BATHURST handcyclist Emilie Miller marked her first appearance at the Cycling Australia Road Nationals by claiming a Para-Cycling gold at Ballarat on Friday.
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Though Miller is no stranger to winning Australian titles, this year is the first time she and her fellow Para-Cyclists have been included as a category on the same program as the able bodied competitors.
While Miller did not contest Thursday’s time trial, on Friday morning she tackled the 12.1 kilometre road race course on the streets of Bo Peep.
As was the case in May last year when Miller earned herself an Australian Para-Cycling champions jersey, she was once again the sole women’s H1 classified road race competitor.
But she still worked hard over the course to claim another national gold medal, clocking a time of 51 minutes, two seconds.
Former Bathurst Cycling Club member and now Sydney Uni-Staminade rider Emily Watts was also in action on Friday, tackling the under 19 women’s time trial.
After an impressive bronze medal ride two days earlier in the criterium, Watts was a little disappointed to place 12th in the 15.9km leg burner. Her time was two minutes, 40.45 seconds down on winner Sarah Gigante (23:30.05).
“It was a hard day out on the road, it was just one of those days where your legs don’t feel great,” she said.
“I had heavy legs from the start [and] just did not have the zip that we have come to expect.
“[My] legs felt great on the rest day yesterday, so just recovery now for the road race tomorrow.”
As Watts indicated, this weekend the Bathurst contingent will tackle the road races in their respective divisions, the notorious Mount Buninyong circuit sure to test their legs.
With the mercury expected to hit 38 degrees, event organisers have reduced the number of laps of the 11.6km circuit the riders will face and have scheduled earlier start times.
Harrisen Bryant will be on the road for his under 19s men’s race at 6.30am, the Bathurst Cycling Club talent to battle it out over 69.6km.
Watts’ under 19 women’s race covers 58km and will begin at 6.35am, while under 23s duo Josh Corcoran and Will Hodges – both members of the GPM Stulz squad – face a 92.8km test from 9am.
Craig Hutton will be in action on Sunday in the elite men’s road race, facing some of Australia’s biggest names such as Richie Porte, Caleb Ewan, Simon Gerrans and Rohan Dennis.
They will race over 185.6km from 12.15pm.
