00:00And they're off for the 2025 Elite and Under 23 Women's Road Championships, the first time
00:14here in the city of Perth, a huge investment by the Tourism Western Australia. They were
00:19absolutely desperate to get this race over here and they've locked it in for three years.
00:23Already it's been a big success. We can see a lot of riders out there watching already,
00:28a lot of fans on the sidelines. There's a lot of people that have finished the Grand
00:32Fondo this morning will be sticking around for the rest of the day to watch some of their
00:35heroes racing out on the road. It is looking more and more almost certain that the winner
00:41is going to come from these top five. There's an interesting thing playing out though in
00:46this group of five because the two riders here at the back, number 74 from Pratties,
00:50that's Sophia Sammons, the rider behind her, number 62, both of those women are also in
00:55the Under 23 category. So regardless of the outcome of the five, they will be battling
01:00it out to see who will win the green and gold for their category. But you can imagine they
01:04want that Elite jersey.
01:06Bollio's been a bit distanced, Nicholson too.
01:10This is where you have to make those split second decisions. I need to ride myself back
01:14into this race to that group of two just getting away from me. Simpson, she's decided that
01:18she wants to remain on the front. That's dangerous. Lucinda Stewart, she is the fastest of this
01:23group.
01:24Absolutely, Stewart there in the Livellula kit. She is desperately hanging on to the
01:28wheel of Simpson. They are approaching the finish line, just 100 metres to go. You can
01:32see Bollio, the home turn favourite, trying to accelerate past the wheel. Stewart now
01:37coming round the corner. Could she take this victory for Livellula? Incredible performance
01:42there by the young rider, Lucinda Stewart, racing for the Continental team. A completely
01:48surprise victory for this team. They would have predicted someone else take the victory.
01:56Yes! I knew you had the sprint, Ben! I knew you had the sprint, I knew you did!
02:14That was hard. We always knew it was going to be a bit tricky with brakes going and it
02:20definitely caused it through the brakes. I knew I had to be up there. I literally was
02:24feeling so bad the first half but I rode into it a bit. It was sort of comforting knowing
02:29that Amber was trying to get across and the girls were doing a really good job in the
02:33front. I'm happy to be able to pull it off.
02:36No, this is going to be a very tough day but it's not a race of attrition. It's a race
02:40where you do have to go off the front. But you can't just roll around off the front.
02:45You have to put your pressure on the pedals. These two riders out front, Durbridge and
02:50Durbridge, they are extending on their advantage. It's stabilised at about that two minute
02:54mark so they've just settled into their rhythm and the race is exploding behind.
02:58Here he comes. We're about to see what his lap time is on this occasion. He's been out
03:03there since the very beginning of the race, dousing himself in water to try and stop the
03:08engine from overheating. Exactly the same time, in fact six seconds quicker than the
03:15previous lap. So Durbridge has not faded on that one.
03:19Well you saw the lap board. Three more laps to go. Three big climbs. Three times through
03:24Kings Park. Luke Durbridge though, he was the one who took the initiative on lap one.
03:30It was a bit of disappointment in the time trial. He came close to the criterium. Kings
03:35Park is erupting. Durbridge with a look of disbelief. It's time to start celebrating.
03:42Turbo Durbo has done it again. He is your Australian Road Champion.
03:50Plenty of power and even more heart. He blows kisses to his adoring fans. Jubilation time.
03:59Durbridge goes out on top.
04:06What an extraordinary ride.
04:11They still have a bronze medal to be won here. They are in the finishing straight.
04:18They are in singles.
04:31That was amazing. I just want to say thanks to the whole team. What they did behind me,
04:37not just Plappie, but everyone behind was just blocking the whole day. Which allowed
04:43me to just do my ride. I laid it out there pretty early. Maybe a bit too ambitious. But
04:49that's sort of the way I race. When Plappie came past he said hold the wheel. So I held
04:55the wheel and he gave it to me. He's a gentleman and I really appreciate that. I won't ever
05:00forget that. So I just want to say thanks to my team mates. Greenwich boys. It's my
05:05family. It's always been my team. I'm just really proud to wear this jersey.
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