White wins men’s U23 Australian road race championships

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Local rider Nicholas White (Team Bridge Lane) took the green and gold national champion’s jersey in the men’s under 23 road race. He beat Michael Potter (Pro Racing Sunshine Coast) and 2017 winner Samuel Jenner (Team Wiggins Le Col) in a long sprint in Buninyong.

“I couldn’t think of anything better, to be able to do this in my hometown is something else and to have all the supporters there as well,” said White. “I was getting the shakes going around the last lap with everyone yelling out my name was a pretty surreal feeling and it hasn’t really sunk in yet.”

“It’s pretty surreal, it still hasn’t sunk in, it’s amazing,” White added on the podium after celebrating with family and friends.

“I couldn’t have done it without the five guys riding with me, it’s just as much their win as any one else’s, I can’t think them enough, and the team for all their support. It’s incredible.”

The 127km race was fast from the start with a dozen breakaway attacks forming and collapsing during the 11 lap-race. The decisive attack came at the final climb when Jenner and White sparked a strong move, forcing Potter with no option but to join.

Their lead was never more than a few seconds and it fell as White, Potter and Jenner played cat and mouse before the sprint.
“I had the whole team riding on the front for me and they made an unreal effort to get me around and even coming down to the bell lap when I had four guys with me, I knew I was definitely in with a chance and it was starting to feel like this could be a reality and this could be mine,” White explained.

“The last time over the climb was super hard but after all the effort the boys put in I knew I needed to be up to the front with those two guys so to be able to give them a reward and to win this is pretty special.”

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