Masters cyclists enjoy golden Nationals in Shepparton

Golden canola fields have provided a stunning backdrop for the 41 masters national titles decided in Shepparton and the Goulburn Valley over the weekend.

Twenty-nine cyclists, including 12 dual champions, became Australian masters road champions at the 2023 AusCycling Masters and Junior Road National Championships from Thursday to Sunday.

Photo: Jean-Pierre Ronco / Image Writer

Competition was scheduled to begin with the individual time trial championships at Dookie. However, only five categories were completed before racing was suspended after a traffic incident involving a rider.

The road races were able to proceed on Friday and Saturday on an altered course amid the Goulburn Valley's spectacular canola. The original hilly circuit was changed to a flat out-and-back route that favoured the sprinters, resulting in most races ending in a reduced bunch sprint of some kind.

The event concluded on Saturday (for women) and Sunday (for men) with a street criterium in central Shepparton, which featured a crucial hairpin bend within 300 metres of the finish.

Twelve riders accomplished the feat of winning two gold medals across the event: Nicole Wilson, Laurelea Moss, Dayna Davidson, Chris Ling and Darrell Wheeler (all from NSW); Anna Davis, Stephanie Coulson, Steve Flack and Russell Newnham (Victoria); and Anne-Louise Cosgrove (Queensland), Matthew Sparnon (South Australia) and Phillip Brownscombe (Northern Territory).

AusCycling thanks the Victorian State Government and Greater Shepparton City Council for their support of the 2023 AusCycling Masters and Junior Road National Championships.

Photo: Jean-Pierre Ronco / Image Writer

2023 AusCycling National Champions

Masters Women 1

• Time trial: Brianna SAMUHEL (Parklife Cycling Club)
• Road race: Nicole WILSON (Sydney Uni Velo Club)
• Criterium: Nicole WILSON (Sydney Uni Velo Club)

Masters Women 2

• Time trial: Kim PEDERSEN (Canberra Cycling Club)
• Road race: Melissa BASTER (Mornington Cycle Club)
• Criterium: Bree PLAYEL (Manly Warringah Cycling Club)

Masters Women 3

• Time trial: Angela GATES (Illawarra Cycle Club)
• Road race: Roslyn HURT (Capital Region Masters Cycling Club)
• Criterium: Gabrielle THOMASZ (Cairns Cycling Club)

Masters Women 4

• Time trial: Jenny PETTENON (Hawthorn Cycling Club)
• Road race: Laurelea MOSS (Coffs Harbour Cycling Club)
• Criterium: Laurelea MOSS (Coffs Harbour Cycling Club)

Masters Women 5

• Road race: Dayna DAVIDSON (Southern Cross Cycling Club)
• Criterium: Dayna DAVIDSON (Southern Cross Cycling Club)

Masters Women 6

• Road race: Anna DAVIS (Coburg Cycling Club)
• Criterium: Anna DAVIS (Coburg Cycling Club)

Masters Women 7

• Road race: Anne-Louise COSGROVE (Kangaroo Point Cycling Club)
• Criterium: Anne-Louise COSGROVE (Kangaroo Point Cycling Club)

Masters Women 8

• Road race: Stephanie COULSON (Southern Masters Cycling Club)
• Criterium: Stephanie COULSON (Southern Masters Cycling Club)

Photo: Matt Rousu

Masters Men 1

• Road race: Brent TOMLINSON (Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club)
• Criterium: Cameron FRASER (Eastern Suburbs Cycling Club)

Masters Men 2

• Road race: Steve FLACK (Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club)
• Criterium: Steve FLACK (Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club)

Masters Men 3

• Road race: Murray BUDIN (Southern Masters Cycling Club)
• Criterium: Ben MORRISON (Canberra Cycling Club)

Masters Men 4

• Time trial: Matthew SPARNON (Norwood Cycling Club)
• Road race: Christophe BAUDRY (Alpine Cycling Club)
• Criterium: Matthew SPARNON (Norwood Cycling Club)

Masters Men 5

• Road race: Chris LING (Randwick Botany Cycling Club)
• Criterium: Chris LING (Randwick Botany Cycling Club)

Masters Men 6

• Road race: Phillip BROWNSCOMBE (Darwin Cycling Club)
• Criterium: Phillip BROWNSCOMBE (Darwin Cycling Club)

Masters Men 7

• Road race: Russell NEWNHAM (Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club)
• Criterium: Russell NEWNHAM (Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club)

Masters Men 8

• Road race: Toni HORNE (Geelong & Surf Coast Cycling Club)
• Criterium: Paul BRADLEY (Penrith Cycling Club)

Masters Men 9

• Road race: Ian LOVELL (Newcastle Hunter Cycling Club)
• Criterium: Peter JANSEN (University of Queensland Cycling Club)

Masters Men 10

• Road race: Darrell WHEELER (Dubbo Cycling Club)
• Criterium: Darrell WHEELER (Dubbo Cycling Club)

For full results, visit the AusCycling results page.

Feature photo: Matt Rousu