Cyclists go west for road champs

BENDIGO is well represented at this week’s Cycling Australia road national championships in Perth.

Action started with Wednesday’s time trials and rolls through with Friday’s criteriums, and road showdowns on Saturday and Sunday.

Victorious in last year’s under-23 criterium on Ballarat’s streets, Bendigo star Blake Agnoletto will pursue glory in the elite criterium and road race.

Agnoletto will be racing in the colours of Atom 6 Bikes, Decca, Cycleur de lux.

A brilliant run for Agnoletto across 2024 included his world track championships debut, UCI Track Champions League in Europe, and victory in the Bendigo International Madison.

The gun cyclist is in the running for Bendigo’s Sports Star of the Year award as are clubmates Alessia McCaig, Courtney Sherwell and Lilyth Jones.

Rivals in the criterium and the 177km road race for Agnoletto in Perth include Bendigo clubmate Patrick Eddy from Team Picnic PostNL.

Reigning Merv Dean road champion for Bendigo DCC, Tali Lane Welsh will race for CCACHE X BODYWRAP at the nationals.

Bendigo’s Nate Hadden will race in the under-23 division as will the Teese twins, Aidan and Ronan.

Maxx Nuspan and Sebastian Freer are two of Bendigo’s rising stars who will compete in the under-19 class.

The elite women’s division includes Bendigo’s Lilyth Jones as clubmates Belinda Bailey and Milana Freer will compete in the under-23 category.

Jones earned silver in the 2000m individual pursuit at last year’s junior world track championships in China.

SBS On Demand will have live coverage of the criterium and road races.