Victoria’s Grace Brown has almost certainly booked her spot on the Australian Olympic team for the women’s time trial after another strong win at the Road Nationals in Ballarat.
Brown claimed her fourth women’s elite time trial national title and third straight victory with a 6.89 second win over last year’s road race national champion Brodie Chapman.
The 31-year-old started well, leading at the first check point and extending the lead to more than 14 seconds at the 20km mark over her rival before Chapman fought back.
Brown held on to become the third woman to win four or more time trial crowns for Australia.
She is also just the fourth Aussie to win three straight national titles in the event.
“It was not my best time out on this course, it was quite tough,” Brown revealed.
“I paced myself fairly well for where I am at.
“Brodie was closing in on my on the second lap, but I was able to keep fairly steady.”
Brown later revealed she had been struggling with a nerve injury in her lower back.
She’s confident it won’t impact her going forward this year.
“It’s an injury I know I can continue to perform with but it would be nice not to be there,” she said.
Brown said if she’s selected for Paris it will be good to head there as the national champion.
“To race in Paris at the time trial is going to be pretty cool, especially since as in Tokyo we couldn’t have our fans or spectators,” she said.
“That’s something I’m really looking forward to is being in Paris with everyone there.
“If I’m there all my family will be there which is something really special to me.”
Looking to join her is Chapman who continues to impress in the time trial.
Last year she finished third in her first attempt at the national titles and this year she finished second behind a two-time World Championship silver medallist in Brown.
Chapman, who is favoured to be at the Olympics in the road race, said adding the time trial would be a nice bonus, if she’s selected.
“I want to go to the Olympics for the road race and time trial,” she said.
“This was a part of that journey.
“This (time trial) was more of my focus this year (over the road race).”
The hard luck story of the time trial was 2020 Olympian and two-time time trial national champion Sarah Gigante.
A mechanical failure on her bike forced the 23-year-old to start again in the time trial after being forced to stop during her first attempt.
When she got going the 2020 and 2021 champion could only finish 11th, almost three minutes behind the winner.
All the riders will now prepare for the criterium around the streets of Ballarat on Friday before the road race around Buninyong on Sunday.
