Worlds: Aussie hopes frustrated in a frantic Junior Men’s Road Race, Oscar Chamberlain finishes 10th

Oscar Chamberlain has finished 10th for the ARA Australian Cycling Team in a crash-strewn junior men’s road race world championship.

The nine-lap, 127-kilometre race around a technical Glasgow circuit was always going to be a nervous affair.

The peloton was strung out in single file for much of the opening lap, and Victorian Cohen Jessen found himself caught behind an early split caused in part by multiple crashes, and in part by the ferocious pace.

There were several short-lived breakaway attempts, and Chamberlain himself at one point tried to form a countermove, but to no avail.

The Canberran was also forced to burn a match with 80km remaining when he stopped to fix a dropped chain. Eventually, a strong breakaway escaped, and that would turn out to be the race-winning move.

“I think in those moments it's important to not stress too much, and I tried to keep my cool, tried to fix it. I knew the car was pretty far back, so I did it myself,” Chamberlain said.

“Obviously, positioning was important and when I dropped my chain, it sort of messed that up. I went myself at one point, which wasn't really ideal because straight after I got caught was when the main guys got off the front,” Chamberlain added.

“The break was filled with the main favourites and the main countries. So, I guess the ones that didn't make it into the break were trying in the peloton. But yeah, the breakaway was too strong, and the peloton wasn't working maybe as well as they could have, and they stayed away.”

Josh Cranage began to pull at the head of the bunch, but without the right cooperation, the gap ballooned out on the final lap and there was no catching the escapees.

At the head of the field, Danish rider Albert Philipsen soloed away to claim the world title, while Chamberlain sprinted for what was left in the bunch behind.

William Holmes also finished with the main bunch, coming home in 17th place.

Results – Men Junior Road Race

1. Albert Philipsen (DEN) 3:06:26
2. Paul Fietzke (GER) +1:19
3. Felix Orn-Kristoff (NOR) +1:19
10. Oscar Chamberlain (AUS) +3:01
17. William Holmes (AUS) +3:01
65. Josh Cranage (AUS) +3:01
DNF. Cohen Jessen (AUS)

For more coverage of the ARA Australian Cycling Team at the UCI Cycling World Championships, visit our Glasgow 2023 Hub.

Photos: Zac Williams / Pauline Ballet / SWpix.com