#RoadNats Day 2 - Para-Cycling, Intellectual Impairment Time Trial

Rainbows shone on Federation University on Thursday as Australia’s world champion para-cyclists hit the course for the time trial at the 2021 Federation University Road National Championships in Ballarat.

More than thirty national champions were crowned across the para-cycling, Intellectual Impairment, Deaf and Club Teams categories on a great day of racing.

Para-cycling Time Trial Recap

In a stunning world-class field, seven reigning para-cycling world champions donned their rainbow jerseys in the time trial at the 2021 Federation University Road National Championships in Ballarat.

Riders took on laps of the challenging and technical out and back course starting and finishing at Federation University, which featured a flat section along Yankee Flat Road and followed by loops around the campus.

Being assigned bib number 13 proved lucky for Paralympic gold medalist David Nicholas (Mackay Cycling Club) who claimed a staggering thirteenth–straight win in the C3 category.

Similarly, Alistair Donohoe (Blackburn Cycling Club) kept his streak intact with a fourth consecutive green and gold jersey in the C5 event.

“This was a good ride, I executed it as best as I possibly could have, so I feel like there was some real satisfaction when I crossed that line,“ said Donohoe. “I was pretty nervous on the start line and even coming through from one lap down, it was really tight, and I knew it was going to be such stiff competition.

“I would like to thank my team, as they have supported me so much since moving to Queensland twelve months ago and the support they have put into my progress is amazing.“

Reigning Paralympic champion Carol Cooke (St Kilda Cycling Club) claimed an eleventh straight time trial national crown in the women’s T2 category.

Despite boasting the rainbow jersey as world champion in the event, Emily Petricola (St Kilda Cycling Club) celebrated her maiden crown in the women’s C4 event.

Paige Greco (Port Adelaide Cycling Club) defended her C3 title, while Darren Hicks (Norwood CC) took the honours in the C2 category.

Hicks was ecstatic to win gold again today and thanked the organisers for hosting the Championships.

“It’s always a privilege to wear the green and gold, as well as the rainbow jersey, but it was nice to turn up, here again, today to race national championship and be able to win, it was great,“ said Hicks.

“I would like to thank AusCycling for putting on the event and getting us here; it’s definitely a challenge to get a team together under these conditions. Also, to my coach, Cam (Jennings) and everyone who has supported the whole team, it’s fantastic.“

Emilie Miller (Bathurst CC) won gold in the women’s H1 Handcycle category.

“It’s always a challenging course out there, particularly with the amount of climbing there is out there for me, but I had a really good day and was happy,“ said Miller, who was ecstatic to be on the podium after crashing during her race at last year’s Championships.

“I think I hit about 54km/h going down Gear Avenue, so there was definitely a high fear factor today after my accident last year.“

In other events, Paralympic medalist Stu Tripp (Alpine Cycling Club), Grant Allen (Port Adelaide Cycling Club), Alexander Welsh (Leongatha Cycling Club), Beau Vernon (Southern Masters Cycling Club) and Lauren Parker (Hunter District Cycling Club) claimed gold in their respective Handcycle categories.

Bronwyn Dolman (Port Adelaide Cycling Club) won the C5 event, while Kaitlyn Schurmann (Geelong Cycling Club) and Annaliese Hodge (Brunswick Cycling Club) won the C1 and C2 events respectively.

Earlier in the day, Stuart Jones (Newcastle Cycling Club) won the men’s T2 event, while Kevin O’Meley (Southern Highlands CC) claimed the Tandem gold medal.

Finally, it was no slim pickings for Clint Pickin (Colac Cycling Club) who powered home to win gold in the C4 category.

Cyclists with an intellectual impairment

After a stunning debut at the Championships in 2020, Australia’s best cyclists with an intellectual impairment were on centre stage at the Federation University Road National Championships Intellectually Impaired Individual Time Trial.

Under the grey Mount Helen skies, Nathan Glarvey (Balmoral Cycling Club) was the quickest of the 15 starters, blitzing the 11.9km lap in 19mins 24secs.

Nathan Broeren (Brunswick Cycling Club) and Cameron Marshall (Preston Cycling Club) rounded out the podium, finishing 21 and 31 seconds behind, respectively.

Glarvey, who was appearing in his first national time trial after completing seven Ironman triathlons, was pleased with his results post-race.

“It felt good. The time trial is usually my thing,“ said Glarvey, who finished 21 seconds ahead of second-placed Nathan Broeren (Brunswick Cycling Club) and 31 seconds ahead of Cameron Marshall (Preston Cycling Club) in third.

In the women’s, Georgia Powning (Preston Cycling Club) defended her green and gold jersey, finishing 34 seconds ahead of Montana Whiteley (Preston Cycling Club).

The 21-year-old Victorian said it was her coach who spurred her to overcome the pressure of riding as the defending champion.

“When my coach was telling me to go hard, I thought ‘ok I’ll go hard,“ Powning said after her triumph.

“Last year when I was here, I knew I could do it, and this year I was happy to be able to do it again“.

Chloe Turner (St Kilda Cycling Club) rounded out the women’s podium, finishing 42 seconds behind Powning.

In the Deaf category, Reece-Emerson Van Beek (Ballarat / Sebastopol CC) won the gold in a time of 45mins 25.4secs.