Cyclists star in sunshine state

BENDIGO cyclists starred in the latest National Road Series event on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.

A four-day showdown involved five road stages and a highlight for Bendigo was the effort by Kobe Henderson to be seventh overall.

Racing for Rauland Development Cycle Team, Henderson finished 3.11 minutes behind Tour winner Alastair Christie-Johnstone from Team Bridgelane.

Blake Agnoletto from Bendigo powered to fifth place in the fifth and final stage and was 18th in the general classification.

Agnoletto and ARA Skip Capital was runner-up in the teams contest to Bridgelane.

The Bendigo and District Cycling Club also had three contenders in the women’s tour with Sharni Morely crossing in fourth in the last stage.

In the final standings, Morely who raced for BRT was eighth overall at 1.29 minutes behind Emily Watts.

The contest for the Young Rider Award went to Lillee Pollock as Sharni Morely was runner-up.

Bendigo’s Stephanie Hibburt and Belinda Bailey also raced well against many of the country’s best road cyclists.

The finale to this year’s NRS action will be the Tour of Tasmania between 8 and 12 November.

Race plans for Agnoletto may include some more hit outs in the Cervelo Super Series in South Australia.

Meanwhile, track cycling action has made an eagerly awaited return to the Tom Flood Sports Centre in Bendigo.

Upgrades meant there was no track season in Bendigo across the 2022-23 season but track is back each Thursday night at the Barnard Street venue.

Juniors start at 6.30pm and seniors at 7.30pm and it’s free entry for spectators.