Chris beats Lucas Hamilton to Australian U23 national title

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Four years ago, Chris Hamilton didn't know the Australian national championships existed. Today, he joined the likes of Rohan Dennis, Michael Hepburn and Caleb Ewan in winning the U23 national road race title, adding to his win in the criterium one year ago.

"A lot people I've looked up to are on that and its just incredible to be a part of it, I tell ya, it's pretty surreal, I don't it's even sunk in yet but this time last year when I won the crit jersey, no one was expecting that, I definitely wasn't. Then today, to come out with another jersey is unbelievable," Hamilton told reporters having collected the green and gold jersey.

As the bell sounded to single a final lap of the 10.1km Buninyong circuit, sole leader on the road Chris Harper (State of Matter/Maap) had a 51 second advantage over Chris and Lucas Hamilton. Harper had attacked on lap 10, catching then dropping Riley Field (GPM), building a three-minute gap between himself and the peloton. As Harper started up the climb, the two Hamilton's closed the gap down to 30 seconds then reeled in the 21-year-old leader.

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On the descent back towards the finish line, the Hamilton's built an 18 second advantage over the chase group of Miles Scotson, Alistair Donohoe (Vic), Michael Storer (Wa), Harper and Jai Hindley (Wa). Coming into the home straight, Chris Hamilton went to the front before opening his sprint with 150 metres to celebrate the biggest win of his career.

"I knew that Miles can obviously put out a bloody good time trial so if there was anyone that was going to get back onto us was him," said Hamilton. "Obviously if he brought Alastair [Donohoe] across with him, he has quite a good kick on him so we were a little worried but we were confident that if we kept going to the finish we could do it."

The 20-year-old former mountain biker and U19 cyclo-cross champion explained that he would turn his attention to the road, potentially starting with the Tour Down Under next week.

"I have to have a look at this year and what I want to do. I definitely want to continue a lot more focus on the road now, mountain bikes have been good to be now its time to switch the focus to the road," he said.

"I've applied for the WorldTour academy so we have to have a look at things like that. Sun Tour is coming up and there's always wildcard spots for Tour Down Under and it would be amazing to do something like that but you have to take these things as they come."

The opening laps

A two-man breakaway of Jason Lea and Rylee Field was established on the first laps of the 132km race with the duo built a lead of two minutes over the peloton. A change in the wind saw Field then ride away from Lea, with Justin Gassner attacking from the peloton before Jesse Kerrison unsuccessfully attempted to bridge across to the lone leader.

The NSWIS lead peloton was content to let Field enjoy his moment under the warm lunch-time sun as he increased his lead to three minutes. Avanti then thought otherwise as they came to the front of the peloton and upped the tempo, bring Field to within 1:50 minutes.

Field continued to lead as the temperature and racing heated up as the Celsius reached 30. Chris Harper took it upon himself to chase down Field while Cyrus Monk and Alex Hall then also took off. On lap nine, Harper caught and then passed Field on the climb. Back in the peloton, the Scotson brothers were working to bring back Harper who looked to be riding away with the win.

With Harper showing no signs of slowing as he went around in lap times of 16 minutes, the peloton splintered with a group of 15 chasing at 2:30 minutes and second group 30 seconds behind them. On the second last lap the attacks started to come thick and fast up the climb led by the Hamilton's and Scotson's.

On the penultimate lap it became clear that the inner was either Harper or a member of the front chase group. Nick Schultz was driving the peloton across the start/finish line but the race was already up the road. With Harper caught, the Hamilton's then took turns to ensure it would be a sprint between the two with Chris taking the spoils and 19-year-old Lucas left wondering what could have been. 

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