Miles Scotson Does Australian Road Nationals Double

20-year-old?Miles Scotson?(SASI) added his name to an exclusive honour roll of cyclists to win both the under 23 time trial and road race on Saturday, claiming an emphatic solo victory in Buninyong at the Mars Cycling Australia Road National Championships. Scotson joins the ranks of Jonathan Davis (2003), Jack Bobridge (2009) and Rohan Dennis (2012) to win both national titles in the same year.

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?Coming into the Road National Championships I really wanted to win the time trial, which was a great feeling. That night I sent Jack Bobridge a message congratulating him and he said, ?Rest up mate, only good guys do the double,?? said?an elated Scotson. ?That got me thinking – I?d worked pretty hard coming in and I thought I was going to give it a good crack today.? Having earned gold in the race against the clock on Thursday, Scotson?s time trial ability came to the fore again on Saturday when he attacked a depleted breakaway inside the final 20 kilometres. Scotson dug deep for 17 kilometres, eventually crossing the line 36 seconds ahead of the sprint for the minor placings. ?I had one thing on my mind and that was to win the race so it was just all out with two to go,? said Scotson. ?I went 100 per cent up the climb and I have to admit, the atmosphere at the top of the climb for an under 23 race was pretty good, it was pretty loud and that really spurred me on.” Queensland?s Fitter (CharterMason) tried to follow Scotson?s move and was solo for almost 10 kilometres before a determined chase group caught him on the final climb. ?I went really hard and got a good gap over Daniel Fitter, I went then because I know Daniel Fitter is a track rider and when he sees a finish line he?s a real racer and he?s quick.? Scotson?s teammate and fellow track world champion, Alexander Edmondson, (SA) won the reduced bunch sprint for silver while Para-cycling road world champion Alistair Donohoe (Health.com.au/search2retain) claimed bronze. ?To come out here and get second is really great, I?m very happy to do it,? said reigning dual world champion Edmondson. ?At about two and a half laps to go, I realised I wasn?t racing for first anymore but to go one-two is awesome. ?I?ve grown up with Miles probably from the under 15 ranks, so I?ve known him for a long time. Of course you always want to win, but to be beaten by Miles almost feels like I?ve won myself,? he said. Earlier in the race, an eight rider breakaway formed and quickly gained a two minute advantage including Jason Lea (VIC), Callum Scotson (SA), Sam Hill (ACT), Fitter (QLD), Alex Porter (SA), Jason Lowndes (VIC), Aidan Bowe (VIC) and George Tansley (SA). Scotson (SA), criterium silver medallist David Edwards (QLD) and Ben O?Connor (WA) worked together to bridge to the leaders soon after, with the extra numbers blowing the gap out to almost four minutes. Disaster struck for Lea and Bowe, clipping wheels in the feed zone while soon after, the younger Scotson brother, Callum, suffered a puncture and also dropped from the break. With 20 kilometres left to race, only Tansley, Edwards, Fitter and Scotson remained out in front, with the peloton ? which included Jack Haig (VIC) and Robert Power (WA) – catching all but Scotson. Text via Cycling Australia Media Release Images copyright Con Chronis

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