ZAC Barnhill is keen to apply more focus to time trial racing after he notched his first victory at state title level in the discipline on Saturday.
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The 18-year-old dug deep at the NSW road championships at Gunning to finish the 21.5km course in 29:18 minutes, around 25 seconds ahead of Tamworth's Luke Deasey.
The Wagga Cycling Club member then backed up that result with second place behind Rauland teammate Deasey in the road race.
Barnhill's results were the highlight of a strong weekend for Wagga riders, with Tolland duo Myles Stewart (third in under-23 road race) and Rebel Brooker (second in under-19 time trial and third in road race) also coming home with medals.
"That (time trial) was my main focus for the weekend," Barnhill said.
"It was a bit of a surprise but I was happy with my form going into a race.. I've never won a TT before, so I was very happy with it.
"I've been training for it so I was really hoping for a good result. It was hard to know how I was going to really as I didn't really know where everyone was at.
"It's always harder being a smaller rider to go well in time trials, but if you focus on it you can go well in them.
"It's more about your strength and your own effort versus everyone else. I'm good at pushing myself to the end."
Barnhill finished just over two-and-a-half minutes behind Deasey in the road race, but made his move at the right time to clinch silver, clocking 2:24.20 over the 94km course.
"With about two-and-a-half kilometres to go the bunch slowed down so I took the opportunity as I had momentum, and I managed to hold it to the end for second (13 seconds ahead of Dubbo's Dylan Eather)," he said.
The national titles are due to be held in Ballarat in January, and Barnhill will look to make the step up should the event go ahead.
Bathurst's William Hodges took out the elite men's road race from Canberra's Jay Vine and Hunter District's Sam Hill, while Canberra's Alana Forster claimed women's honours.
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