Twin tropical triumphs for Aussie juniors: U19 Tour of the Tropics

13 Jul 2022 | 12:57 PMBy: Ryan Miu

Tasmanian cyclist William Eaves has doubled up in the Santini Junior 19 National Road Series by winning the U19 Men Tour of the Tropics last weekend.

Lucinda Stewart won the U19 Women’s tour overall, while Queensland’s Isabelle Carnes retained her series lead with third place.

In their first races since being selected for the Australian team for the 2022 UCI Road World Championships, Eaves and Stewart both claimed two stage victories en route to winning their respective general classifications.

The four-stage race around Cairns was the second round in Australia’s new road racing series for under-19 cyclists.

U19 Women: Stewart edges Appleton in Tropics GC race

The opening stage was an 83-kilometre road race at Millaa Millaa, raced in conjunction with the women’s National Road Series (NRS).

Lucinda Stewart (InForm TMX Make) was best able to match the senior riders, contesting the bunch sprint to win the under-19 race. Talia Appleton (99 Bikes Women’s Academy) was also able to hold her own and finish just behind the bunch, but the rest of the juniors finished over 10 minutes behind and almost certainly out of the general classification.

Lucinda Stewart in the Under-19 Women Tour of the Tropics 2022 peloton — *Lucinda Stewart (centre, in white) shadowed by Talia Appleton on stage 1. (Photo: Bear Liange)*

Putting stage one behind her, stage two saw Tour of Gippsland winner Isabelle Carnes (ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast) bounce back with the win in a reduced bunch sprint. Stewart maintained her general classification lead ahead of the afternoon’s race against the clock.

Stage three was a short individual time trial of 9.9km, which saw Appleton claim a hard-fought stage victory. She put 7 seconds into Stewart and 50 seconds into national champion Carnes, narrowing the GC contest to just 12 seconds at the top.

Lucinda Stewart wins stage 4 of the Under-19 Tour of the Tropics 2022 — *Lucinda Stewart won the final stage in the criterium champion's jersey. (Photo: Bear Liange)*

The final stage was a 30-minute criterium on the Cairns Esplanade, and here, national criterium champion Lucinda Stewart was in her domain. She defended her GC lead in the best possible fashion, winning the stage in the bunch sprint.

Fittingly, Appleton finished second to match her runner-up spot on the overall podium, with Carnes on the third step.

All three podium-getters have already been selected to represent Australia at the UCI Road World Championships in Wollongong.

U19 Women Tour of the Tropics – General Classification

Lucinda STEWART 6h14:47
Talia APPLETON +21
Isabelle CARNES +11:11
Florence MCNABB +15:27
Quinn FINDLAY +17:38
Caitlin CORSET +19:29
Mia WILLIAMS +20:34
Alana HRIBAR +25:02
Isla MAIDMENT +32:15

U19 Men: Eaves goes two from two as Tasmanians shine

After winning the Under-19 Tour of Gippsland, William Eaves (ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast) was a marked rider going into Friday’s 99-kilometre opening stage around Millaa Millaa, which, like the women’s event, was run in conjunction with the men’s NRS.

Eaves wore the series leader’s jersey with aplomb, winning the stage in a bunch sprint and taking a lead of 10 seconds thanks to time bonuses.

William Eaves with Joshua Cranage and Samuel McKee on the podium after the opening stage of the 2022 Under-19 Men Tour of the Tropics. — *William Eaves won the opening stage and would maintain the lead until the end. (Photo: Bear Liange)*

Stage two was the longest of the tour, 124 kilometres at Malanda, again combined with the seniors.

It finished in another bunch sprint, this time with another Tasmanian in Samuel McKee taking victory. Eaves finished third behind teammate Tyler Tomkinson (ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast) to maintain his GC lead ahead of the afternoon’s time trial.

In the 9.9-kilometre time trial, the race leader produced a sterling performance against the clock, winning with an average speed of 43.3km/h and extending his overall lead to 31 seconds.

William Eaves in the Santini Junior 19 National Road Series leader's jersey during the 2022 U19 Men Tour of the Tropics in Cairns — *Eaves will wear the Santini leader's jersey into the final round in Tasmania. (Photo: Bear Liange)*

That meant Eaves merely had to finish safely in the bunch on Sunday’s criterium along the Cairns Esplanade. That he did, confirming his overall win as Queensland’s Lachlan Miller (ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast) went solo to win the stage by 24 seconds.

McKee finished second overall, with Tomkinson completing the podium.

Eaves, who has also been selected for the UCI Road World Championships, will take a dominant lead of 350 points into his home race – the U19 Tour of Tasmania – in November.