Racing is back in a big way in Australia
Full year of Australian racing topped by hosting World Championships
After two years of disruption, racing is back in a big way in Australia, with AusCycling's 2022 road calendar halfway through delivering a full schedule of events around the country.
The first half of the year has been headlined by the Federation University Road National Championships, Melbourne to Warrnambool, Tour de Brisbane, Oceania Road Championships, and Grafton to Inverell. The mid-year National Road Series tours feature events including the Tour of the Tropics, Battle on the Border, Cycle Sunshine Coast, and the Tour of Tasmania.
The year’s biggest highlight will be hosting the UCI Road World Championships in Wollongong in October, preceded in early September by staging the AusCycling Junior and Masters Road National Championships in the regional city. The Wollongong race route traverses the coastline before taking in a city circuit and loop with a climb of Mount Keira.
99 Bikes Women’s Academy by Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club
Exciting new Under-19 Junior Road Series
The biggest AusCycling calendar addition is the introduction of an Under-19 Junior Road Series in Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania. This provides an important stepping-stone into the senior ranks, expanding the development pathway for Australia’s young riders and filling a major gap in junior development.
One junior rider excited and challenged by the new national Junior series is Alana Hribar, member of the Tineli-sponsored 99 Bikes Women’s Academy by Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club in Melbourne. The Academy is supported by the junior clubs of the region and has the goal of assisting girls emerging from junior racing. It provides a transitional pathway to open age and elite racing offering mentorship and guidance from more experienced cyclists.
Alana said that the Academy “is giving us girls the confidence in stepping up into open age racing. The last two years were challenging, Victoria had six COVID lockdowns totalling over 260 days of restrictions. Training in the garage became the norm and maintaining motivation was hard for everyone.”
“I just kept focusing and training hard for the day that racing would return and now it has. My year with the Academy started with a bang when I won the U19 State Criterium Championship at the prestigious Geelong Bay Crits. That was followed up by track racing at the Bell Helmets and Australian Austal, which hosted the Australian Elite National Madison Championships.”
“Going up against Australian squad team members as a 16 year old made for some fun but hard racing, and I finished my first Elite Madison (120 laps). Next I was selected to represent Victoria at the National Track Championships, which had been a big goal of mine.”
“I had an awesome time, with our Victorian team winning the Gold in the U19 Team Pursuit, getting a PB in the Individual Pursuit and helping out team members in the bunch races. After Nationals I was to compete in the Oceania Track Cycling Championships and was so excited to be selected in the Team Pursuit, where I was to wear the Australian kit for the first time. I was very disappointed to be unable to compete due to being a COVID close contact.”
99 Bikes Women’s Academy by Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club
Custom cycling kit for 99 Bikes Women’s Academy
“As a team we worked with Tineli to design custom cycling clothing that is unique, comfortable and eye-catching,” said Alana’s team manager David Williams. As custom cycling apparel specialists, Tineli create a design either from scratch or adapt a design or idea to showcase on more than 25 different garment types.
For the 99 Bikes Women’s Academy, Tineli created a made-to-order cycling kit featuring its very own custom design. After getting a basic brief, Tineli's inhouse design team provided the team and club with some great ideas. A few small adjustments later, everybody was very happy with how their customised cycling kit looked.
What several team team members liked most was being able to get jerseys, suits and shorts with customised arm, body and leg lengths. Ergonomics and aero are important, especially when racing, and this meant each girl got road cycling clothing that was a perfect fit for their own body shape.
99 Bikes Women’s Academy by Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club
Senior women welcome the revival of Australian racing
In the senior ranks, Australia’s best women riders are making the most of the revived domestic calendar alongside focusing on their international commitments. Rising star Ruby Roseman-Gannon, making her European pro debut this year, said that she is definitely going to miss the racing scene here.
After winning the 2022 women's time trial at the National Championships, top rider Grace Brown is now focused on the Tour de France Femmes and Paris-Roubaix Femmes and to September’s rare opportunity to compete at a home World Championships.
2022 is definitely going to be a big year for all Australian cyclists, from the junior ranks to elite riders aiming high at national and international events.
About the author
Alana Hribar is a team member of the 99 Bikes Women’s Academy by Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club in Melbourne. Now track season is over, she is focused on the road and hitting the hills again. Alana thanks her family, coach Hilton Clark and the Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club for all of their support, together with the 99 Bikes Women’s Academy sponsors 99 Bikes, Tineli, Wahoo, POC, Maurtens and Premax.
Alana Hribar