Taupo cyclist Patrick Bevin has won the Australian under-19 road race championship in a superb performance at the weekend.
Bevin took out the 123km road race on Saturday at Murwillumbah in northern New South Wales and followed up with second place in the under-19 criterium the following day at Nerang , near the Gold Coast.
Te Awamutu's Madeline Brunton completed an excellent double with third placings in the time trial and the road race.
Bevin, who won a round of the national open points series this summer, proved the best in a mass sprint of 30 riders in the 123km road race. He held out the top Australian junior prospect, Canberra's Michael Phelan and kiwi teammate Josh Atkins (Canterbury), all receiving the same time of three hours, 02 minutes 52 seconds.
Alexandra's Patrick Williamson was 10th one second back with Rotorua's Simon Finucane 21st two seconds behind the winners.
Atkins was the best of the New Zealand men in Friday's time trial over 28kms finishing 14th with Finucane 23rd in the event dominated by the Australians.
Australian Jordan van der Togt took out Sunday's criterium over 30 mins and three laps of the purpose-built course at Nerang. Bevin rode aggressively to hold out Phelan for second place while Williamson was the next best of the kiwis in 10th.
Brunton went out early in the women's time trial over 14km on rough and unfamiliar country roads, producing a strong time of 25min 34sec to gain third fastest and ahead of Australia's world junior track champion Megan Dunn. Tauranga's Courteney Lowe was seventh in 26min 06sec.
Brunton and Lowe were in an initial break of five riders in the 70km womenbs road race on Saturday. As the pace went on the leaders were reduced to two Australians, led by Dunn, and Brunton and the trio put four minutes on the chasers.
Dunn showed her sprinting ability to edge home for the win in 2hrs 15min 10sec with Brunton a length back in third place. Lowe was in a sprint in the peloton for fifth with Lillian Summerville (Auckland) ninth.
The Australians dominated Sunday's criterium with the kiwi girls out of the placings.
Results, Australian Under-19 Cycling Championships: Men, time trial, 28km, Murwillumbah, NSW: Luke Durbridge (Midland) 41min 35.78sec, 1; Dale Parker (Central Districts) 43:03.77, 2; Jordan Kerby (Fraser Coast) 43:10.94, 3. New Zealanders: Josh Atkins (Christchurch) 45:43.22, 14; Simon Finucane (Rotorua) 46:47.78, 23; Patrick Williamson (Alexandra) 48:16.33, 35.
Road race, 123km: Patrick Bevin (Taupo, NZ) 3:02.52, 1; Michael Phelan (Australia) same time, 2; Atkins, same time, 3. Other New Zealanders: Williamson at 1 sec, 10; Finucane at 2 sec, 21.
Criterium, Nerang, Qld: Jordan van der Togt (Australia) 1, Bevin 2, Phelan 3. Other New Zealanders: Williamson 10, Atkins 15, Finucane 22.
Women, time trial, 14km: Kendelle Hodges (Australia) 25:14.58, 1; Amy Cure (Australia) 25:26.27, 2; Madeleine Brunton (Te Awamutu, NZ) 25:33,83, 3. Other New Zealanders: Courteney Lowe (Tauranga) 26:06.34, 7; Lillian Summerville (Auckland) 27:36.49, 14; Kate Chilcott (Auckland) 28:30.06, 18.
Road race, 70km: Dunn (AUS) 2:15.10, 1; Hodges (AUS) same time, 2; Brunton (NZ) at one sec, 3. Other New Zealanders: Lowe at 3m20s, 5; Summerville at 3:21, 9; Chilcott at 12:24, 16.
