The Australian National Road Race Championships, are held annually with an event for each category of bicycle rider: Men, Women & under 23 riders. The event also includes the Australian National Time Trial Championships since 2002. The Australian Championships were officially known as the Scody Australian Open Road Cycling Championships from 1999 to 2010, taking the name of their main sponsor. This changed to the Mars Cycling Australia Road National Championships from 2011 but they are more commonly referred to as The Nationals.[1] The under 23 championships were introduced in 2001. Note that these results do not currently include the senior and junior amateur road race championships that were held prior to the open era.
The winners of each event are awarded with a symbolic cycling jersey featuring green and yellow stripes, which can be worn by the rider at other road racing events in the country to show their status as national champion. The champion's stripes can be combined into a sponsored rider's team kit design for this purpose.
From 1901 to 1949 the Australian Professional Long Distance Road Cycling Championship was contested annually (with the exception of the years 1940 to 1945, due to the outbreak of World War II). Until 1939, the title of long distance road champion of Australia was awarded to the fastest time in the Warrnambool to Melbourne Classic over 165 miles (266 km). Riders attended from all over Australia and New Zealand.[2] From 1902 the fastest NSW rider in the Goulburn to Sydney Classic was selected to appear for NSW.[3][4] In 1927 the Warrnambool to Melbourne was replaced by the Dunlop Grand Prix, a 690.5 miles (1,111.3 km) race over four stages.[5][6] In 1934 the Warrnambool to Melbourne was again replaced by a stage race, the Centenary 1000, a 1,102 miles (1,773 km) race over seven stages.[7] In 1946, the national long distance championship was awarded to the rider making the fastest time in the 187 miles (301 km) Melbourne to Horsham road race. In 1947 and 1948, the championship was awarded to the rider making the fastest time in the 192 miles (309 km) Melbourne to Albury road race.[8][9] In 1949, the title of long distance road champion of Australia was awarded to the rider making the fastest time in the 195 miles (314 km) Melbourne to Lakes Entrance road race.
In 1950 the first separate event was held at Cronulla.[10]
The women's event was first held in 1978.[11]
- ^ "History". Scody Australian Open Road Cycling Championships. Archived from the original on 5 October 2010.
- ^ "Road Championship of Australia and New Zealand". The Sydney Morning Herald. 18 October 1901. p. 4 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Cycling". Sydney Sportsman. Surry Hills, NSW. 12 August 1903. p. 3 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Goulburn to Sydney road race". The Referee. Sydney. 27 September 1911. p. 10 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Opperman again". Evening News. Sydney. 19 November 1927. p. 3 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Dunlop Grand Prix". The Australasian. Melbourne. 26 November 1927. p. 72 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Centenary 1000was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "FIELD OF 168 TO CONTEST MELBOURNE-ALBURY RACE". The Herald (Melbourne). National Library of Australia. 12 September 1947. p. 15.
- ^ "Bates Wins Australian Cycling Championship". Advertiser (Adelaide). 15 September 1947.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
SunHSep50was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "National Championship, Road, Elite, Australia (Women)". Cycling Archives. Retrieved 15 January 2017.