Buchanan on a winning streak

Canberra four crosser and BMX racer Caroline Buchanan has had a stellar week. She won two Australian Cyclist of the Year awards last weekend and then became one of four finalists in the Young Australian of the Year Awards. This weekend, she continued her successful run by winning the ABA Grand Nationals BMX race in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Buchanan's win marks the first win by an Australian woman while countryman and World Cup series winner Sam Willoughby - also a mountain biker - from Adelaide, placed fourth.

The overall ABA series women's winner was second placed American rider, Dominique Daniels After placing second to Daniels on Friday in the preliminary race, Buchanan went one better on Sunday to win one of the most prestigious races in the United States.

The BMX racing will help keep Buchanan's form sharp during the mountain bike World Cup off-season, which will resume in the spring of 2010.