THE FedUni Road National Cycling Championships rolled into Ballarat for the 13th consecutive year last weekend, drawing supportive, cheering crowds, the sounds of cowbells and vuvuzelas to town.<\/p>\n
The packed program running Friday through Tuesday had the community on their feet in the centre of Ballarat, but mostly in Buninyong, which has become a real cycling hub.<\/p>\n
The Criterium events ran on Friday – a vibrant start to the RoadNats.<\/p>\n
The Crits brought 7000 people to the footpaths and grassy median strips, the cafes, restaurants and temporary bars of Sturt Street \u2013 elite sport for free in their our backyard.<\/p>\n
The Under 19 Women and Men, Under 23 Men, Club Teams and Fixed Gear riders braved the 40-degree day, competing on the Sturt Street course between Lyons and Lydiard Streets.<\/p>\n
Ashlee Jones and Jesse Norton claimed the Under 19 Women\u2019s and Men\u2019s events, respectively.<\/p>\n
The \u2018Fixie\u2019 Champion was Hal Hunter, and Jarrad Drizners took out the Under 23 Men\u2019s Criterium.<\/p>\n
But once the evening arrived, so did a cool change, just in time for the Under 23 and Elite Women, and the Elite Men to have their turn. The competition, however, remained hot.<\/p>\n
Racing for 33kms, Rebecca Wiasak won the Elite Women\u2019s Criterium Championship for the second year in a row, and Brenton Jones took the title for the men in the 44km ride.<\/p>\n
Saturday\u2019s action moved to the RoadNats\u2019s village hub of Buninyong, and riders took to the \u2013 much tougher and longer – mountain course, travelling 11.6kms each lap.<\/p>\n
The Gran Fondo event, featuring both serious and recreational riders of all ages and abilities, got festivities started early in the \u2018yong, raising funds to fight MS.<\/p>\n
Both riding five laps, Shane Nankervis and Deborah Hennessey crossed the line quickest.<\/p>\n
In the morning\u2019s next events, 18 categories of para-cyclists were kings and queens of the mountain, riding between one or seven laps \u2013 71.4kms.<\/p>\n
The Under 19 Men and Women then looped the challenging course through the middle of the day for nine and six laps, respectively. The Under 23 men travelled 127.6km – 11 laps – in the late afternoon.<\/p>\n
The Under 19 champs were Patrick Eddy and Francesca Sewell, while Nicholas White claimed the Under 23 title.<\/p>\n
The races clicked up a gear on Sunday as the Elite and Under 23 Women set off together in the morning, followed by the Elite Men in the afternoon.<\/p>\n
Heaving crowds lined Warrenheip Street and Mount Buninyong Road\u2019s hill climb to get a glimpse of the action and make some noise.<\/p>\n
Supporters up the hill barely fit at the King of the Mountain stage, spilling onto the road, close enough to smell the athletes – clapping, screaming and ringing bells under the shady gum trees.<\/p>\n
Groups found their own perfect spot to set their camping chairs and recreational cyclists rode up and down the mountain, filling in time before the racers passed them by once more.<\/p>\n
Eighteen-year-old Sarah Gigante became both the Under 23 and Elite Women\u2019s Champion, stunning the cycling community and spectators.<\/p>\n
But, just after 5pm, came the biggest surprise upset yet when Michael Freiberg stole the title of Elite Men\u2019s National Champion, overtaking the unsuspecting cat-and-mouse leaders, Chris Harper and Cameron Meyer.<\/p>\n
Ballarat comes alive with excitement witnessing this level of entertainment, brought straight to them by Australia\u2019s elite cyclists. The quality of competition has the community wanting more.<\/p>\n
Local couple, Alan and Sandra Ballard love what cycling puts into the town.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe sometimes travel down to Geelong to watch the cycling, so it\u2019s good that we can watch it here, Mr Ballard said, \u201cIt brings a lot of visitors.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mrs Ballard is impressed that the RoadNats have put Buninyong and now Fed Uni \u201con the map.\u201d<\/p>\n
Down near Lydiard Street\u2019s quieter turn of the Criterium circuit, Il Piccolo Gelato\u2019s Anthony Ransome said their trade is always busy but the RoadNats gives them a boost.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s our third year of the cycling, so we know how to do it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s good for Ballarat. We enjoy the challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n
But up on Mount Buninyong, Melbourne\u2019s Nick Bowers had travelled a little further to catch a glimpse of the elite.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been coming up to stay with our cousins at the top of Mount Buninyong for five years,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can get close to the top cyclists and see them so many times – it\u2019s not like the Tour de France where they go past once.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re all keen cyclists and keen watchers.<\/p>\n
We quite often ride the course.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE FedUni Road National Cycling Championships rolled into Ballarat for the 13th consecutive year last weekend, drawing supportive, cheering crowds, the sounds of cowbells and vuvuzelas to town. The packed program running Friday through Tuesday had the community on their feet in the centre of Ballarat, but mostly in Buninyong, which has become a real […]<\/p>\n