Mitchelton-Scott’s rider Alex Edmondson has just won gold at the Australian national road race as McCarthy takes silver while bronze goes to Bennelong SwissWellness’s rider Chris Harper.
Edmondson gave an impressive performance leading throughout the race the best and smallest group that contained riders like Richie Porte (BMC) and Nathan Haas (Katusha-Alpecin), trying hard to hold the lead facing a tough finale.
REPORT | Three-time track world champion @alexedmo (@MitcheltonSCOTT) upstaged his high-profile rivals at the 2018 @FedUniAustralia #RoadNats, joining the likes of Sir Hubert Opperman @mcewenrobbie and @simongerrans on an illustrious all-time winner’s list https://t.co/H8bolkFL68 pic.twitter.com/Yvb3gr96EG
— Cycling Australia (@CyclingAus) January 7, 2018
A magical day
“Absolutely speechless. It has been an absolute dream of mine. I guess every cyclist growing up, you want to wear the green and gold. It was a magical day I am not going to forget for a hell of a time. I’m not sure what else to say,” Edmondson said.
“I kept on looking over my shoulder with about 50 meters to go I knew this was the moment and I was pretty happy. And I was about to fall of my bike because I was throwing my hands that hard. I don’t get that many opportunities to do it.”
Dreams really do come true! Thanks to all the @MitcheltonSCOTT family for all their help and support! What a special moment made even better by being up the road and on the podium with my buddy @chrisharper94! Yeahhhh buddy!! ?? #roadnats #whoopwhoop ? – Con Chronis pic.twitter.com/KSHypyZsy5
— Alexander Edmondson (@alexedmo) January 7, 2018
It was only during the last meters when Edmondson decided to open up his front gaining a small but valuable gap over the leading group including Harper who had been second for quite some time before Jay McCarthy (Bora-Hansgrohe) undertook an intense sprint that separated him from the main group. Unfortunately, McCarthy’s final push didn’t give him the first place but only the second leaving Harper with bronze.
“It is still a nice result but I am still the first loser,” McCarthy said. “Nathan [Haas] went like I did last year and jumped early and Caleb went to follow him and then there was a bit of hesitation and that was my mark to go as they slowed up I knew that if I had a good kick like I did I would be able to get through to the final.”
