Powerhouse team surge to criterium wins at Ballarat Road Nats

Thousands of fans flocked to Ballarat’s CBD to watch the criterium as two first time winners claim national titles. Find out how Team Jayco-AlUla dominated the opening day.

Kelland O'Brien is the national champion in the criterium in 2023 after winning around the streets of Ballarat. Picture: Shane Jones.

It might be a new year and a new name for Team Jayco-AlUla but the professional team still knows how to win, claiming both elite criteriums on the first day of the road nationals in Ballarat.

In front of thousands of fans in the city, in conditions perfect for racing, Melbourne’s Kelland O’Brien claimed his first elite men’s criterium national title as Amber Pate did the same in the women.

O’Brien, who hails from Kew, was one of nine riders to breakaway at the start of the race and never be caught by the peloton.

During the 44 lap race, around the 1.1km circuit on Sturt St, the nine riders rode to a gap of more than 45 seconds, which was the margin for multiple laps.

With eight laps to go the breakaway were given the right to finish the race without the threat of the peloton catching them who were given instructions to race three more laps and finish, leaving the breakaway to battle over the final five laps.

On the final lap, O’Brien set up his teammate, Brisbane’s Blake Quick, for the win, but was able to hold on as Quick couldn’t catch the 24-year-old.

Quick finished second in a Team Jayco-AlUla one-two.

“I can’t really believe it, it’s not really hit me yet,” he said.

“I’m super happy to take the win.

“The tail wind finish today it helped leading out and somehow I had some legs to hang on for the last 150m.”

O’Brien now has an elite national criterium title to add to his under-23 success from 2020.

He won the under-23 race in similar fashion, winning in a breakaway.

“I’ve had great memories around here and I love coming to Ballarat,” he said.

“I’m super hungry to have a good weekend and I’m so glad I kicked off the 2023 campaign with the win.”

When O’Brien and Quick crossed the finish line, both were ecstatic about delivering a result like that for the team.

Kelland O'Brien (left) celebrates his win with teammate Blake Quick (right) during the elite criterium at the Australian National Road Race Championships in Ballarat. Photo by Con Chronis/AusCycling

“(I) still can’t believe I crossed the finish line first, I was all in for Blake,” he said.

“When you are out there with your fellow teammates it is amazing to share.

“As long as someone in our jersey wins, it’s a big win for the team.”

In the women’s race, Northern Territory rider Amber Pate made a dream debut, taking out the criterium in her first race with the Team Jayco AlUla team.

Amber Pate won the women’s race. Photo by Josh Chadwick/AusCycling

Pate attacked on the final lap, of the 38 lap race, with Roxsolt Liv SRAM rider Matilda Field, gaining a gap over the peloton as they all crossed the start finish line for the last time.

The 27-year-old held off a fast finishing teammate Alexandra Manly who sprinted away from the peloton to claim second.

Field finished third as her charge fell short.

“I’m really proud,” Pate said.

“It was such a brilliant team ride, all of the girls.

“We all stuck to the plan and that’s what results in the win.”

Pate can thank the aggressive tactics from her teammates for the win.

Team Jayco AlUla sent multiple girls up the front throughout the race to create breakaways and try to tire the peloton.

The original hope was to set it up for their sprinters.

But Pate, who has also lived and studied in South Australia while pursuing her cycling career, had other ideas.

In her first race for her new team since signing with them last August, she came out on top, just a few years after getting into the sport fully.

“It was a day where a lot of different things turned out,” she said.

“The last few laps we were prepared to bring it down to the sprint.

“I wanted to make sure I was covering (all the breaks).

“When Tilly (matilda field) went on the last lap, I wanted to make sure I was there following that.

“I looked back and there was a great gap and made sure I made the right decisions to give the team the win.

“It happened to work out.”

In the other results on the day, Graeme Frislie won the under-23 men’s criterium title with Lucinda Stewart winning the under-23 women’s event.

The road nationals continue on Saturday and Sunday with road races to be held in all age groups at Buninyong.