Launceston's Josh Duffy achieved a major personal goal by winning the national time trial championship after three years of podium placings.
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The 21-year-old left it late to achieve his second national championship of the week, narrowly overtaking Byron Davies in the final lap split of his kilometre dash at the Anna Meares Velodrome in Brisbane.
The young Queenslander had set a scorching benchmark of 1:00.185 in the heat before, but Duffy clawed back the time splits in the final two laps to win with a time of 1:00.106.
"I've been chasing this one for a while," said the two-time Launceston Wheel winner.
"I think I've got a bronze and two silvers to (Thomas) Cornish so it's a shame he couldn't be here today to race against him, but Byron gave me a good run for my money.
"It's just something that suits me pretty well as a faster enduro, I can get that length out with my sprint and give the sprinters a good fight, so it's a nice little crossover for us.
"It's also important for selections coming up so I'm pretty stoked."
Duffy said he would jump at the opportunity to race the kilo should he be selected for the Australian Commonwealth Games team.
"For sure, it's something I do want to do, the team pursuit is a big target for me and then I'd like to line up in some of the bunch races but I think the kilo is definitely something I'd like to do when I'm there."
Fellow Tasmanian Jack Menzies finished fifth, +4.52 seconds behind Duffy's time.
Burnie's Will Eaves followed up a silver medal in the under-19 men's individual pursuit with a bronze in the time trial, narrowly edging out Tasmanian teammate Hayden Van der Ploeg who finished fourth.
Endurance test
Launceston's Hamish McKenzie and three other Tasmanians are among 11 junior Australians who will get a taste of life as a professional when they travel to Europe on AusCycling's under-19 endurance camp this year.
From their base in Belgium, the teenage riders will represent the Australian Cycling Team during a month of road races in May.
Women: Belinda Bailey (Bendigo, Vic), Bronte Stewart (Tolland, NSW), Felicity Wilson-Haffenden (Hobart Wheelers, Tas), Isabelle Carnes (Balmoral, Qld), Mackenzie Coupland (Midland, WA)
Men: Cameron Rogers (Canberra, ACT), Campbell Palmer (City of Burnie, Tas), Hamish McKenzie (Northern Districts, Tas), Luke Tuckwell (Bathurst, NSW), Oscar Chamberlain (Canberra, ACT), William Eaves (City of Burnie, Tas)
Rob Shaw
Heralding the impact of Tasmanian sport without saying "punching above its weight" is not as easy as it sounds.
Heralding the impact of Tasmanian sport without saying "punching above its weight" is not as easy as it sounds.
