Queenslander Francesca Sewell wins under-19 national championship after rival disqualified for under-weight bike

GOLD Coast cyclist Francesca Sewell ran her bike across the finish line after a crash 100m from home to win the under-19 women’s national championship after first past the post was disqualified for an under-weight bike on Saturday.

Francesca Sewell won the under-19 women's road race at the Cycling Australia national championships after crashing in the final 100m and running her bike across the line. Picture: Con Chronis.

GOLD Coast cyclist Francesca Sewell ran her bike across the finish line after a crash 100m from home to win the under-19 women’s national championship after first past the post was disqualified for an under-weight bike on Saturday.

In the most dramatic result of Cycling Australia’s national road championships that began in Ballarat on Friday, Victorian Neve Bradbury initially won the 69.6km race in Buninyong but was later disqualified because her bike was 120g under the legal weight requirement of 6.8kg.

Sewell had been sprinting for the win but her foot slipped out of her pedal and she hit the bitumen at high speed leaving her with cuts to her right arm and thigh.

Her bike was un-rideable so she jogged it across the finish line for what she thought was second place.

But within minutes she was declared the winner after race commissaires investigated Bradbury’s bike and declared it illegal. Bradbury is the daughter of former top level road and track cyclist Haydn who was top 10 in the Herald Sun Tour in 1998.

The next rider across the line was Catelyn Turner, 2mins 36secs, further back and she was upgraded to second.

Cycling Australia said Bradbury had accepted the commisaires decision and no appeal had been lodged.

After an incredible duo effort, an unfortunate crash just a few hundred metres from the finish for Francesca Sewell cemented the win for Neve Bradbury. Huge effort for both 1st and 2nd place. 3rd place still up for grabs. pic.twitter.com/rSjcnTLZWN

— Cycling Australia (@CyclingAus) January 5, 2019

“I heard it (result) when someone announced it (over the loud speaker),” Sewell said.

“But I do just want to say a congrats to Neve and good race. I feel really terrible because that’s harsh but it’s not my choice to make.

“She got across the line first, she won, but yeah.

“I’m feeling pretty great, a little bit stiff but it’s alright.

“I think my chain locked up and then my foot slipped out, I guess it’s just racing and stuff like that happens, but I think it was adrenaline pushing me to the line because I wanted to get second still.

“Lots has happened today, it’s pretty crazy.”

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Originally published as Queenslander Francesca Sewell wins under-19 national championship after rival disqualified for under-weight bike