MEGAN Dunn's return to cycling became official on Saturday when she competed in her first official event after a two-year absence from the sport.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Dunn missed out on a podium finish in the Subaru Australian Open Criterium event at Noosa, with the race taken out by National road series champion Katrin Garfoot ahead of fellow Australians Peta Mullens and Kimberley Wells.
She has linked with the Specialized Securitor team for the Australian road racing season and she will continue to improve as she competes in more events.
Despite missing the placings, the Noosa race was a good starting point for the 22-year-old dual Commonwealth Games gold medallist, who has her sights set on competing at next year's Games in Glasgow and further ahead to the 2016 Olympics in Rio De Janeiro.
In the mens edition of the Australian Open Criterium, the evergreen Robbie McEwen pedalled briefly out of retirement for the second straight year to claim yet another title.
McEwen, 41, has lost count of the number of times he has won the event.
Left in his wake this time was Slovakian sensation Peter Sagan, the winner of the last two green jerseys at the Tour de France.
McEwen is himself a three-time winner of the Tour de France's sprinters' crown - and he showed there was still plenty of speed in his ageing legs on Saturday, pipping protege Leigh Howard on the line.
Fellow Australian Jonathan Cantwell was third, with Sagan finishing back in the pack, although the Slovakian still found time to entertain the large crowd with one of his trademark post-race wheelies.
"I am retired and I am going to go back into retirement again tomorrow," said McEwen, who officially quit the sport last year.
But I can't promise I won't pop out of it for another day again next year."