Multiple Grand Tour stage winner Jay Vine arrives in Perth with the form and determination required to finally secure his first Australian national road race crown. The prestigious title will be decided this Sunday in the AusCycling championship finale, a gruelling 177km battle along the Swan River.
Tactical Battle Looms for Vine Against Strong Teams
The UAE Team Emirates rider, a four-time stage winner at the Vuelta a España, faces a significant strategic challenge. The race comprises 13 laps of a demanding 13.6km circuit through the CBD and King's Park. AusCycling road championships director and Olympic gold medallist Scott McGrory believes Vine possesses the raw power but notes that team dynamics could dictate the outcome.
"Jay Vine has certainly got the strength to win races like this, but it might just simply come down to tactics," McGrory told The West Australian. He suggested that Vine likely needs to arrive at the finish alone to avoid being out-sprinted, a tough ask against organised squads like Jayco-Alula.
Reigning Champions and Romantic Stories
McGrory identifies the defending champion, West Australian Luke Durbridge, and Lucas Plapp as key favourites alongside Vine. He recalled the dramatic 2025 finish where Plapp, aiming for a fourth consecutive title, sacrificed his own chance to gift the win to his hard-working teammate Durbridge.
In the women's race, a potential fairytale awaits. McGrory highlighted the "equally romantic story" of veteran Amanda Spratt, a triple champion who will retire at season's end. Winning would allow her to wear the green and gold jersey throughout her final professional year. However, he also tipped Ruby Roseman-Gannon and her Liv Alula team as strong contenders for back-to-back team victories.
Time Trials and Criteriums Kick Off Championships Week
The national championships commence with individual time trials this Wednesday and Thursday. McGrory anticipates another classic duel in the men's event between Lucas Plapp, seeking a hat-trick of titles, and a hungry Jay Vine, who won the national time-trial in 2023 and was runner-up last year.
In the women's time trial, reigning champion Brodie Chapman is the pick, with young professional Felicity Wilson-Haffenden a possible challenger. The action shifts to Northbridge on Friday for the criteriums, where WA's Sam Welsford will defend his men's title racing solo for his new team, Ineos Grenadiers. The women's criterium appears wide open, with Amber Pate and Ruby Roseman-Gannon among the favourites.
All eyes, however, will be on Sunday's marquee road race, where Jay Vine hopes to convert his world-class pedigree into a long-awaited national championship victory on home soil.
