Four years ago, Chris Hamilton didn't know the Australian national championships existed. Today, he joined the likes of Rohan Dennis, Michael Hepburn and Caleb Ewan in winning the U23 national road race title, adding to his win in the criterium one year ago.
"A lot people I've looked up to are on that and its just incredible to be a part of it, I tell ya, it's pretty surreal, I don't it's even sunk in yet but this time last year when I won the crit jersey, no one was expecting that, I definitely wasn't. Then today, to come out with another jersey is unbelievable," Hamilton told reporters having collected the green and gold jersey.
As the bell sounded to single a final lap of the 10.1km Buninyong circuit, sole leader on the road Chris Harper (State of Matter/Maap) had a 51 second advantage over Chris and Lucas Hamilton. Harper had attacked on lap 10, catching then dropping Riley Field (GPM), building a three-minute gap between himself and the peloton. As Harper started up the climb, the two Hamilton's closed the gap down to 30 seconds then reeled in the 21-year-old leader.
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On the descent back towards the finish line, the Hamilton's built an 18 second advantage over the chase group of Miles Scotson, Alistair Donohoe (Vic), Michael Storer (Wa), Harper and Jai Hindley (Wa). Coming into the home straight, Chris Hamilton went to the front before opening his sprint with 150 metres to celebrate the biggest win of his career.
"I knew that Miles can obviously put out a bloody good time trial so if there was anyone that was going to get back onto us was him," said Hamilton. "Obviously if he brought Alastair [Donohoe] across with him, he has quite a good kick on him so we were a little worried but we were confident that if we kept going to the finish we could do it."
The 20-year-old former mountain biker and U19 cyclo-cross champion explained that he would turn his attention to the road, potentially starting with the Tour Down Under next week.
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