World time trial champion Annemiek van Vleuten might have closed the inaugural Women's Herald Sun Tour by winning the second and final stage in her rainbow jersey, but the overall victory went to a previously unheralded Australian Brodie Chapman, racing for the national team.
As a race, the Sun Tour has always been one for providing opportunities to young and upcoming Australian talent and it is a philosophy now shared by both races. Chapman's stage 1 win and overall triumph is a testament to the faith and trust placed in local riders to animate the race. Chapman's short career thus far has been one of highs and lows, spread across multiple disciplines and full-time work, but has now been punctuated by a historic win.
The stage 2 time trial was just 1.6 kilometres on a stretch of road Chapman knows well, adjacent to the Yarra River in Melbourne. At that length, her 12-second advantage over Van Vleuten was logically too large a margin even for a world champion to chase down, and would ultimately prove so with Chapman doing more than enough to hold on for a momentous victory.
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"It does feel really good and I am glad I could pull it off for the team," said Chapman. "It would have been optimistic to really hold her off that much. She is the world time trial champion. My prerogative was to keep it tidy and stay safe which is what I did.
"There was a confidence that I could maintain that gap, some of that gap. I was nervous that I might be too cocky in the corners but I held it back a little bit just to make to the finish line.
"It is very satisfying to have your hard work and mental determination pay off. "
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