18-year-old Julian Baudry sweeps up U23 men’s Australian road race title with self-assured solo surge

Julian Baudry (Atom 6 Bikes – Decca) won the U23 men’s road race at the AusCycling Road National Championships in Perth on Saturday, taking victory on the new course through Kings Park and centre of the city which shattered the field.

The 18-year-old from the high country of Victoria flew solo from the leading group near the end of the second-last lap of a 136km race where repeated climbs, wind and heat all took their toll.

Baudry held firm, however, keeping an unrelenting pace through the final 10 km lap and winning the title 51 seconds ahead of his nearest rival. In the process, he announced his arrival among the most promising prospects in Australian cycling.