Watch all the action from the 2023 Federation University Road National Championships on SBS and SBS On Demand.
It has been a few years since either of two of the highest-profile Australian cyclists have lined up at the Australian National road championships, but 2023 will see both Caleb Ewan and Michael Matthews return to Ballarat.
Ewan, a three-time national champion in the criterium, having won in 2016, 2017 and 2018, will compete in the road race around the Mt Buninyong course as well as the street circuit event in the centre of Ballarat.
The Tour de France and Giro d'Italia stage winner is back in Australia coming off a tough 2022 season where he had eight wins - but none in the grand tours. He has been competing in local Sydney criteriums and showing himself around the local cycling scene to the delight of local punters.
The 28-year-old sprinter crashed during the Giro and also required shoulder surgery to remove a surgical plate from his collarbone immediately after the 2022 Tour, which meant he had to withdraw from the Commonwealth Games road race team.
Ewan then was then omitted from the Australian team for the Wollongong world road championships, where Matthews took team leaderships and won bronze.
Ewan will also compete in the Elite Men’s Criterium on January 6, and both his teammates have entered the race. The diminutive sprinter is a triple national champion in the criterium, having won in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
For Matthews, it has been even longer away from the fight for the green and gold bands, it will be his first Road Nationals appearance since 2014. Matthews has been one of the most-decorated Australian cyclists of his generation, but hasn’t won a national title at any level.
Reigning elite champions Grace Brown, Luke Plapp, Nicole Frain and Ruby Roseman-Gannon will be present, while last year's Under 23 champions Blake Quick, Alyssa Polites and Graeme Frislie complete an impressive lineup of talent in the peloton for the 2023 Road National Championships.
Tour de France stage winner Ben O’Connor, three-time national road race champion Amanda Spratt, and dual Vuelta stage winner Jay Vine are all confirmed starters for the road race.
The talent-packed field will also feature Simon Clarke, who won the Roubaix stage at this year’s Tour de France; Georgia Baker, the current Commonwealth Games road race champion; and past elite champions Luke Durbridge, Peta Mullens and Sarah Roy, who conquered Buninyong in 2013, 2015 and 2021 respectively.
Other top female pros who will be in action are Brodie Chapman, Lauretta Hanson (both Trek-Segafredo), Alexandra Manly, Georgia Howe, Jessica Allen (all BikeExchange-Jayco), and Rachel Neylan (Cofidis).
The men’s peloton will include WorldTour riders Kelland O’Brien, Rudy Porter, Lucas Hamilton, Michael Hepburn, Blake Quick, Callum Scotson, Chris Harper (all BikeExchange-Jayco), Harry Sweeny, Jarrad Drizners (both Lotto Dstiny), and Chris Hamilton (Team DSM).
Australian Road National Championships - January 6-10 on SBS and SBS On Demand
Friday, January 6 - National Criterium Championships
Elite/U23 Women's and Elite Men's
16.50 - 19.40 AEDT on SBS On Demand
Other criterium events to appear as highlights on the SBS Sport website.
Saturday, January 7 - Road Races
U23 Men's Road Race
14.30-17.00AEDT on SBS On Demand
Other road race events to appear as highlights on the SBS Sport website.
Sunday, January 8 - Elite Road Races
Elite Women's Road Race
10.30 - 13.00 AEDT on SBS and SBS On Demand
National Championships Studio Show
12.30 - 13.30 AEDT on SBS and SBS On Demand
Elite Men's Road Race
13.30 - 18.00 AEDT on SBS and SBS On Demand
Monday, January 9 - Time Trials
U19 Women's, Men's and Club Team Time Trials
Time trial events to appear as highlights on the SBS Sport website.
Tuesday, January 9 - Time Trials
Para-cycling, Masters, U23, Elites Women's and Men's Time Trials
Time trial events to appear as highlights on the SBS Sport website.
