Claudia Marcks powers to Austral Wheelrace victory

Claudia Marcks has become the 13th woman to join the Austral Wheelrace honour roll following a powerful surge to the finish at Darebin International Sports Centre (DISC) in Melbourne.

The Canberra Cycling Club product, who was given an 80-metre handicap, found herself in a stacked 60m to 125m range that contained 13 of the 20 qualifiers for the Austral Wheelrace final.

The 21-year-old rolled to the front of a group containing every starter minus scratch markers Maeve Plouffe (Port Adelaide Cycling Club) and Tsuyaka Uchino (Japan) with 300m remaining.

From there, the ACT Academy of Sport rider strongly held her effort to the line ahead of Liliya Tatarinoff (Central Coast Cycling Club) in second and Keely Bennett (Brunswick Cycling Club) in third.

"It’s exciting to have the opportunity to compete in one of the oldest cycling events in the world," Marcks said.

"Last year I didn’t even make the final, so to turn around and win it this year is something special.

"Going into the final, my main goal was to get to the front group as soon as possible and then navigate from there. I was able to follow wheels and be in the prime spot to hold the front with just over a lap to go."

How the Quest Ivanhoe 15th Women's Austral Wheelrace unfolded

The large contingent of middle and limit handicap riders worked together to keep scratch starters Plouffe and Uchino out of the race, with the pair never bridging the gap to the main group.

All 18 riders not off scratch came together two laps into the six-lap, 1500m race.

Back-to-back and reigning junior scratch race world champion Nicole Duncan from Central Coast Cycling Club (90m) drove the pace first for an entire lap.

Lauren Perry from Launceston City Cycle Club (80m) picked up from where Duncan left off and repeated the all-in effort for the next lap.

Behind the Tasmanian was Marcks, who upped the ante as the lined out group of riders rocketed into the finishing straight as final lap bell rang.

2024 National Road Series winner Bennett (120m) was in her wheel but couldn't match the power of the Canberran.

A last-lap attack from Tatarinoff (100m), who was sixth in the line when she made her move, looked threatening for Marcks but the rising sprinter only had enough track left to reach second.

Marcks' winning time of 1:37.84 emphasises the cohesive, consistent and rapid pace of the 2024 women's Austral when compared to the time of 2023 winner Georgia Baker, who stopped the clock at 1:54.52.

Claudia Marcks is the 13th woman on the Austral Wheelrace honour roll. Picture: Con Chronis

Other winners on a jam-packed Saturday schedule included Japanese visitors Minato Nakaishi and Haruka Nakazawa in the UCI C1 keirins, while South Korean Taeho Choi and Queenslander Emma Stevens won the junior UCI keirins.

The Junior Austral Wheelraces, proudly supported by the Maillot Jaune Club, were won by Balmoral Cycling Club's Isabella Potts off 40m and Alpine Cycling Club's Lachlan Stewart off scratch.

Feature picture: Con Chronis