National Road Championships: Luke Deasey wins sprinters jersey in under-19s road race

Following a string of impressive performances, he leaves Ballarat having established himself as one of the best young riders in the country.

After finishing 10^th in the time trial, the Tamworth teenager won bronze in the criterium before backing up on Saturday in the under-19 road race, to win the sprint classification and place third in the King of the Mountain en route to a top 25 finish.

He crossed in 24^th, 7.51 minutes behind winner, and criterium champion, Declan Trezise.

Before the event Deasey said he felt like he had done everything he could to do his best, and while pretty sore and tired after a gruelling couple of days when he spoke to the Leader he was happy.

"I can leave knowing that it's been a good week of racing and I've got some good results," Deasey said.

He believes it has set him up well for the rest of the year.

"I feel like I've got some pretty good form," he said.

"I feel like this could be a pretty good year. I'm looking forward to seeing where it could go."

Knowing the course wasn't really suited to his strengths, Deasey had no expectations going into Saturday's road race. He was just looking to perform his role for his Rauland Development Team.

That was to ensure if there were any breakaways the team had someone in it.

He ended up having to jump on an attack pretty early, and was part of a three-man breakaway for much of the race.

They were eventually caught with around two of the nine laps remaining.

Pretty "cooked" by then, Deasey tried to stick with them but then "blew out".

The notoriously tough course claimed plenty of victims with 46 of the 86 starters abandoning the race, and he had to summon all of his will and determination not to over the closing stages.

He said he was "on empty" by the time he crossed the line but he finished which was his main goal.

"I just wanted to finish," he said.

"I finished last year and I knew I was fitter than last year."

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He won both sprints to claim the green jersey.

"The first one they gave it to me," he said.

"I had to sprint for the second one."

In the KOM he was second the first lap that points were awarded, then third, second and second.

Coach Sam Spokes said the fact that he did so well when it's wasn't the most suitable course for him shows how well Deasey is going.

"It's nice to see him getting the reward for all the hard work," he said.

As for what's next on the radar, Deasey isn't sure yet.

Spokes floated the Oceania Championships in Tasmania in a couple of months.

It's all though really about getting more experience.

"It is quite hard because the biggest race is the first race of the year," Spokes said.

"Hopefully he can get a bit of NRS (National Road Series) experience, and continue developing."

Deasey's Tamworth Cycle Club team-mate Steven Roberts was unfortunately forced to abandon his under-23s race, as was Armidale's Michael Harris.

The final day of the championships will see the elite men and women in action. Tamworth's Pip Ash will contest the women's race while Armidale's Sam Jenner and Inverell's Dylan Sunderland will race in the men's.