Five Dubbo Cyclists travelled to Brisbane last week to compete in the 2021 Australian Elite and Under 19 Track Cycling Championships. All represented themselves, Dubbo Cycle Club and NSW in fantastic fashion, extending a great history of Dubbo Cyclists competing on the big stage.
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Danny Barber was competing for the last time as an under-19 rider before he took the step up to the Elite ranks. Having taken gold and the Australian Championships in the Sprint, Time Trial and Kieran at the 2020 championships Barber was in good form to defend his titles. Barber set the fastest time in the Time Trial to take gold on the morning of day two of the championships and backed up again that night to take gold in the Kieran. The Kieran gold was extra special as NSW riders filled the silver and bronze positions to make it an all NSW Podium.
Barber started Day 3 in fine form breaking the Australian Championship record in the Sprint, flying 200 to be the fastest qualifier before going undefeated throughout the days head to head rides to take Gold in the sprint events. Riding in second position in the Team Sprint Barber and the NSW time took silver, missing gold to a fast South Australian Team by .01 of a second. Barber finished the titles with 3 Individual gold medals and a silver in the team events.
Dylan Eather opened his championships in a fine way by taking gold in the U19 scratch race on the opening night. He backed up on the second morning to take silver to Barber in the Time Trial.
Both Dubbo riders recorded times under 1 minute and 3 seconds which is a key time for U19 men's riders.
On the final day of the Championships Eather rode off for a bronze medal in the Individual Pursuit but was pipped by ACT rider Cameron Rogers.
Tyler Puzicha was riding as a first year rider in the U19 category and certainly set a foundation for next year.
A late injury to a rider in the Team Pursuit saw sprint rider Puzicha step up. It turned out to be a very good call as the team won bronze.
That night Puzicha backed up in the Team Sprint to take a Gold Medal, winning the Australian Team Sprint Championship. Tyler went on to take bronze in both the Sprint and Time Trial events giving her a personal tally of 1 gold and 3 Bronze.
Haylee Fuller anchored the NSW Team Pursuit team and guided them to a Bronze medal on the first morning. Fuller came home in sixth place in the Individual Pursuit and her favoured Point race.
Kurt Eather rode with the NSW Elite men's Team Pursuit to take a Bronze medal on the opening night.
A two-day break left Eather primed to attack the gruelling 160 lap Points race which saw him dig deep in the final sprint to claim the Silver medal in a very courageous race.
