Vikings Cycling Club ACT

There was some thrilling racing over the weekend at the KOM Financial Advice Canberra Junior and Women’s Tour. After being cancelled in 2020 and 2021, it was great to see the tour back for 2022. This unique event gives junior and women racers an opportunity to compete in their grades against peers. It was also the first round of the Northwave Junior Road Series and what a beautiful weekend it was to kick the competition off.

We’re not going to say that it is where future Australian champions are made, but past winners of the Canberra Junior and Women’s Tour have included Amanda Spratt, Cameron Meyer, Chloe Hosking and Caleb Ewan.

First – thanks to all the volunteers and sponsors

Before we get into the racing, thanks to our Race Directors Rae Rogers, Matt Dyne and Caetlin Watch for making it a safe and fun time for everyone. The Commissaires also did a great job over the weekend supervising and briefing all the riders. Volunteers make events like this happen, so thanks to everyone who put their hand up to help on the weekend. It wouldn’t have happened without you all. We also need to acknowledge the tireless coordination from our own President, Michael Buerger. It takes a large number of people to deliver an event this size, and Michael ensured everything was locked in and set up for the day.

Also thanks to our title sponsor KOM Financial Advice, who stepped up to be a great sponsor for this year’s race. We also had support from 99 Bikes in pulling together the prize pool.

We had some great photographers out on the day capturing events:

Trenton Smith Photography

Vanessa Judge

David John Blucher

Stage 1 – criterium

The hub for the event was at Stromlo Forest Park, and there was a real festival atmosphere as the juniors set out to race the criterium stage on the Saturday morning. The B and C grade women also put on a thrilling race, with local legend and Trek-Segafredo rider Chloe Hosking joining the B grade women’s race to take the event to the next level. We extend a big thanks for Chloe for taking the time out of her weekend to give advice to the riders on the road and hand out the final awards on the Sunday.

However, it wasn’t Chloe that stole the show, rather our junior participation riders took the track by storm and melted the hearts of everyone watching!

Stage 1 results can be found here, congratulations to Vikings riders Bailey MacDonald, Hannah Watch, Ashleigh Mass, Peta Brill and Katie Gregory for making the podium.

Stage 2 – Individual Time Trial

Following the morning criterium, the second stage was a tough individual time trial out on Uriarra Road, where the false flat tested the legs after the criterium. Results can be found here, and kudos to Hannah Watch, Ashleigh Mass, Katie Gregory and Katelyn Twiss on being top three finishers.

Stage 3 – Road Race

The third and final stage was on the Sunday, where riders were buzzing around Stromlo West carpark eager for their final chance to finish high in the General Classification. While all the grades had a different distance to ride, none of the riders could escape the gruelling Three Sisters climb. You can find out who had the legs to win here, but again we saw Vikings riders Hannah Watch and Katie Gregory finishing in the top three, with Ashleigh Mass winning her under 11 girls race.

General classification

This was no easy weekend of racing, so a big congratulations to everyone who competed over the weekend, especially those who travelled to Canberra for the event. The full results can be found here but the final podium for the tour were: