Tomic Earns Podium at Bay Crits Classic

Triple world junior champion Josie Tomic has finished in second place in the Jayco Cycling Bay Criterium series this week, confirming her status as one of the future stars of Australian cycling.

The WAIS athlete produced a top class week of racing in Portarlington, Victoria to more than match it against a quality selection of professional riders, claiming a stage win on the first day of competition to set up her race assault.

Racing in the Plan B colours, Tomic earned 39 points over the five criterium stages, finishing 13 points shy of general classification champion Kirsty Broun (52).

The final stage proved an eventful finale with Broun twice involved in crashes on the tight corner near the home straight, leaving the three-time Australian champion bloodied and missing skin on her side. Under event regulations, Broun was permitted to miss two laps to recover.

Tomic will have no time to celebrate the result however, with the national open road championships beginning in Ballarat, Victoria today where Tomic will compete in the under-23 classification.

WAIS Head Cycling Coach Darryl Benson was impressed by Tomic’s performance and road awareness to avoid trouble on a difficult circuit.

“Josie’s second place on gc (general classification) at the bay crits was a top effort,” said Benson. “She avoided all the crashes and received great support from the Plan B girls, which includes fellow WAIS athletes Sarah Kent and Mel Hoskins.”

WAIS athletes have also produced some impressive results at the men’s under-23 time trials in Buninyong, Victoria this morning with Travis Meyer claiming second place behind Beijing Olympian Jack Bobridge (South Australia). ACT cyclist Michael Matthews rounded out the places in third, whilst Ben King (WAIS) had a good ride in sixth position.