Best of the 2022 Australian Road National Championships

The Road National Championships took Australia's best cyclists to Ballarat, where we witnessed a five-day program filled with action and excitement.

A general view from the Australian Road National Championships Source: Getty Images

SBS On Demand is the perfect place to catch up on all that transpired at the 2022 Australian Road National Championships.

Time Trials

Rohan Dennis (Jumbo-Visma) and Grace Brown (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope) both made winning starts with their new teams, reclaiming titles that had been taken by others in recent years in the time trial.

Brown was the overwhelming favourite with Sarah Gigante (Movistar) still recovering from myopericarditis, and that proved the truth over the 28.6-kilometre course, with Amber Pate (InForm TMX Make) trailing in second place by one minute and one second.

Rohan Dennis, meanwhile, made a return to the top step of the podium for his fourth elite national time trial title.

Dennis' time of 45 minutes and 33 seconds over the 37.5-kilometre course was one minute and 13 seconds faster than second-placed Luke Durbridge (Team BikeExchange).

Criteriums

Ruby Roseman-Gannon made a winning start to her first season as a professional on the WorldTour, backing up her success at the Bay Crits with a long-awaited criterium win.

The Victorian rider covered a dangerous move late in the race, before sprinting to a superb win off the wheel of her lone BikeExchange-Jayco teammate, Alexandra Manly.

A spectacular late attack also helped Cameron Ivory (St George Continental) claim his first national title in the elite men's criterium.

Ivory showcased his formidable pedigree with a stunning attack less than two laps out from the finish line, stealing the victory from the more fancied sprinters.

Road Races

Nicole Frain (Roxsolt Liv SRAM) won the elite women's road race after an exhilarating battle through the final lap.

A late attack with just over four kilometres to go helped the Tasmanian to victory, after a gap opened up through an aggressive approach to the corner.

Lucas Plapp (INEOS Grenadiers) took a similar approach in the elite men's road race, launching a solo attack and overtaking leader James Whelan (Team Bridgelane) on the final ascent of Mt Buninyong before riding to a magnificent win.

Plapp lapped up the adulation of the crowd with his first elite road victory and was later seen embracing best friend Blake Quick, who had earlier won the men's Under-23 road race.