Australian cyclists have shown they have plenty of horsepower at the world road championships at Ponferrada in north-west Spain, the national team holding first place in the medal tally with six after the time trial events during the week.
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But with the time trials over, the time has come for the Australian riders to show they have brains to match their brawn in the road races where often the smartest and most tactically astute rider and united team triumph, rather than the strongest. However, on paper and form, the Australian team appears to have what it takes for what is to come on Saturday and Sunday.
After Friday's first two road races – the 72.8km junior women's and 182km men's under 23 events – the championships climax this weekend with the last three races. On Saturday there is the junior men and then elite women's events, both over 127.4km. n Sunday comes the men's elite title race over 254.8km.
Australia is a strong chance to win a medal in this weekend's races over an 18.2km circuit that includes two hills. The rider to beat in the women's road race is the Netherlands' defending champion Marianne Vos. Other favourites include Briton Lizzie Armistead, Sweden's Emma Johannson, Italian Elisa Longo Borghini and France's Pauline Ferrand Prevot. However, Australia is not without strong hope with Tiffany Cromwell the designated leader of the six-rider team that includes 2012 silver medallist Rachel Neylan, Katrin Garfoot, Loren Rowney, Carlee Taylor and Lizzie Williams.
Cromwell, not shy of an aggressive race, is motivated to improve on her ninth place behind Voss at Florence last year. "You have to believe in winning or finishing on the podium or you may as well not even start," Cromwell said. "Definitely top five is very realistic. I've really built up good form the past couple of months since the Commonwealth Games. I've gone from strength to strength – I'm feeling confident."
Whatever outcome this weekend, the performances so far in the time trial events augur well for the strength of Australian cycling.
By Friday, Australia had won six medals – two golds, two silvers and two bronze. The championships began with the team time trials in which the Australian Orica-GreenEDGE and Orica-AIS line-ups both won silver medals. Then in the individual time trials Macey Stewart won gold in the women's junior event. Anna-Leeza Hill took bronze.
Campbell Flakemore, who has since announced that he will join the BMC professional team next year, won gold in the men's under 23 race and Michael Storer won bronze in the men's junior title.
Add to that the strong performances by Australian Rohan Dennis who backed up his ride in the gold medal-winning American BMC line-up in the team time trial with fifth in the men's elite time trial won by 2012 Tour de France champion Bradley Wiggins.
Dennis, who only recently switched to the BMC from the American Garmin-Sharp team, will back up again on Sunday as one of the nine-rider Australian team for the men's elite road race. However, most likely his role will be to help the three protected leaders in the Australian team:Simon Gerrans, Michael Matthews and Cadel Evans who announced on Thursday that he would retire from racing on February 1.
