Can Clarke continue top form?

Will Clarke (Genesys Wealth Advisers) returns to the Australian Capital Territory’s Canberra Tour as the man to beat in 2010. Clarke’s not only the defending champion heading into the National Road Series’ second round, but is also in good form having dominated last week’s Tour of Coleraine. The Genesys rider will be have strong support from team-mates like Nathan Earle and Dylan Newell.

But Clarke will face strong competition at the event, which commences with a 60 kilometre road race on Friday. After winning the series’ opening round in Tasmania, Jayco-Skins’ Luke Durbridge will be hungry for another strong ride before he heads to the Australian Institute of Sport’s Italian base for a block of European competition.

A time trial at the Mersey Valley Tour helped Durbridge take and defend the overall lead; however the West Australian won’t have the benefit of a time trial at this round and the hilly terrain could work against his overall hopes. Instead the Jayco-Skins team will have the benefit of having more than one rider representing it at this round, with Michael Hepburn and Glenn O’Shea both joining Durbridge at the event.

Virgin Blue RBS Morgans will be looking for its first National Road Series round victory, after securing its first stage victory in Tasmania. The new squad is sending one of the largest team rosters to the event, including Ben Dyball, Cameron Peterson, Michael Freiburg and Mitch Pearson.

National Road Series women’s leader Alex Carle will be the favourite in the women’s race, her last even on Australian soil before heading to the United States of America. Carle has the advantage of local knowledge and the support of her ACTAS-NTID squad for the event.

Click here to see the full start list.