Double delight for Henderson and Ward in Canberra

Mount Stromlo served up its typical challenges for Round 3 & 4 of the AusCycling XCO National Series.

It would be the final race ahead of National Championships for those heading to Awaba next week in chase of the green and gold sleeves.

Riders were treated to the short track cross-country format on Friday with Rebecca Henderson (Primaflor Mondraker Genuins) and Jack Ward taking out the top step in the elite categories.

The duo would then back up for the cross-country Olympic format two days later on a dry and dusty Stromlo course where they made it back to back wins.

Henderson would take control of the five-lap race with Commonwealth Games silver medalist and fellow Canberran Zoe Cuthbert (Team 31) slotting in for the silver nearly two minutes behind while Katherine Hosking claimed bronze.

“Pretty brutal they keep sending us up Cardiac I was feeling for some of the girls so big ups to those who came out and raced as it’s not easy,” the three-time World Cup winner commented post-race.

With current National Champion Sam Fox (Lapiere Mavic Unity) not lining up in the nation's capital it left the door open for a new winner in the elite men’s race.

And it was looking like a Daniel McConnell victory until he would suffer a mechanical with a lap to go.

“Dan really pushed it on the second last lap and got a gap then he had a problem with a wheel so had to change so I got away there,” said Ward who would go on to record his first victory in the National Series.

Reece Tucknott would take home the bronze medal.

With UCI points up for grabs in the Under 19 races, Harry Doye and Amelie Burrell would lock up the top positions in the XCO.

You can watch race highlights here.

---

Photo Credit: Hixit