lap | Josh Abbey | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jack Gardner | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Jese Webb | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Thomas Deller | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Holly Harris | 0:59:51 |
2 | Emily Parkes | 0:00:02 |
3 | Karlee Gibson | 0:09:01 |
4 | Lucy Burton | 0:11:24 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Liam Jeffries | 0:48:43 |
2 | Darcy Pirotta | 0:00:50 |
3 | Callum Carson | 0:01:41 |
4 | Alex Lack | 0:02:35 |
5 | Michael Potter | 0:03:53 |
6 | Josh Hooton | 0:03:58 |
7 | Guy Frail | 0:04:50 |
8 | Luke Brame | 0:05:13 |
9 | Dylan McKenna | 0:06:01 |
10 | Tom Green | 0:06:47 |
11 | Oliver Armstrong | 0:06:57 |
12 | Foley Lachal | 0:07:16 |
13 | Michael Denton | 0:07:50 |
14 | Jack Booth | 0:08:41 |
15 | Michael Harris | 0:10:20 |
16 | Nick Pedler | 0:11:36 |
17 | Declan Prosser | 0:13:12 |
18 | Paul Standish | 0:16:42 |
19 | Hugh Dawkins | 0:21:28 |
20 | Harry Kooros | 0:21:29 |
-1lap | Taylor Wauchope | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Ellie Wale | 0:42:49 |
2 | Megan Williams | 0:02:42 |
3 | Zoe Binder | 0:03:16 |
4 | Emily I'ons | 0:12:58 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Isaac Buckell | 0:33:50 |
2 | Charlie Brodie | 0:00:58 |
3 | Cameron Wright | 0:02:26 |
4 | Luke Pankhurst | 0:03:29 |
5 | Adam Blazevic | 0:03:33 |
6 | Kian Lerch-Mackinnon | 0:04:08 |
7 | Matthew Dinham | 0:04:45 |
8 | Ben Metcalfe | 0:05:05 |
9 | Joseph Simpson | 0:05:54 |
10 | Jasper Albrecht | 0:06:46 |
11 | Charlie Todd | 0:07:12 |
12 | Riley King | 0:08:23 |
13 | Drew Gilchrist | 0:08:41 |
14 | Matherson Galway | 0:09:43 |
15 | Zachary Mark | 0:10:44 |
16 | Innes Ferrier | 0:12:41 |
17 | Callum Inglis | 0:12:41 |
18 | Tristan Miller | 0:12:42 |
19 | Joshua Markham | 0:17:07 |
20 | Kye Fisher | 0:21:22 |
DNF | Josh Battye | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Katherine Hosking | 0:44:18 |
2 | Sarah I'ons | 0:00:56 |
3 | Zoe Cuthbert | 0:02:34 |
4 | Sally Potter | 0:12:02 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Lucas Sproson | 1:06:54 |
2 | Dominic Hoyal | 0:01:16 |
3 | Jarrod Moroni | 0:02:08 |
4 | Matthew Potter | 0:03:14 |
5 | James Boland | 0:03:22 |
6 | Nathan Spencer | 0:03:28 |
7 | Brad Clarke | 0:04:57 |
8 | Damien Enderby | 0:07:14 |
9 | Sean Bekkers | 0:08:38 |
10 | Andrew Low | 0:09:44 |
11 | Nick Miller | 0:11:03 |
DNF | Matthew Fleming | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Nathan Crump | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Shane Taylor | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Phillip Leslie | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Philippa Rostan | 1:02:52 |
2 | Kate Swain | 0:00:00 |
3 | Josie Simpson | 0:03:43 |
DNF | Nicola Hogan | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Bradley Morton | 1:04:21 |
2 | Jon Gregg | 0:04:14 |
3 | Matthew Rizzuto | 0:04:43 |
4 | Brett Kellett | 0:07:46 |
5 | Bryce Young | 0:07:51 |
6 | Jorge Baron Morris | 0:07:55 |
7 | Brett Bellchambers | 0:08:47 |
8 | Jason Morgan | 0:10:00 |
9 | Peter Kreilis | 0:10:02 |
10 | Douglas Pollock | 0:10:03 |
11 | Gary Harwood | 0:11:18 |
12 | Mark McInnes | 0:12:13 |
13 | Evan James | 0:12:22 |
14 | Simon Dec | 0:12:38 |
15 | Luke Ingram | 0:13:03 |
16 | Tony Tucknott | 0:13:19 |
17 | Paul Connor | 0:14:21 |
18 | Greg Long | 0:14:26 |
19 | Anthony Caffey | 0:14:53 |
20 | Geoff Gilchrist | 0:16:41 |
21 | Roger Derrick | 0:18:29 |
22 | Con Toparis | 0:19:30 |
23 | Peter Gibson | 0:22:01 |
24 | John Williams | 0:22:25 |
25 | Troy Fisher | 0:23:09 |
-1lap | Pete Smith | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Hector Vivas | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
-1lap | Rusty Mark | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Craig McLean | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Mark Croonen | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Mark Fenner | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Michael Hogan | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Catherine Kelaher | 0:39:08 |
2 | Jane Ollerenshaw | 0:03:06 |
3 | Donna Dall | 0:04:16 |
4 | Michelle Inglis | 0:04:53 |
5 | Jody Mielke | 0:05:35 |
6 | Karen Evans | 0:06:01 |
7 | Jennifer Enderby | 0:11:07 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | John Henderson | 0:53:16 |
2 | Craig Peacock | 0:01:01 |
3 | Frans Van Zyl | 0:02:40 |
4 | Paul Burbidge-Smith | 0:02:44 |
5 | Dean Kohlman | 0:04:22 |
6 | Peter Selkrig | 0:04:47 |
7 | Les Heap | 0:04:51 |
8 | David Danks | 0:07:04 |
9 | Raymond Rhodes | 0:07:24 |
10 | Mark Hardy | 0:08:52 |
11 | Alan McCulloch | 0:10:04 |
12 | Mark Buckell | 0:10:52 |
13 | Karl Albrecht | 0:14:03 |
14 | Roger Campbell | 0:18:44 |
DNF | Phillip Hannam | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Christopher Willis | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Paul Sloan | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
DNS | Nathan Carroll | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Sharon Heap | 0:40:33 |
2 | Lisa Smallbone | 0:05:29 |
3 | Margaret King | 0:06:23 |
4 | Lisa Harris | 0:11:04 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Greg Carr | 1:06:39 |
2 | Russell Parsons | 0:04:52 |
3 | Steve Watson | 0:17:11 |
DNS | Nicholas Bird | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Latest on Cyclingnews
-
Pan-Am Cyclocross Championships: Lauren Zoerner and Ian Ackert retain U23 titles
Jenaya Francis earns silver for Canada in U23 women's race while USA's Jack Spranger takes U23 silver for men -
Zoe Bäckstedt carries road racing form into cyclocross season with an eye on Worlds
Geert Wellens joins Canyon-SRAM as new cyclocross director -
Baloise Trek say SRAM chain failures cost European cyclocross championship medals
Manager Sven Nys points to ongoing issues with components -
Rigoberto Urán closes out professional cycling career with farewell event at Medellín stadium among 8000 fans
'I was able to fight and inspire an entire country'