Rising star Ally Wollaston continued her outstanding start to the 2023 season by claiming the overall honours in the women’s road race at Cycling New Zealand’s Elite Road National Championships in Tokoroa today.
Wollaston, 22, produced the final kick after an aggressive and hard-fought 105km race in a five-strong sprint finish to claim the under-23 title and earns the national championship jersey to wear in Europe this year with her professional team AG Insurance-Soudal Quick Step.
This follows wins in Australia during the Santos Tour Down Under, and victory in the national criterium championships.
She pipped World Tour rider Georgia Williams for the overall honours. However Williams, EF Education-TIBCO-SVB star, claimed the elite women’s honours, which is her fourth New Zealand title, to draw level with Rushlee Buchanan as the most national road race title. This adds to her fifth time trial championship victory yesterday.
Two-time Oceania champion Sharlotte Lucas (Hokitika Cycling) was third after a brave attack to open up a one minute lead going into the final lap.
“Racing really attentively today was the key,” said Wollaston. “I really backed myself after my performance in the time trial yesterday and just to ride aggressively and was smart.
“Today was important with tactics. There were girls all over the place – attacks right from the gun so staying really active and following good wheels was the secret.
“Georgia attacked on the first climb. I was ready for that but not all the attacks from everyone else. It was full-gas and all the girls gave it a really good nudge and there wasn’t much left to chance by the end. Everyone left it out there and I am blown away and proud that I’ve won.
“To take the national jersey to wear with my team AG Insurance-Soudal Quick Step is going to be special.”
Wollaston was in an attack on the first of four laps, Putting a break o9f more than a minute on the chasers that included Williams. They came back together but there were numerous other attacks until Lucas was caught on the last lap. The leaders tried to out-fox eachother tactically until it came to the decisive sprint.
“That was a very fast race across the top of the course and a hard, hard race,” said Williams. “I gambled a bit today which didn’t quite come off, but I have won the elite title and so I am honoured that I am equal top for number of wins in the road race and time trial.”
Lucas held on to be second in the elite race from Hamilton’s Late McCarthy, while Ella Wyllie (Counties Manukau) was runner-up in the Under-23 race from clubmate Belle Judd.
The under-19 titles went to Manawatu’s Georgia Simpson in a sprint finish over the Black Magic pair of Maia Barclay and Ruby Spring, while the under-19 male honours went to Eli Tregidga (Queenstown) from Marshall Erwood and Carter Guichard, also in a sprint finish.
Tomorrow attention moves to the elite and under-23 men’s race which also promises to be a hard-fought affair over seven laps of the same course.
Provisional Results:
Male Under-19 (106kms): Eli Tregidga (Central Otago) 2:48.01, 1; Marshall Erwood (Southland) same time, 2; Carter Guichard (Wanaka) same time, 3.
Female, Under 19, (81.8 kms): Georgia Simpson (Manawatu) 2:33,05, 1; Maia Barclay (Black Magic) same time, 2; Ruby Spring (Black Magic) same time, 3.
Female Under 23 (106kms): Ally Wollaston (AG Insurance – Soudal Quick Step) 3:00.31, 1; Ella Wyllie (Counties Manukau) at 1s, 2; Belle Judd (Counties Manukau) at 7s, 3.
Female Elite, (106kms): Georgia Williams (EF Education – TIBCO – SVB) 3:00.31, 1; Sharlotte Lucas (Hokitika) same time, 2; Kate McCarthy (Hamilton City) at 2s, 3.
Credit: Sharkey Snaps