PORT Macquarie cyclist Liam Magennis is in the middle of a golden period in the saddle which has culminated in a grand slam of the sport.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Magennis bagged another two state titles on the weekend. Now he’s got all four covered in the under-19s.
Magennis is the state champion in the road race, time trial, criterium and hillclimb.
The latest triumphs were over the weekend at Akuna Bay on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, where Magennis won the individual time trial and the road race in greasy conditions.
“It was wet for both of them,” he said. “It made the bike skills a pretty big factor.”
Magennis was thankful he’d done plenty of riding in the rain on the Mid-North Coast.
“You’ve got to train in the wet,” he said.
He won the time trial on the Saturday before backing up for the road race on the Sunday.
The 19km time trial course was tough.
“It was pretty hilly for a time trial,” Magennis said.
His winning time was 27 minutes, 58.37 seconds. It was an incredible 39 seconds faster than Armidale’s Sam Jenner.
The winning margin in the road race was a lot slimmer.
Magennis won the race in 2:08.49, by just .01 of a second.
The hillclimb was at Bathurst and the crit win came at Heffron Park in Sydney.
Magennis was thrilled to be the state champion in all four disciplines, and he will soon chase more success.
“It’s pretty good motivation for nationals,” he said.
They are set down for six weeks’ time, at the end of June.
A spot in the Australian team could soon beckon after that. Should he be picked, it would be a fantastic reward for Magennis, who trains seven days per week in b etween Higher School Certificate commitments.
He rides anywhere from 40 kilometres to 80km before school every morning.
NSW coach Kevin Poulton has set out a gruelling training regime which could involve the hills west of Port Macquarie or the flat riding along Cathie Straight.
It’s a lonely sport.
“Especially because it’s not a popular sport up here,” Magennis said.
“In Victoria, they all do it as school sport. It’s a bit more popular down there.”
Port Cycle Club president Kevin Fletcher put the success of the up and comers down to some good programs developed by riders in town.
Graham Seers, who has been involved since the club was founded in 1988, and Dave Morton, have been instrumental in the development of young talent.
The Real Aussie Kids program was down to them.
The likes of Lauren Kitchen, Morton’s sons Lachlan and Angus and Kevin Hawes have come through that program.
“We’ve had kids represent Australia at the Tour of New Caledonia and events like that, who have all come through that program,” Fletcher said.
