Chris Aitken and Katherine Hosking claim Australian elite cyclocross titles
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Cyclocross newcomer Katherine Hosking (Orbea Women’s Racing) and long-time contender Chris Aitken (MAAP/Sixpence Coffee CX) stepped into the green and gold armbands of national champions on Saturday, claiming elite wins at the AusCycling Cyclocross National Championship muddy course in Ballarat.
Mountain biker Hosking, who dropped into cyclocross this season, enjoyed the conditions, with the rain leaving competitors waking up to slippery, sticky drivetrain coating mud. She took off on the front early and held steady to take a solo victory, crossing the line 30 seconds ahead of her nearest rival, Miranda Griffiths.
“I had very few expectations for this race and when I saw the mud this morning, I was going to have a good day,” Hosking said in a statement from AusCycling. “I didn’t really care what was going to happen. I really can’t believe it, I didn’t expect it at all,” he said after claiming the title.
It was a battle for the final podium place between two former Australian cyclocross champions, Peta Mullens (Roxsolt Liv SRAM) – 2018 and 2019 winner – and Bec Locke – 2022 and 2016 winner. In the end it was Mullens who claimed third behind Griffiths, while Locke held steady in fourth.
In the men’s race, Aitken completed his long run of silver and bronze medals in the elite category. Instead, he reached the top step, riding the Australian cyclocross champion jersey he last held as an U23 in 2015. Aitken took his first cyclocross title by 19 seconds from nearest rival Nick Smith (Duke Flanders Racing).
“It’s nice to get the win. I worked hard this year and it really came down to a bit of teamwork in the pits there,” Aitken said in an AusCycling release. “It was as muddy as last year, and we changed bikes every lap. If you were riding a bike out there, hats off, you were doing pretty well. I was struggling to keep my gears from jumping even with a new bike every lap.”
Aitken’s former long-time rival and now MAAP/Sixpence Coffee team-mate Garry Millburn was third as he crossed the line just over a minute behind and with last year’s champion Tom Chapman (Team BridgeLane) just 11 seconds back.
Three-time Western Australian cyclocross champion Tristan Nash added the U23 men’s national title to his list of results, with the 20-year-old also taking second place at the Australian U23 road championships in January. Sophie Sutton took the U23 women’s title ahead of Ruby Dobson, while Sam Northey and Ruby Taylor claimed the junior titles.
| Position | Rider | year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christopher Aitken | 1:04:48 |
| 2 | Nicholas Smith | +21 |
| 3 | Gary Milburn | +01:26 |
| 4 | Tom Chapman | 01:37 |
| 5 | Harrison Bebbington | +08:32 |
| Position | Rider | year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Katherine Hossing | 53:24 |
| 2 | Miranda Griffiths | +30 |
| 3 | Peta Mullens | +01:34 |
| 4 | Rebecca Locke | +01:50 |
| 5 | Fiona Morris | +04:28 |
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