Commonwealth Games silver medallist Ben Oliver and Hokitika’s Sharlotte Lucas have taken out the elite ILT Criterium National Championship titles in Invercargill.

Raced cool and blustery conditions on a 1.6km circuit around the James Hargest College senior campus, both the women’s and men’s races were a demanding 50-minute and three lap affair.

For Lucas, the chance to pull on the winner’s jersey made the eight-hour trip from the West Coast worthwhile.

“It’s a bit of a privilege to be honest. I always race to win so I’m pretty happy with the result,” she said.

“With three to go I was thinking that it would come down to a sprint and so I was saving the legs so I could go in the right place and it was quite technical with the corners so it was challenging.” 

Ten riders started the women’s race across the elite and under 23 categories, with Charlotte Clarke and Alex Rawlinson featuring strongly before a final five-strong selection lined up to contest the honours and Lucas sprinted her way to the win.

Alex Rawlinson took out the under 23 Women, whilst Rylee McMullen (Forest Wheelers) was second elite rider, with Brea Roderick (Tinwald) third.

Twenty-four riders started the men’s elite and under-23 race, including Paris Olympians Tom Sexton and Keegan Hornblow. 

Defending champion James Gardner, backing up from the title he won in Palmerston North last year, made a commanding break early to establish a 15sec lead during the first 40 minutes of the race.

After lapping the main bunch, he was eventually swallowed up by a small chase group dominated by the Mito-Q NZ Cycling project riders, with Oliver powering his way to the line and Gardner finishing second to claim under-23 honours.

Hometown rider Sexton was second in the elite race, with Hornblow third.

“It couldn’t have gone much better for the team, getting the under 23 and the elite jerseys,” Oliver said.

“It didn’t go exactly to plan, it was absolute carnage out there. I don’t think anyone really knew what to do once Big Jim lapped the field and then we were closely behind him with a few of the boys,” said Oliver.

“Those corners were pretty slippery so I just had to hold on in the last one and I wanted to lead from there and it worked out. Sexton and Reef (Roberts) were drilling it all day so it was never comfy out there but we got it done.”