Heather, O'Donnell over a minute behind for minor medals
Image 1 of 44
Shara Gillow (GreenEDGE-AIS) with a kilometre to go(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Bridie O'Donnell (Victoria) won the bronze medal(Image credit: CJ Farquharson)
Amanda Spratt (GreenEDGE-AIS) took fourth place after her road race win on Saturday(Image credit: CJ Farquharson)
Grace Suzlberger (Jayco-AIS) was sixth fastest
(Image credit: CJ Farquharson)
ACT rider, Rebecca Wiasak, finished eighth
(Image credit: CJ Farquharson)
Rachel Neylan (Nutrixxion Abus) was seventh fastest
(Image credit: CJ Farquharson)
Lauren Kitchen (Rabobank Cycling Team) took silver in the under 23 competition
(Image credit: CJ Farquharson)
Lauren Kitchen (Rabobank Cycling Team) took silver in the under 23 competition
(Image credit: CJ Farquharson)
(Image credit: CJ Farquharson)
Taryn Heather (SASI) was second in the time trial(Image credit: CJ Farquharson)
Shara Gillow (GreenEDGE-AIS) took gold for the second year(Image credit: CJ Farquharson)
Sarah Kent (Jayco-AIS) on the way to silver in the under 23 competition(Image credit: CJ Farquharson)
Taryn Heather (SASI), Shara Gillow (GreenEDGE-AIS) and Bridie O'Donnell (Victoria) on the podium(Image credit: CJ Farquharson)
Second time winner, Shara Gillow (GreenEDGE-AIS) on the podium(Image credit: CJ Farquharson)
The under 23 podium - Lauren Kitchen (Rabobank Cycling Team), Sinead Noonan (Jayco-AIS) and Sarah Kent (Jayco-AIS)(Image credit: CJ Farquharson)
Shara Gillow (GreenEDGE-AIS) cleans up before the podium(Image credit: CJ Farquharson)
Taryn Heather (SASI) was passed by Shara Gillow, but still managed silver(Image credit: CJ Farquharson)
Bridie O'Donnell (Victoria) was third, unable to repeat her previous win in the time trial(Image credit: CJ Farquharson)
Carla Ryan (AA Drink) was outside the top ten, fourteenth(Image credit: CJ Farquharson)
Alexis Rhodes (GreenEDGE-AIS) gives everything with a kilometre to go(Image credit: CJ Farquharson)
(Image credit: CJ Farquharson)
Alexis Rhodes (GreenEDGE-AIS) wanted the win, but could only manage fifth
(Image credit: CJ Farquharson)
Shara Gillow (GreenEDGE-AIS) with a kilometre to go(Image credit: CJ Farquharson)
Taryn Heather (SASI) was second in the time trial(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Shara Gillow (GreenEDGE-AIS) took gold for the second year(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Sarah Kent (Jayco-AIS) on the way to silver in the under 23 competition(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Alexis Rhodes (GreenEDGE-AIS) gives everything with a kilometre to go(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Carla Ryan (AA Drink) was outside the top ten, fourteenth(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Bridie O'Donnell (Victoria) was third, unable to repeat her previous win in the time trial(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Taryn Heather (SASI) was passed by Shara Gillow, but still managed silver(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Shara Gillow (GreenEDGE-AIS) cleans up before the podium(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
The under 23 podium - Lauren Kitchen (Rabobank Cycling Team), Sinead Noonan (Jayco-AIS) and Sarah Kent (Jayco-AIS)(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Bridie O'Donnell (Victoria) won the bronze medal(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Amanda Spratt (GreenEDGE-AIS) took fourth place after her road race win on Saturday(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Taryn Heather (SASI), Shara Gillow (GreenEDGE-AIS) and Bridie O'Donnell (Victoria) on the podium(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Sinead Noonan (Jayco-AIS) won the under 23 title(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Sarah Kent (Jayco-AIS) was the third fastest in the under 23 competition(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Lauren Kitchen (Rabobank Cycling Team) took silver in the under 23 competition(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Lauren Kitchen (Rabobank Cycling Team) took silver in the under 23 competition(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Rachel Neylan (Nutrixxion Abus) was seventh fastest(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Alexis Rhodes (GreenEDGE-AIS) wanted the win, but could only manage fifth(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
ACT rider, Rebecca Wiasak, finished eighth(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Grace Suzlberger (Jayco-AIS) was sixth fastest(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Second time winner, Shara Gillow (GreenEDGE-AIS) on the podium(Image credit: CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net)
Shara Gillow (GreenEdge-AIS) successfully defended her Australian Time Trial crown, blasting her way around the 27.1 kilometre Learmonth course in a time of 37:04.35 claiming gold in the elite women's category over a minute ahead of her nearest rivals.
Taryn Heather claimed the silver medal in a time of 38:17.54 while 2008 champion Bridie O'Donnell 38:18.78 took home the bronze.
The result meant that the new GreenEdge-AIS outfit claimed a clean sweep of the elite women's titles at the 2012 Australian Road Championships, with Alexis Rhodes winning her fourth criterium championship, and Amanda Spratt the road race.
Sinead Noonan (Jayco-AIS), who won the under 23 road championship on Saturday, earned her second gold medal for the 2012 titles, in a time of 39:54.85 placing her ninth overall.
Gillow put in a far less conservative performance on Tuesday than usual, leaving nothing on the road in the blustery, cold conditions. Last out of the start house as defending champion, Gillow only had one aim for the day – to ride as fast as possible.
"I'm learning so much as I go, but when it comes down to it it's all about trying to go quick and I think I did that," Gillow, 24, said having ridden her race against the clock in an average time of 43.87 km/h
"There's always some things you can change, but I'm pretty happy with how it went," she continued. "I just feel like I'm getting better and better at the moment– hopefully I can continue that when we go back to Europe."
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
As a sports journalist and producer since 1997, Jane has covered Olympic and Commonwealth Games, rugby league, motorsport, cricket, surfing, triathlon, rugby union, and golf for print, radio, television and online. However her enduring passion has been cycling.
Jane is a former Australian Editor of Cyclingnews from 2011 to 2013 and continues to freelance within the cycling industry.
