The criteriums at Australia’s Road National Championships rarely unfold quietly, and the fast Northbridge circuit in Perth delivered three races defined by timing, positioning and patience. Across elite women, under-23 men and elite men, the championships jerseys were decided not just by raw speed, but by who understood when to commit.
In the elite women’s race, Ruby Roseman-Gannon turned a dangerous break into a solo winning move. The under-23 men’s title went to Jack Dohler, who sprinted clear from a select group of five. Later in the evening, Jensen Plowright timed his effort perfectly to deny Sam Welsford and take the elite men’s crown.
Elite women: Roseman-Gannon commits late and makes it stick
The women’s elite and under-23 criterium ran together, but the decisive action came from the elite riders. From the opening laps, Liv AlUla Jayco’s numerical strength shaped the race, with green jerseys ever-present at the front as attacks flicked up and down the 1.2km circuit.
A move with real intent formed around the halfway mark when Amanda Spratt, Alexandra Manly and Roseman-Gannon edged clear. The break gained extra momentum when Josie Talbot and Neve Bradbury bridged across, creating a group of five that quickly carved out a workable advantage.
The cohesion was not perfect, but on a circuit of wide boulevards and tight side streets, the group had enough cover to stay away. With over 50 minutes raced, Roseman-Gannon made her first serious attempt, testing the legs of Manly and Bradbury. They responded, but the repeated accelerations began to tell.
As the hour mark approached, Roseman-Gannon went again. This time the response was slower. Manly launched a determined chase, but the elastic finally snapped, and Roseman-Gannon crossed the line alone to take the elite national criterium title.
“I had Gene Bates in my ear saying ‘find a way’, and I did,” she said afterwards, acknowledging both the pressure and the advantage of team depth.
Behind the break, the under-23 title was decided in the bunch. Lucinda Stewart won the sprint to secure the U23 jersey, ahead of Amelie Sanders and Belinda Bailey.
Australian elite women’s criterium 2026 result
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Photo Credit: Chris AuldUnder-23 men: Dohler finishes team effort with a clean sprint
The under-23 men’s criterium followed a familiar pattern for Northbridge: early aggression, a pause, then a decisive reshuffle. A trio slipped clear early, but the race changed complexion when Jackson Medway powered across with Bradyn Bloch and Dohler in tow.
That move created the group that would decide the title. With two riders from CCACHE x Bodywrap represented, the balance of power was clear. The group worked well enough to stay clear, and as the final laps approached, the focus shifted from escape to positioning.
In the sprint, Dohler made full use of the team advantage. He launched decisively and held his line to the finish, claiming the under-23 national criterium title ahead of Bloch, with teammate Noah Blannin completing the podium.
“It’s unreal to win in my home town,” Dohler said, underlining how much the result meant on familiar roads.
Australian men under-23 criterium 2026 result
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Photo Credit: Chris AuldElite men: Plowright times it right to beat Welsford
The elite men’s criterium closed the day and brought a different kind of tension. With Sam Welsford in the field, the expectation was a bunch sprint, but the race refused to settle early.
A locally flavoured break gained traction and held the peloton’s attention for much of the race, forcing teams to calculate how much energy they were willing to spend. Eventually, the elastic snapped and the bunch came back together inside the final laps.
From there, it became a battle of positioning. As the bell rang, teams fought for control into the final corners. Plowright, riding with confidence after a disrupted season, hit the last corner first, drawing directly on advice he had once received from Welsford himself.
Once he opened the sprint, there was no coming past. Plowright held his line to the finish to take the elite men’s national criterium title, with Welsford second and Kurt Eather third.
“I took on Sam’s advice about leading through the final corner,” Plowright said with a smile. “It was nice to beat him with it.”
Australian elite men’s criterium 2026 result
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