Bissaker's upset time trial win enough to claim overall lead

Image 1 of 12

Canberra teenager Edward Bissaker catapulted into leadership of the Eastern Oak Tour of Geelong with a stunning win in the Victorian open time trial championships at Ceres, near Geelong, Friday.

The little-known Bissaker, 19, cruised over the 28.2km picturesque, rolling hills course in 0:38:26 to defeat Nathan Haas, also of Canberra, by 38 seconds, with Gippslander Kane Walker a further 11seconds back in third place.

The shock victory moved Bissaker from 7th position on general classification into the Tour leader's yellow jersey, nine seconds ahead of Haas, with West Australian Anthony Giacoppo next at 60 seconds.

The big drifters in the time trial were overnight leader Patrick Shaw who finished 14th and slipped to sixth place overall, and his Genesys teammate, the mercurial sprinter Steele Von Hoff who managed only 24th and is back in ninth position, 0:01:56 seconds in arrears of Bissaker.

Coached in Adelaide at the South Australian Sports Institute by 2007 Melbourne to Warrnambool Classic winner Tim Decker, Bissaker claimed some prominence at the recent Lakes Oil Tour of Gippsland by winning the tough 69.36km stage from Lakes Entrance to Metung, via Bruthen. He was also a member of Australia's gold medal-winning teams pursuit line-up at last year's world junior championships in Italy.

Riding for three-man Jayco AIS team in the Geelong Tour, Bissaker said he was hoping for a top five finish and got a "big surprise" with his victory.

"It was also a pretty massive surprise to be wearing the yellow," he said. "It was a good day for me. It's not as sweet as winning a world title but it's definitely my biggest victory in Australia."

Bissaker said he was hopeful of hanging on to the yellow jersey until the Tour finishes with the Victorian open criterium championship in Geelong's Eastern Gardens on Sunday afternoon.

But first he must survive Saturday's gruelling 143km Victorian open road championship on a severe course at Anakie which takes in three laps of a bush-land circuit through the Brisbane Ranges.

"I will definitely do my best and give it a crack," Bissaker said. "I've only got two team mates in Jordan Kerby and Mitchell Lovelock-Fay but they're good and strong."

Canberra-based journalist Rebecca Wiasak powered to her most important victory as a road cyclist in the Victorian open time trial championship at Ceres, near Geelong.

Wiasak, 27, formerly of Geelong, comfortably defeated Werribee 19-year-old Kendelle Hodges by 52 seconds, with the amazing 52-year-old Stephanie Frawley, of Mildura, a further 54 seconds back in third place.

The excited Wiasak sped over the beautiful undulating 28.2 kilometre course in 0:43:14.

“I think I have finally found a sport that I am good at,” she enthused. “Hopefully, I can now progress through the ranks and eventually get to the Olympics.”

Wiasak was referring to her previous sporting pursuits as a middle distance runner and triathlete.

She won the Victorian under 20, 800 metres championship at Olympic Park before moving to Canberra to study for a journalism degree at the Australian National University.

Wiasak switched to road cycling in June last year and now has a scholarship with the Australian Academy of Sport.

“I would sooner be making the headlines than writing them, she bubbled. “My life as a journalist is on hold and I’m working part-time in the public service with the Department of Regional Australia.

“I was quite nervous today because the course suited me perfectly. It’s nice to win Victorian titles in two sports.”

The time trial was the opening stage of the GMHBA Women’s Tour of Geelong which continues tomorrow (Saturday) with the Victorian road race championship, starting at 9am at Anakie.

The tour is a feature event of Cycling Australia’s 2011 inaugural Women’s National Road Series. The third and final stage will be the State criterium championship in Geelong’s Eastern Gardens at 1pm Sunday.

Results

Results

Results