Gracie Elvin credits Orica-AIS teammates for second straight national title

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Grace Elvin (Orica-AIS) win's her second national road race title (Image credit: Mark Gunter)

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The 2014 Women's podium, (l-r) Shara Gillow (Orica-AIS), Felicity Wardlaw and Bridie O'Donnell (Image credit: Mark Gunter)

Bruised and battered after a second lap crash in the national criterium championships on Thursday night in Ballarat, Gracie Elvin successfully defended her Australian women’s national road race championship in a sprint finish against rivals Lauren Kitchen, Karin Garfoot and Tiffany Cromwell. Elvin became the first female cyclist since Kathy Watt (1992-94) to capture back-to-back national road race titles, and fully credits her Orica-AIS teammates for the win.

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"This jersey is for them," an emotional Elvin said immediately after the race. "I love them to bits and I owe it all to them as we work as a unit and that's he we won the race."