Alex Porter sprints to first road title in U23 criterium

Alex Porter of SASI started his 2017 season just as he ended his 2016 season by winning an Australian national title but did so this time on the road. Porter had the fastest kick of his breakaway companions on a hot afternoon in Sturt St, Ballarat as he relegated Lucas Hamilton to second and Ayden Toovey to third place.

Scott Bowden (IsoWhey Sports Swisswellness) proved himself to possibly be the strongest man in the race as he dragged a chase group across to the leaders but ultimately fell just short, placing seventh at three seconds.

"I knew there were some quick guys in the bunch so I would have a better chance if I was off the front with a number of guys. When I saw that move go I thought it was a good move to get into and utilise having to only spring against five guys instead of 60-odd," Porter said post-race of his decision to chase down the original two-man group of Hamilton and Toovey inside the first ten laps of the race.

With pre-race favourite and fellow track world champion in the team pursuit from the 2015 Worlds, Sam Welsford sporting a bloody knee and isolated in the bunch, the breakaway worked well together to ensure it build a lead, 40 seconds at its maximum on the 1.1km circuit, early and then held its advantage to the line.

Jai Hindley and Ryan Thomas had been the two other men and break it was the former, along with Hamilton, that was aiming for anything but a bunch sprint. Having settled after a tough start in the heat, Porter explained that he worked hard to ensure the punchier riders from the breakaway wouldn't be allowed to get away.

"Some of the other guys like Lucas and Jai, I knew they wouldn’t want me there at the end and would try and get away solo so they were putting on on the pace trying to split it. I thought if I can keep it together and have it up in a bunch sprint like it did," said Porter.

With a 38 second advantage over the chasers, it looked like the leaders would be home and housed with ten laps to race. With five laps to go it was down to 25 seconds as Bowden's legs continued to reel in them in. Ultimately, the chase and Bowden were left with too much to do and it was Porter who enjoyed the first gold medal of the 2017 nationals.

Looking ahead to Sunday's road race, Hamilton is aiming to make it third time lucky in U23 events after his silver in last year's race. Having picked up the sprints jersey in the criterium, the 20-year-old is in form and hungry for his first green and gold jersey.

"It would be nice to go one step between, two nationals championships now and two silvers so it would be nice to get a gold," Hamilton said.

Porter and his SASI teammate Callum Scotson though will be aiming to stop Hamilton in his tracks and claim the gold medal.

"I think the guys who were in the break are who is going to be over the top of Bunninyong so I am hoping with some of the form I am in I can be there with them and have a repeat on Saturday," added Porter.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Alexander Porter (Aus) SASI47:17:00
2Lucas Hamilton (Aus)Row 1 - Cell 2
3Ayden Toovey (Aus) NSWISRow 2 - Cell 2
4Jai Hindley (Aus)Row 3 - Cell 2
5Harrison Bailey (Aus)Row 4 - Cell 2
6Ryan Thomas (Aus)Row 5 - Cell 2
7Scott Bowden (Aus) IsoWhey Sports Swisswellness0:00:03
8Ben Carman (Aus) mobius Future Racing0:00:11
9Tasman Nankervis (Aus) GPM0:00:31
10Daniel Fitter (Aus) NSWIS0:00:33
11Cameron Scott (Aus) NSWIS0:00:46
12Lachlan Holliday (Aus)Row 11 - Cell 2
13Theodore Yates (Aus) Drapac-Pat's VegRow 12 - Cell 2
14Samuel Hill (Aus) Phoenix Cycling CollectiveRow 13 - Cell 2
15Kaden Groves (Aus)Row 14 - Cell 2
16Caiden Hull (Aus)Row 15 - Cell 2
17Kelland O'Brien (Aus) Jayco/John West VISRow 16 - Cell 2
18Riley Terrens (Aus)Row 17 - Cell 2
19Samuel Munday (Aus) Team Novo NordiskRow 18 - Cell 2
20David Randall (Aus)Row 19 - Cell 2
21William Hodges (Aus) GPMRow 20 - Cell 2
22Brendan Cole (Aus)Row 21 - Cell 2
23Julian Thomson (Aus) AMR Renault Racing TeamRow 22 - Cell 2
24Tristan Ward (Aus) Torq Nutrition AustraliaRow 23 - Cell 2
25Jameson Cosier (Aus)Row 24 - Cell 2
26Adam Mitchell (Aus)Row 25 - Cell 2
27Callum Pearce (Aus)Row 26 - Cell 2
28Benjamin Andrews (Aus) Van D'am RacingRow 27 - Cell 2
29Joshua Beikoff (Aus)Row 28 - Cell 2
30Lewis McCrea (Aus) Satalyst Verve RacingRow 29 - Cell 2
31Peter Livingstone (Aus) mobius Future RacingRow 30 - Cell 2
32Cyrus Monk (Aus) Drapac-Pat's VegRow 31 - Cell 2
33Bradley Soden (Aus)0:00:55
34Sean Whitfield (Aus) Oliver's Racing0:00:57
35Patrick Kennedy (Aus)Row 34 - Cell 2
36Nicholas White (Aus) Oliver's RacingRow 35 - Cell 2
37Jackson Mawby (Aus)Row 36 - Cell 2
38Nicholas Simpson (Aus)0:01:02
39Reece Tucknott (Aus)Row 38 - Cell 2
40Tom Green (Aus) GPMRow 39 - Cell 2
41Timothy Sellar (Aus) Satalyst Verve RacingRow 40 - Cell 2
42Guy Kalma (Aus) Attaque Team GustoRow 41 - Cell 2
43Rohan Wight (Aus) SASIRow 42 - Cell 2
44Oliver Martin (Aus)0:01:09
45Thomas McFarlane (Aus) InForm Racing Team0:01:11
DNFIven Bennett (Aus) Van D'am RacingRow 45 - Cell 2
DNFJake Brooker (Aus)Row 46 - Cell 2
DNFTodd Buschkuehl (Aus)Row 47 - Cell 2
DNFCarsten Chapman (Aus) Oliver's RacingRow 48 - Cell 2
DNFHarry Cleary (Aus)Row 49 - Cell 2
DNFLeighton Cook (Aus) Veris Racing TeamRow 50 - Cell 2
DNFMatthew De Vroet (Aus) Van D'am RacingRow 51 - Cell 2
DNFJoshua Harrison (Aus) SASIRow 52 - Cell 2
DNFAlexander Holden (Aus)Row 53 - Cell 2
DNFConnor Lambert (Aus)Row 54 - Cell 2
DNFTim Lennon (Aus)Row 55 - Cell 2
DNFDaniel Luke (Aus)Row 56 - Cell 2
DNFDylan McKenna (Aus)Row 57 - Cell 2
DNFMatthew Osborne (Aus) Torq Nutrition AustraliaRow 58 - Cell 2
DNFJames Pane (Aus) Drapac-Pat's VegRow 59 - Cell 2
DNFDeclan Prosser (Aus) GPMRow 60 - Cell 2
DNFLeighton Taylor (Aus)Row 61 - Cell 2
DNFKyle Thompson (Aus)Row 62 - Cell 2
DNFSam Welsford (Aus)Row 63 - Cell 2
DNFDavid Nickels (Aus) Team Novo NordiskRow 64 - Cell 2
DNSNicholas Darling (Aus) AMR Renault Racing TeamRow 65 - Cell 2
DNSHamish Goater (Aus) Veris Racing TeamRow 66 - Cell 2
DNSDrew Morey (Aus) Drapac-Pat's VegRow 67 - Cell 2
DNSKallum Parlevliet (Aus) InForm Racing TeamRow 68 - Cell 2
DNSJack Renshaw (Aus)Row 69 - Cell 2

 

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