Cyrus Monk solos to U23 Australian road race title

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Cyrus Monk (Drapac EF p/b Cannondale Holistic Development Team) has added his name to the list of Australian U23 road race champions with solo victory in Buninyong. Monk rode across the two-man breakaway of Reece Tucknott and Mcgregor Carter on the penultimate lap, dropping both and taking out the green and gold jersey.

Taking his time in the long finishing straight, Monk duly celebrated the biggest win of his young career. Behind, James Whelan (InForm Tineli), led-out early and narrowly held off Michael Potter (Australian Cycling Academy) for the silver medal 26 seconds later. Potter's teammate Dylan Sunderland was the third rider in the first group to claim fourth. Tucknott capped off a successful day with fifth place.

"It is pretty hard to believe at the moment. You try and picture that every training ride for the past four months so it is pretty hard to believe it has actually happened," Monk said after his win.

The race was shortened due to extreme heat on Victoria's hottest day in two years and Monk explained that initially he was "furious" with the decision and urged his team to complain to the national body. "Even this morning I was asking if they could change it. I really wanted the long distance to wear the riders down," he said.

Praising teammates Liam Magennis and Paddy Burt for making the race hard, Monk added that using both his head and legs was crucial in securing the win.

Chasing from behind, Whelan explained the group believed they could catch Monk before the line. However, games of "cat and mouse" in the final 5km scuttled their chances. Lacking a sprint the former middle-distance runner took a late flier and just held off Potter for silver.

"It was a race for second coming in with two or three kilometres to go and then I went with about a key and half to go because I am not a sprinter and that is my best card to play," said Whelan, adding "this is the biggest result I have ever had."

While bronze is often a maligned medal, Potter was "elated" with the result and was quick to praise Monk for the win and his team for the opportunity. Defending champion Samuel Jenner (Mitchelton-BikeExchange) rolled over in a group 39 seconds down on Monk in 12th place.

How it unfolded

Due to the dry conditions and temperatures predicted to be into the high 30s, the road race had been cut in length and moved into the earlier time slot of 9am. A change in the course for 2018, lengthening the lap to 11.6km was further departure from the norm. An aggressive opening on the early laps led to a trio of Ashley Mackay (Australian Cycling Academy, Reece Tucknott and Mcgregor Carter forming the breakaway.

The three riders’ lead hovered around the 90-second mark while aggressive racing in the peloton saw a number of riders drop of the contention. The 11 abandons after just three laps were an indication of how hard and hot the race was. For Alex Porter, a bee sting rather than the pace of the race ended his day early.

As the race entered its denouement, the trio had become two with Tucknott and Carter pressing on alone 49 seconds to the good. Coming around for the third last lap, the lead was down to 30 seconds with Cyrus Monk chasing hard in the attempt to bridge the gap. On the climb, Michael Potter (Australian Cycling Academy) led the first round of attacks but it would be Monk who succeeded in getting clear.

Catching and then dropping Tucknott, Monk steadily built his advantage and ensured behind it was a fight for silver with his green and gold jersey waiting for him on the line finish line.

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