MOUNTAIN biker Brendan Johnston continues to carve up the elite Australian competition.
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The 23-year-old former Moruya resident pulled away on the final lap of the 90km Australian Cross Country Marathon Championship to win the elite men’s category at Derby, Tasmania, on Sunday.
The coveted champion’s jersey now takes pride of place on Brendan’s mantelpiece - a pride shared by all Eurobodalla Cyclists Club members.
Johnston and Mike Tupalski, of Canberra, led after one lap, and rode neck-and-neck for two laps of the three-lap event.
They established a 30-second lead over reigning champion Andy Blair and held it over all pursuers.
Descending fast on the final lap, Johnston had the greatest win of his career.
Tupalski and Blair rounded out the podium.
He completed the exhausting race in four hours, 43 minutes and 53.7 seconds; one minute and 40 seconds ahead of Tupalski.
Johnston said about 80mm of rain fell the week before, which affected track conditions.
“It was damp and hard-going,” Johnston said.
“It wasn’t an easy 90 kilometres. A 90-kilometre race can be finished in less than four hours, but this was pretty long.”
Johnston works full-time as an electrician; a factor many in his elite competition aren’t affected by.
“It’s been starting to get a bit harder with the cold mornings here,” he said.
“I’ve been putting in a huge effort to stay fit and really peak for that event.
“I’m certainly pretty busy; early mornings and big days are tough, but winning on the weekend was good for me. I was really happy.”
Johnston now begins a two-week rest and he will leave the bike locked up.
Afterwards, he will begin an eight-week training block, before he travels overseas at the end of July to compete in World Cup races.
“It’s all in the name of getting international points to start off the Olympic campaign,” he said.
Former Eurobodalla Cyclist Club president Timo Savimaki said there was much more to the champion’s rise.
“Just five years ago, he suffered the same cancer as Lance Armstrong,” Savimaki said.
“Through club contacts, Brendan met Armstrong and the cream of world professional cyclists at the Tour Down Under in Adelaide.
In the middle of serious operations and a gruelling treatment regime, Armstrong’s ten minute chat was a much needed boost.
Savimaki said he could see Johnston’s morale had been boosted.
“The next day he took the first tentative pedal strokes that led to a long and eventually full recovery of his health and athleticism,” he said.
Savimaki said the club’s members knew he was good, but were pleased to know he is the best marathon mountain biker in Australia.
“His quiet demeanour hides a steely resolve,” Savimaki said.
“Armstrong’s fall from grace is complete.
“Brendan’s standing couldn’t be higher.”