Australian Road Championships: Matthew Rice wins U23 men's criterium

Matthew Rice (ACA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast) won the men’s under 23 race criterium at the 2021 Federation University Road National Championships, taking the sprint from a stretched out lead group. 

Bryce Lanigan (Velofit Australia) took second while third over the line in the 30 lap race was Craig Wiggins (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast). The race around the 1.1 kilometre loop in the heart of Ballarat marks the third day of competition at the Australian Road Championships and the second under 23 title, with the final to be awarded at Saturday's road race.  

"It's up there as one of the best moments of my career so far, I'm pretty stoked with it," Rice said. "It's one of the best feelings of my life, it's pretty special to me as this is something I have always wanted to win. It felt cool." 

"My teammates rode amazingly to get me to the front, and they went from top of the back straight on the last lap to take me all the way to the front. This enabled me to get the legs out to run away with it and take the win." 

Rice also took out the sprint competition while Dylan Hopkins (Ljubljana Gusto Santic) was awarded the most aggressive rider.