Graham's comeback on track

By John Flynn

Former Australian Road Champion Lorian Graham, who rode one hundred kilometres from Brisbane to contest the weekend's Surfers Paradise Criterium, is deep in training for the Australian National Titles in January. Graham's comeback from an horrific knee injury, sustained in the crash which killed team-mate Amy Gillett and decimated Australia's national squad more than two years ago, continues to build momentum.

"For me it's Beijing or nothing now, next year is very important for me to get results in the selection races that the coach and the selectors will be looking at for Beijing," Graham admitted. "So yeah, Road Nationals it'd be fantastic to get a second title, to go overseas again - you earn that respect from fellow team-mates."

Graham has already earned plenty of respect in her return from injury and the whispers from Brisbane's local criterium scene suggest the Rockhampton raised cyclist is returning to race winning form.

"This year went beyond expectations, it was really just to test and see how my body was going to cope and particularly my head, we were walking a fine line all the time," Graham said. "I'll be following pretty much a mirror image of what I did this year and I'll be stronger again next year."

The 2008 Australian Road Championships are set down for January 9-13 in Ballarat, Victoria.