Aussie riders fruitful on the road

Success on the track has spilled over onto the road for Australia’s cyclists, with locals capturing five of the six medals on offer today in the individual time trials at Melbourne’s Beach Road circuit.

Oenone Wood got the medal spree underway in the 29km women’s time trial, taking advantage of favourite Sarah Ulmer’s (NZ) pre-race withdrawal to power home in 37 minutes, 40.87 seconds, ahead of colourful teammate Kathy Watt (37:56.07). The early leader, Olympic road race champion Sarah Carrigan, completed the now familiar Aussie sweep with the third fastest time of 38:00.32.

Later in the afternoon, Nathan O’Neill matched Wood’s performance in the men’s 40km time trial, securing his first Commonwealth Games gold medal with a winning time of 48 minutes, 37.29 seconds. O’Neill’s colleague, Ben Day (49:01.67), was right behind him, taking the silver medal, with New Zealand’s Gordon McCauley (49:50.70) in third place.

A relative newcomer to cycling having only taken up the sport in 2001, the 25-year-old Wood was delighted with her result, but reiterated her focus for the upcoming road race.

“I’m really glad I came here after not doing so well in the selection trial. There was wind coming off the water and the course is undulating- it’s harder than it looks. The last two kilometres I was really suffering,” Wood said.”

“I’m not celebrating yet, I’m here for the road race on Sunday.”

41-year-old silver medallist Watt said that despite being unable to add her tally of four career Games golds, she was pleased with her performance and glad to be back racing.

“I’m pretty happy. I wanted gold but the course is a bit flat for me. I wish I could have gone a bit faster but the times were very fast. It was just great for Australia to go one-two-three,” Watt said.

“In the last few years I’ve lost a little bit while I haven’t been riding and I’m still regaining it. It’s really good to be in the mix with the current Olympic gold medallist and world number one.”

Time trial specialist O’Neill is a seven-time Australian national time trial champion, but he had never previously won the event at a Commonwealth or Olympic Games. Today he immediately set about rectifying that, setting the fastest time at the half-way mark and going on to take out the title by 24 seconds.


“It was very quick out there today, despite the headwind. In the end I just wanted to hang on.”
There’ll be no time for the 31-year-old to celebrate though, as he’s leaving tomorrow to resume racing in the United States, where he competes professionally.

“It was a hit and run mission but at least I can enjoy the moment today. That’s racing and that’s what I do.”

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