SA cyclist Callum Scotson defeats big brother Miles in tight battle at under-23 time trial

SA young gun Callum Scotson on Thursday upstaged big brother Miles by dethroning the defending champion in the under-23 time trial at the national cycling titles in Ballarat.

Oceania Track Cycling championships at the Adelaide Super-Drome. Callum Scotson who came second in the Men 4000 metre Individual Pursuit. Photo Sarah Reed.

CALLUM Scotson on Thursday upstaged his big brother Miles by dethroning the defending champion in the under-23 time trial at the national cycling titles in Ballarat.

Only 20 seconds separated the South Australian brothers when they crossed the line and it was Callum, 19, who was edged out Miles, 22, with WA’s Ben O’Connor a minute further back in third.

The Scotson brothers enjoy a friendly rivalry as teammates with the national team pursuit squad on the track and have both just signed with US road team Illuminate for this season.

Miles was hoping to go back-to-back in the event but there was no denying Callum, who averaged a scorching 47km/h and 405 watts to finish the 29.3km course in 37mins 39 secs.

“It was a perfect race, coming across the line I knew what sort of time my brother did to win it last year and I could see I was just under and I was really stoked,” Callum said.

“The first 10 minutes (after) I thought ‘this can’t be happening’.

“We both know what we can do ... I wanted to win although I personally thought he (Miles) was going to beat me but we don’t let the competition come between us.”

Miles said if he couldn’t win there was no one else he’d rather see on top of the podium.

“We don’t often train together but we did in the past week and we were neck and neck and not an inch between us,” Miles said.

“I was hoping Callum would podium and I would get the win ... I could hear (coach) Tim (Decker) yelling from the car ‘it’s close between your brother’ and over the line they said ‘Callum Scotson has won it’ and it was a really good moment.

“He’s just done a world class ride, 405 watts for 40 minutes, that would hack it in the elite field.

“I feel like I’m almost a level better than last year and put two minutes into my brother last year and he’s just come out and smashed it.”

Having now finished school and able to focus on cycling full time, Callum said track training with the national team pursuit program was the perfect preparation for the time trial.

“It all plays together, we have a real strength focus in the track and all you have to do is put some longer time trial efforts on top of that,” he said.

“And having that mindset you can see the ones who really work towards the road nationals, it really brings something special out in your mental focus out there.”

[e-mail]

Originally published as SA cyclist Callum Scotson defeats big brother Miles in tight battle at under-23 time trial