Wilson-Haffenden taking team first approach at Road Nationals

It was the scene where she announced herself as a star a year ago. But Hobart’s junior world champion Felicity Wilson-Haffenden is focused on team goals over personal accolades at this week’s Road Nationals. Plus check out who won Tasmania’s first medal on Wednesday.

Hobart's Felicity Wilson-Haffenden (centre) with her Road Nats time trial gold medal last year. Picture: AusCycling

She announced herself as a star at last year’s edition, but Felicity Wilson-Haffenden has declared helping a teammate claim victory would be sweeter than any personal accolades at this week’s Road Nationals.

The Hobart 18-year-old shot to prominence by winning the under-19 road race and time trial in Ballarat last year, as well as silver in the criterium.

She went on to win the junior criterium at the world championships in Scotland, and has since signed her first professional deal with Lidl-Trek.

The open and under-23 riders all race together, but Wilson-Haffenden said helping a teammate win the elite title would be more rewarding than claiming an under-23 crown.

Lidl-Trek teammate Brodie Chapman is the defending champion, while fellow Australians Amanda Spratt and Lauretta Hanson are also part of the team’s four-pronged attack.

Hobart's Felicity Wilson-Haffenden celebrates after winning the under-19 national road race title at Ballarat last year. Picture: AusCycling

“The road race is interesting because you will have some people focusing on the under-23 race, and others like myself who are part of a team with elite riders,” Wilson-Haffenden said. “Personally, seeing one of our elite riders win that title would be more a reward than winning the under-23 title.

“Not that it’s not a big achievement, but when you’re part of a team it changes the dynamic.

“When the team works for one person and get up for the win, the vibe is a million times better than if you ride for yourself and finish fourth, eighth and ninth.

“That’s one of the beauties of the sport, if I could contribute to a teammate winning it’d top the under-23 title, for sure.”

Wilson-Haffenden will use the race as a precursor to her professional debut at the Tour Down Under from January 16.

“There’s always pressure in terms of you want your best result. But there’s less pressure to win this year, that’s for sure,” she said.

Felicity Wilson-Haffenden after her world championship win. (Photo by Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)

“It’s more to get the experience and test yourself against the top riders.

“The under 23s is definitely something (that’s possible), particularly in the TT (time trial) there’s potential to win that race.

“Maybe the preparation and form isn’t what I’d like it to be, and probably not where it needs to be to be confident of a podium, but it's a goal.

“It’s not the time of year to be peaking, it’s such a long season. But there’s a lot of people in the same situation.”

Tasmania secured its first medal of the nationals on Wednesday when Burnie’s Alex Eaves finished second behind Norwood’s Wil Holmes in the junior individual time trial.

Mersey Valley Devonport’s Vinnie Manion also performed well in sixth.

The under-23 and elite time trials are scheduled for Thursday with plenty of other Tasmanians to feature through the week including 2022 national road champion Nicole Frain and world championship bronze medallist Hamish McKenzie.