Riders put in solid effort despite missing out on medals

Albany’s best young riders faced tough competition at the Cycling Australia Junior Road National Championships in Bunbury last weekend missing out on claiming medals.

Albany Cycle Club members Emily and Danica Wiggins, Jessica Waldron and Riley Heslop took on the best riders in the country, but could not find the edge to reach the podium despite some impressive individual results.

Competing in the under-17 junior women, Danica Wiggins rode a personal best in the time trial to finish sixth and was only a handful of seconds from the podium.

She produced a top 10 finish in the criterium and 12th in the road race.

Also riding in the same division, Jessica Waldron produced solid efforts in the time trial (12th) and road race (19th).

Racing in the under-17 junior men, Riley Heslop was WA’s best rider in the criterium, finishing 18th, and finished 26th in the road race after working his way to the front group and a position to win.

Emily Wiggins narrowly missed out on medals in the time trial and criterium, finishing fourth in both events and also reached the front group in the road race.

Despite not returning with any medals, coach Stuart Passmore said Albany’s riders performed well but faced a high standard of national competition.

“The reality of the national level racing is that we need to continue to look for improvement, to make the grade for medal contention on a consistent basis,” he said.

“There is no doubt that we have some of the best riders in the State here.

“The jump to the national level is a real challenge for us all.”