Wrap: A weekend of delight for Australian cycling
NATThe past 48 hours have been a whirlwind for Aussie cycling fans. Whether on-road or off-road, nailing tricks or riding fast, we’ve seen a downright demonstration of talent from Down Under.
Here’s our best effort at wrapping up everything Aussies have been doing overseas – or as much as we can fit here!
BMX Freestyle: Logan Martin second in Montpellier World Cup
Reigning world and Olympic champion Logan Martin made a strong start to his 2022 UCI World Cup campaign, taking the runner-up spot at FISE Montpellier.
Martin scored 94.50 in the final with a silky-smooth ride featuring the challenging, but rewarding, 720 with a barspin in each rotation and a triple tail whip.
BMX Racing: Kennedy, Sakakibara podium at UCI World Cup
The UCI BMX Racing World Cup also kicked off this weekend in Glasgow, and reigning national champions Saya Sakakibara and Izaac Kennedy led the way for Australia.
In her first World Cup appearance since 2020, Sakakibara again proved why she’s one of the top riders in the world, finishing third in Sunday’s final.
Also on Sunday, Kennedy successfully navigated a crazy, crash-filled men’s final. The Nerang BMX rider avoided two separate crashes before, unfortunately, coming undone himself on the final straight. He managed to bounce back onto his feet and cross the line for third.
Downhill MTB: Tracey Hannah returns to winners’ circle
Almost a year since rupturing her ACL, Tracey Hannah has won the iXS Downhill Cup – Winterberg in Germany. The Cairns native has retired from UCI World Cup racing, but she hasn’t lost her competitive edge, winning the Elite Women’s event by over 5 seconds to the runner-up.
Road: Aussies abroad enjoy cross-continental success
There’s a lot going on here. We’ll start in Japan, where Nathan Earle won the Tour de Kumano and Ryan Cavanagh won a stage.
In Belgium and the Netherlands, our National Road Series women and Australian Cycling Team endurance athletes are cutting their teeth at local crits and kermesses. Matilda Raynolds, Maeve Plouffe, Chloe Moran and Alexandra Martin-Wallace were the latest to take wins in cycling’s classics heartland.
In Italy, Elizabeth Stannard won the Euganissima Flandres road race in the northern town of Lozzo Atestino, Padua.
In France, Sebastian Berwick took his first UCI win since turning pro. The 22-year-old Queenslander won the mountainous final stage of the Alpes Isère Tour and finished third overall.
Alex Edmondson, Kaden Groves and Kelland O’Brien all visited the podium during the Tour of Estonia.
And over at the Tour of Norway, Jay Vine and national champion Luke Plapp both finished on the GC podium (bested only by Belgian wunderkind Remco Evenepoel).
Plus, we can’t neglect to mention our AusCycling junior development male riders who completed the Tour du Pays de Vaud in Switzerland.
Road: Alex Manly dominates in Germany
At the UCI 2.Pro Lotto Thüringen Ladies Tour in Germany, Alexandra Manly took her tally to five professional road wins by claiming the final stage and overall. Not bad, considering she started the race with zero wins!
It was an utterly dominant performance by BikeExchange-Jayco, which took four stage wins with Manly and one with Georgia Baker.
Road: Jai Hindley becomes first Australian to win Giro d’Italia
Of course, we’ve saved the biggest headline for last: Jai Hindley has become the first Australian to win the Giro d’Italia.
The West Australian seized the maglia rosa with an imperious uphill performance on Saturday before confirming the win with a flawless time trial in Verona. The 26-year-old climber from Midland Cycle Club becomes the second Aussie to have won one of cycling’s three grand tours, joining Cadel Evans in that exclusive club.
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