Medals galore as Launceston riders star on national cycling stages

Kate Trdin and Josh Wilson claimed both elite titles at the inaugural AusCycling Esports National Championships on Friday with Josh Harris claiming a silver, before Izzy Flint and Sam Fox added further medals at the Oceania Mountain Bike Championships.

Trdin and Wilson won in vastly different ways in Brisbane with both finals decided over a 14.1-kilometre race route on Zwift.

With 450 uphill metres to go of the women's final, 25-year-old Trdin launched from the back of the field and held on to clinch the title.

Meanwhile, 39-year-old Wilson executed a race-defining 30-second surge with 4.4km remaining of the men's race to win by 20 seconds with Harris completing a Launceston one-two and Hobart's Marc Gates making it an all-Tasmanian podium.

"I'm kind of in shock," Trdin said. "I just can't really believe that I did it.

"I could just hear (her partner) Josh (Harris) absolutely screaming and I thought, 'Oh my god, I better not stuff this up, otherwise I'm going to be in trouble'.

"My 15-second to one-minute power is probably my strength. I was happy to wait for the sprint. Just sat in and did the least that I could down the back. I didn't have the best power-up coming up to the finish but had the numbers."

Wilson, whose extensive cycling career dates back to joining Praties in 2009, said: "I can't really believe it. To win a national title is something I never expected to do, so it's a very proud moment for me.

"It was touch-and-go watching the time gap. I just knew that if everyone committed I'd get run down, but I was banking on the fact that they wouldn't all work together, and luckily that's what happened.

"It's a very short format compared to what I'm used to, so I don't feel exhausted, but it definitely hurt a lot. Those last few kilometres were pretty grim. I did some all-in moves in all three races and those can really backfire. It's really all-or-nothing and if you put in all your gas and get caught then you're going to come last, but it worked out for me, so I'm stoked.

"I'd also like to say thank you to Josh [Harris], he's been a great mate of mine and helped me get into Esports racing. I wouldn't be here without him and I'm sure he had more to give and he didn't want to chase me down, and ended up second. So, a big thank you to him and to the AERO [Australian Esport Racing Organisation] crew who have taken me on board in their team."

A week after claiming two national under-23 mountain bike championships, Flint added an Oceania title at Mount Cotton in Queensland where she was the fourth finisher in the elite women's field.

"Stoked to wrap up this first race block with another jersey," said the 21-year-old.

"Super nice having my family here for this one."

Flint has undergone multiple knee surgeries in the past year and received spinal injuries in a crash with a car six weeks ago.

Fox won a silver medal in the men's race, finishing just under three minutes behind winner Anton Cooper.

"That felt good," the 23-year-old said on social media.

"Nice to see the form I've built through the off-season with my best race power ever. Hopefully good signs of the season to come.

"Thanks Mum and Dad for their support the last two weeks. It's been amazing having them back at the races like the old days."

A week after winning the Australia cross-country title, Cam Ivory finished fifth while fellow Launceston rider Daniel Aurik had the same result in the under-23 race.