WAGGA cyclist Myles Stewart is approaching this week's Road Nationals at Ballarat as a chance to make a strong statement early in his season.
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The 22-year-old will bypass the road race to focus solely on Friday's criterium, and is looking to build on sixth and eighth placings at the Lexus of Blackburn Bay Crits at Geelong on the weekend.
It's the Tolland Cycling Club member's third year with Nero Continental, and he feels the 'hot dog' shaped course at nationals will suit his sprinting abilities.
"It should suit me pretty well because it's an uphill sprit and I'm a lighter sprinter than most," he said.
"The circuit is maybe a bit harder (than Lexus Bay) because you come screaming into a corner and then you have to go up a hill. There's a lot of sprinting out of the bottom corner, and positioning will be key in this one.
"Ballarat will be a lot bigger field, but we'll have a bigger team racing the criterium. It's a hot dog shaped course, up and down the main street of Ballarat.
"It's a pretty similar distance to the crit on the weekend, but a lot faster and probably not as technical."
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While relatively satisfied with his efforts at Lexus Bay, it's clear Stewart felt he is capable of better and will look to build on at nationals.
Nero Continental will have a bigger representation at the event than last weekend, and Stewart hopes the extra support will help.
"I went alright. You can't complain I suppose and it was a pretty good result," he said.
"It's early on in the season and hopefully I'll go a bit better at nationals and through the year.
"It's always a good test to see how you're going because I haven't raced in six months due to COVID.
"We were trying to go for a podium, it was a bit of luck with how tight the course was. We didn't have a lot of blokes there either, our team had four and most had over six.
"Ballarat will be a lot bigger field, but we'll have a bigger team racing the criterium."
Wagga Cycling Club's Lexie Phillips came home seventh in the junior women's under-15 Victorian championship at Lexus Bay.
Stewart's younger sister Bronte will also compete in the junior women's criterium, time trial and road race in Ballarat
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