Andrew Fellows and Katherine O'Shea led the elite ranks in the 2013 Subaru All Mountain Cup National Series after day one's eliminator race at Mount Buller, Victoria.
O'Shea clinched the win in the women's group over Jaclyn Schapel and 17-Year-old Holly Harris.
"I really enjoyed the eliminator format," O'Shea said. "It suits my power and my style of racing. I got a new bike today, and I think it made the difference.
"It was hard enough getting through to the final because I was racing against Peta Mullens, who has been going so well on the road, and Nathalie Schneitter, who has won World Cups before.
"In the final, I knew I needed a really good start and I got that. Jaclyn was on my wheel the whole time and she really challenged me so it was a great race," O'Shea said.
O'Shea admitted that having the lead in the general classification would be tough to hold onto heading into stage 2's Olympic cross country.
"It's great to have a lead heading after the eliminator. Jenni King is performing really well in the cross country format, and I will be looking out for her tomorrow," O'Shea said of the AMC defending champion.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
"I have been practicing a lot on the descents so I am hoping that will come into play tomorrow," the 33-year-old said.
Men
In the men's event, Fellows suffered a mechanical in the eliminator final to finish with silver, yet the Queenslander managed to claim the overall lead after finishing highest ranked against his elite competitors.
However it was 17-year-old Ben Bradley who took it to the senior riders to claim victory in the stage over Fellows and Tristan Ward.
A three-time junior national champion, Bradley led the race from start to finish and said his experience racing in Europe had helped him with the format.
"I got a good jump off the gun which I had done for all my heats, I knew if I could get first off the line then I'd be pretty safe to get the win," the defending under 19 national champion said.
"Once you got to the first corner there was no passing, it was so fast that no one could get by," Bradley described.
With race heavyweights Sid Taberlay, Chris Jongewaard and Andrew Blair all suffering mechanicals in the heats, the door was left open for Bradley to take the win and top spot in the under 19 age category general classification.
"There were time bonus' up for grabs in the eliminator so it gives me a little bit of an advantage heading into the cross country tomorrow which everybody wants to win. It's a big confidence boost to be leading on the overall GC," Bradley said.
The short but exciting course consisted of gravel, pavement, road, hills, sweeping bends and stair descents and centred in Mount Buller's village square allowing riders to test and showcase their skills for the spectators.
The "eliminator" category has proven popular on the world stage and was introduced into the 2013 Australian National Series as a result.
