Ruby shines brightest in Bay Crits opener

In the women’s Lexus of Blackburn Bay Crits, it was Ruby Roseman-Gannon who has got one hand on the title after taking out the opening stage. The 23-year-old Victorian has started the year with the win, fresh from being announced as a new signing for Australian-owned Women’s WorldTour outfit Team BikeExchange-Jayco for 2022 and 2023.

Ruby Roseman-Gannon wins the Womens elite Lexus of Blackburn 2022 Bay Crits on January 8, 2022, at Eastern Garden, Geelong, Australia. (Photo by Con Chronis) Source: Bay Crits

Watch the Lexus of Blackburn Bay Crits, streaming live on SBS On Demand and the SBS Cycling Central Facebook page from 1355 AEDT for the final stage from Geelong.

The race activated after twenty minutes with 29-year-old Grace Brown (Lexus of Blackburn) making a move off the front and opening up a 10-second gap over a chasing pack of eight riders including Melbourne to Warrnambool winner Matilda Raynolds (Inform TMX make) Courtney Sherwell (Roxsolt Liv SRAM) and Brown's teammate for the series, Roseman-Gannon.

Brown's foray was shut down at the mid-point of the race, the nine riders then sowing up in a tactical before the bunch behind caught them with three laps to go.

A reduced sprint finish was on the cards from there, with the more polished riders emerging at the front before Roseman-Gannon navigated her way through the final messy sprint to beat home Alex Martin-Wallace (ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast) and Raynolds.

“I didn’t know whether or not I had it in the last little bit there," said Roseman-Gannon, "it was tight around that final corner, but when you’ve got a rider like Grace Brown riding for you in the Lexus of Blackburn team, she is one of the best riders in Australia you just can’t let her down, so I went for it.”

The win yesterday helps set her up for a shot at gold at the Road Nationals next week, after finishing on the podium for the last three years without taking the top step.

“Yeh, I think I’ve got the legs, so I’m hoping I can pull it off in the criterium next week, that’s a bit of an itch to scratch for me as I’ve been close last three years."

Eastern Gardens Geelong is hosting this year’s Lexus of Blackburn Bay Crits, with both stages on the same course, clockwise today and anti-clockwise tomorrow - a move that brings several steep rises and long straights into play.

The winner in both the men’s and women’s events will be crowned tomorrow, with the elite racing starting at 2pm The Bay Crits are live streamed on SBS On Demand and Facebook.

Watch the Lexus of Blackburn Bay Crits, streaming live on SBS On Demand and the SBS Cycling Central Facebook page from 1355 AEDT for the final stage from Geelong.