Scotson, Garfoot claim maiden Australian road race titles

It was a banner week for BMC Racing at the 2017 MARS Cycling Australia Road National Championships in Buninyong, Victoria. Just three days after Rohan Dennis claimed his second straight individual time trial title, new teammate Miles Scotson upset a stellar field, including two-time champion Simon Gerrans (Orica-Scott) to win the national road race crown.

Gerrans took the silver just ahead of Nathan Haas (Dimension Data), who finished fourth in 2016 rounding out the podium.

“I was like wow, it’s really going to happen and then so many different feelings coming into the line, I couldn’t believe it,” said the 22-year-old Scotson, who recorded the under-23 national time trial and road race double two years ago. “I was dreaming about it yesterday, but probably not going to make the finish today, but still dreaming of being Australian champion and that’s why I think I had that mentality of ‘all in’.”

The South Australian track specialist-turned-roadie, who rode for Wanty-Groupe Gobert as a stagiaire last year, broke away at the end of the eighteenth – and final – lap of the 183.6km race to claim the thrilling victory.

“I’ve only done one week (of training) over 20 hours since my break in October or November,” admitted Scotson. “I was just so surprised I got around today, but I really just have good support here that the team arranged.”

Now Scotson can add his new green and gold national jersey with his three rainbow world champion jerseys he previously won on the track in the team pursuit, including one as a junior (2012) and two as an elite (2014, 2016).

“It’s really weird, just racing in the national champions jersey in Europe this year is going to be a big jump,” explained Scotson. “Maybe a bit of pressure … now I’m going to stand out, it’s time to lift my game.”

On Saturday, 19-year-old Samuel Jenner took out the U23 men’s road race over Alexander Porter and Lucas Hamilton.

As was with the New Zealand women’s road race won by Rushlee Buchanan for an historic fourth win, Queensland’s Katrin Garfoot (Orica-Scott) also made history by becoming the first woman in eight years to earn the time trial and road race double.

Garfoot outsprinted teammate Amanda Spratt in the final 50m of the 102km road race to claim the elite women’s victory on Sunday after winning her second straight TT title three days earlier.

The 35-year-old Olympian was part of a two-rider break in the final two and a half laps with defending champion Spratt before taking the win with Spratt, 29, in second and fellow Queenslander Lucy Kennedy, 28, in third.

“It feels great. I’ve wanted to be here for a few years and I finally made it,” said the German-born Garfoot after equaling yet another Queenslander Carla Ryan, who was the last women’s rider to win the time trial and road race crown in the same year.

“It feels definitely great and a double as well which was also a dream coming into it,” she continued. “It’s very special. It’s special because it’s such a rare thing to achieve this.”

South Australia’s Alex Manly (Orica-Scott), 20, also recorded the double after adding the under-23 road race to her U23 time trial title from Thursday.