Brendan ‘Trekky’ Johnston (Big) wins the Devils Cardigan 2024 and the AusCycling Gravel Championships(Picture credit score: Kristina Vackova)
Courtney Sherwell claims a decent dash with final yr’s solo victor Justine Barrow(Picture credit score: Kristina Vackova)
A relaxed winner, Brendan Johnston (Big), at first of the Devils Cardigan(Picture credit score: Kristina Vackova)
A spent however victorious Courtney Sherwell(Picture credit score: Kristina Vackova)
Brendan Johnston and Courtney Sherwell took victory on the 2024 AusCycling Gravel Nationwide Championships, successful on the Devils Cardigan race in Tasmania on Saturday, each doubling up on nationwide titles after the pair additionally claimed wins on the Mountain Bike Marathon Championships earlier this yr.
It was a primary nationwide gravel title for Sherwell, who claimed the inexperienced and gold jersey, plus the normal Devils Cardigan prize of a sack of potatoes and ceremonial wool cardigan, in a decent battle to the road with final yr’s victor Justine Barrow. Ella Bloor was simply over 12 minutes again in third place whereas Cassia Boglio was fourth.
The highest 4 riders escaped early within the ladies’s race, which set out forward of the lads, with Boglio the primary dropped because of a puncture. Bloor fell away on the second main climb of the 106km race with 2,300m of vertical elevation and on the high of the third and ultimate main climb Barrow acquired a niche, which left Sherwell fearing that the title was rising away. Nevertheless, in the end the Bendigo rider rejoined final yr’s winner and claimed the victory in Branxholm by launching from behind within the dash to the road.
“I’m so proud of this one,” Sherwell, who additionally raced a profitable US gravel block earlier this yr, informed Cyclingnews. “It’s simply been such a whirlwind three months, being within the US after which coming dwelling and getting my first nationwide jersey [in MTB Marathon] and now my second. I can’t consider it.”
For Johnston it might have been the primary time he had raced the Devils Cardigan but it surely was his second gravel title, successful the final in 2022 in Queensland. The Big rider who has delivered a powerful begin to his second yr within the Life Time Grand Prix Sequence got here throughout the road solo, with Melbourne to Warrnambool and Sutton Grange winner Mark O’Brien two-and-a-half minutes again in second whereas Seven UCI Gravel World Sequence runner up Mark Chong was third.
“I knew I used to be in good condition however I used to be involved in regards to the quantity of climbing and the way in which the climbing occurs – the climbs are fairly lengthy,” mentioned Johnston who in Might claimed his sixth MTB Marathon title, victory on the SEVEN UCI Gravel World Sequence race after which returned to the US to race Unbound on June 1, the place he was hindered by punctures however nonetheless completed fifteenth and moved as much as fifth within the Life Time Grand Prix sequence.
“I knew there have been some good guys that would climb higher than me however my plan was simply to observe them until the later levels and transfer within the ultimate part,” Johnston informed Cyclingnews. “Nevertheless it really labored out very well that after the primary lengthy climb and the tough descent Adam Blazevic and I have been out of sight.”
On the second Johnston dropped Blazevic – who in the end got here fifth – within the steep part after which rode solo to the road, holding the hole via the ultimate main ascent after which making the most of the rolling terrain and descent to take him dwelling.
The race performed out on a crisp however nice winter day in Tasmania on a dry quick course from Derby, with successful occasions round ten minutes faster than final yr. The route looped out by way of three main climbs – Mutual Valley, Ralph Falls and the unnamed climb of hell – with a bonus kicker inside 10km of the Branxholm end line.
It’s the second yr that the nationwide title was determined on the Tasmanian occasion, with final yr’s winners being Barrow and Connor Sens, who on this version completed twentieth after being hindered by an early crash. Australia first ran a nationwide gravel championships in 2018 alongside the favored Victorian highway occasion, Amy’s Gran Fondo, though there was a two yr hiatus through the COVID-19 pandemic making 2024 the fifth version of the nationwide title race.
To maintain updated with the newest gravel title information see the 2024 Gravel Nationwide Champions index and you will discover a full listing of all of the Australian gravel champions right here.
