New national cyclo-cross champions crowned

Wet, cold, windy and muddy – Ballarat turned on the perfect weather for the 2023 AusCycling National Championships, which saw two new elite champions crowned.

More than 200 riders from U13 and Masters to the Elite categories braved the brutal conditions, which resembled a European cyclo-cross race.

The mud appeared to pose one of the biggest challenges for riders who battled to stay upright, and had to power through drive-trains full of mud, grass and grit.

It was a surprise win for mountain biker Katherine Hosking (Armidale CC) in the elite women’s race.

Having taken silver in the Cross-Country Marathon National Championships in Wagga Wagga, and bronze in the XCC National Championship in Thredbo earlier this year, she said she never expected her first elite national title would be in cyclo-cross.

Katherine Hosking spent a lot of time in front by herself on her way to winning the national title.

Hosking, who rides for the Orbea Women’s Racing Team, was a dark horse, but her background in cross-country obviously helped her overcome the mud, and the ‘Mound’ - a short but steep section of the course.

“I had very little expectations coming into this race and when I saw the mud this morning I was just going to have a good day. I didn’t really care what was going to happen I really can’t believe it I didn’t expect it at all,” she said after the race.

“I raced these girls a couple of weeks ago in the national round and I was really quite humbled. They flogged me off the start. So when I was off the front I was like ‘oh man I’ve cooked too many berries’ but I just really tried to settle into a bit of a routine. You’ve got to race the course, you’ve got to beat the course, in this race so that was my aim jut to ride smooth and keep it upright.”

Miranda Griffiths (Ballarat / Sebastopol CC) was 30 seconds back to take silver, while Peta Mullens (Cycling Benefits) won bronze.

In the men’s elite the national title had been a long time coming for Maap Sixpence CX team rider Chris Aitken (Hunter Mountain Bike Association).

The pace was forced early in the race by Nick Smith, but Aitken fought back to clench the victory, and paid credit to his team for helping him secure the national title.

“I was very good at coming second, put it that way,” he said of his past races.

“It’s nice to get the win. I’ve worked hard this year and it really came down to a bit of teamwork in the pits there. It was so muddy like last year, and we were changing bikes every lap. If you were running one bike out there, hats off to you, you were doing really well. I was struggling to keep my gears from jumping off even with a new bike every lap.

Chris Aitken  on his way to clinching his first elite cyclo-cross title. 

“I’ve been trying to take it a bit more relaxed this year. I’ve been working lots and just trying to enjoy riding my bike. I go quicker when I’m enjoying myself. That’s the best way to be.

“I think it’s more relief for me, if you were to sum up our race today it was brutal.”

Nick Smith (Southern Highlands CC) held on to take silver in the men’s elite, with Aitken’s teammates Gary Millburn (Alpine Cycling Club) winning bronze.

In the U23 category Tristan Nash (Midland Cycle Club) claimed the men’s national title, while Sophie Sutton (Blackburn Cycling Club) took out the women’s title.

The junior national champions were Sam Northey(Alpine Cycling Club) and Ruby Taylor (Hawthorn Cycling Club).

See the full results here.