Bathurst Cycling Classic: Emily Watts returns to defend her road race crown

The Lithgow native and former Bathurst Cycling Club competitor is no stranger to success at the classic, and that means there's a brightly painted target on her back every time she takes part.

Watts comes to Bathurst as the defending women's road race champion and has strong claims of making it back-to-back victories in the main event.

There's also Saturday's criterium on the agenda - an event Watts won in dominant fashion back in 2018.

After her nationals success Watts said there's a different vibe for her around this year's journey to Bathurst.

"It's exciting but daunting as well because I haven't ridden in a race since nationals so there's going to be a little bit of pressure that I haven't experienced before," she said.

"But I think that will just give me more confidence during the race, knowing that I'm still strong from nationals. I'll still race it like I normally would and enjoy it."

Watts was fifth overall in the combined Elite and Under 23s national road race, and none of the four riders who finished ahead of her will be involved in this weekend's action at Bathurst.

Fellow nationals road race finishers Jess Mitchell, Gina Ricardo and Paula Schulz are all in the mix at the Bathurst Cycling Classic, along with other top talent such as Chloe Heffernan, Ella Falzarano and Lucie Fityus.

"I'll definitely have a target on my back," Watts said.

"But there is a lot of confidence knowing that you're one of the riders that the other girls will be looking at as opposed to being just another rider."

Watts has enjoyed a string of podium finishes in the criterium at national level, along with her Bathurst success, but it's the road race where her passion lies.

"It's the race where you can play all the tactics," Watts said.

"It could end in a breakaway or it could end in a sprint. The criterium is a short and intense race. I haven't done one in a while actually - I didn't do it at nationals.

"There's a couple of girls from my team coming so we'll trying out some tactics but trying to make the race harder for each other at the same time."

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