The Australian Road National Championships time trials in Perth offered a clear snapshot of where the sport sits heading into a new season. On the fast but exposed Bold Park circuit, experience mattered, but so did composure in the wind. Across three key races, familiar names reasserted themselves at elite level, while two young riders underlined why they are central to Australia’s future in the discipline.
Jay Vine reclaimed the elite men’s title with authority, Felicity Wilson-Haffenden announced herself as a genuine elite force in the women’s race, and Sophia Sammons dominated the under-23 women’s category on home roads.
Elite men: Jay Vine delivers statement ride in Perth
For Jay Vine, this was about control as much as power. The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider approached the 39.3km test around Bold Park with a clear plan and executed it almost perfectly, stopping the clock in 46:52.82 to reclaim the national title.
Early on, Ben O’Connor set the reference by going hard on the opening lap, briefly holding a narrow advantage. Vine, however, resisted the temptation to respond immediately. By the second lap, his smoother pacing and emphasis on speed rather than rigid power targets began to tell, and the gap swung decisively in his favour.
Photo Credit: AusCycling/Chris AuldFrom there, Vine steadily extended his advantage, riding into the windy sections with confidence and limiting losses through the technical hairpins. Oliver Bleddyn emerged as his closest challenger, pushing strongly in the second half of the race to secure second place, while Kelland O’Brien rounded out the podium.
Defending champion Luke Plapp endured a difficult day, never quite finding the rhythm required on the exposed circuit and slipping to eighth, more than two minutes down. For Vine, the margin mattered, but so did the manner of the victory.
“I really focused on just speed, speed, speed,” he explained afterwards. “I’ve developed over the last 12 months based more on feeling, and it definitely paid off.”
Australian elite men’s time trial 2026 result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Photo Credit: AusCycling/Chris AuldElite women: Wilson-Haffenden edges Chapman in tightest of finishes
The elite women’s race was decided by seconds rather than statements, but its significance may prove just as great. At just 20 years of age, Felicity Wilson-Haffenden claimed her first elite national time trial title, stopping the clock in 40:15.71 for the 29.3km course.
The Lidl-Trek rider entered the race as a known quantity thanks to her junior world title and recent progression, but this was her first appearance in the elite category at nationals. From the opening lap, she looked composed, holding her line through gusty conditions and managing the course with maturity beyond her years.
Defending champion Brodie Chapman mounted a fierce challenge, clawing back time on the final lap and reducing what had been a 22-second deficit to just 3.8 seconds at the line. It was one of the closest elite women’s time trials in recent Australian championships, with Josie Talbot also producing a strong ride to take third.
Wilson-Haffenden was candid about the demands of the race, particularly the wind.
“The hardest part was actually the gusts,” she said. “With deep wheels, it can be a bit scary, but I spend enough time on my TT bike to feel comfortable.”
The result confirms her transition from junior standout to elite contender is not a question of if, but how quickly.
Photo Credit: AusCycling/Chris AuldAustralian elite women’s time trial 2026 result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Women under-23: Sammons dominates on home roads
If the elite women’s race was finely balanced, the under-23 women’s contest was anything but. Sophia Sammons delivered one of the most commanding performances of the championships, winning by 55 seconds on a course she knows intimately.
Rolling off last, Sammons methodically dismantled the times set before her, growing stronger with each of the three laps. Her finishing time of 40:22.42 reflected both her physical condition and a well-executed race plan that saved her biggest effort for the final lap.
Sophie Marr emerged as her closest rival, with Mackenzie Coupland taking third, but neither could live with Sammons once she fully committed.
“My team and I had a plan, and we stuck to it,” Sammons said. “Control the first lap, see how it feels on the second, then really go for it at the end.”
Racing on familiar roads clearly helped, but this was not simply a case of local knowledge. Sammons’ performance marked a significant step forward and reinforced her status as one of the most promising riders in Australia’s development pipeline.
Australian women under-23 time trial 2026 result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
