On Sunday the U23 women will line up in the road race at the Federation University Australian Road National Championships scattered through a field of elite women, perhaps for the last time. As soon as 2025, the category could have a stand-alone race.
“We were one of the first countries to recognise the under 23 women, and have that as a podium – in the criterium, the time trial and the road race – and that's been the case for several years now,” AusCycling Executive General Manager-Sport, Kipp Kaufmann told Cyclingnews while at the Australian Road National Championships in Ballarat. “I think that was a good, proud starting point.”
It is, however, a journey that seems due for another step.
