Luke Plapp and Grace Brown win Australian national time trial titles

Luke Plapp won the men's time trial at the Australian National Championships on Thursday, leading a clean sweep of the podium for his Jayco AlUla team, with Chris Harper and Michael Hepburn completing the podium.

Kelland O'Brien, also of Jayco AlUla, finished fourth.

In the women's time trial, Grace Brown (FDJ-SUEZ) was the fastest over the 28.6km course, winning by a margin of seven seconds over Brodie Chapman (Lidl-Trek). Georgie Howe (Liv AlUla Jayco) rounded out the podium, 36 seconds down on Brown.

• Full results for the women's elite time trial at Australian Nationals
• Full results for the men's elite time trial at Australian Nationals

Plapp was making his debut for the Australian WorldTour team having only left Ineos Grenadiers in the winter of 2023. This was his second national time trial title after winning the event in 2021, and he will target the double this weekend when he attempts to defend his road race title.

The 37.5km time trial didn't go exactly to plan for the 23-year-old, who was forced to change bikes during the opening lap due to a mechanical. He still managed to complete the course in a time of 46:19, with Harper finishing 33 seconds down on his teammate.

"This is special. I feel like I'm back home being in Jayco AlUla. I'm back in the green and gold stripes for the TT, and I've really missed these stripes since 2021. It's amazing to be back in them and the team has been amazing in the build-up to this race. To have all four of us as a top four is very, very exciting going into Sunday and hopefully the boys can pull off another win in the crit tomorrow night," Plapp said at the finish.

Brown's victory in the women's event was just as impressive but she was pushed all the way by Chapman, with the margin of victory keeping the race in balance right to the line. Brown's performance, however, netted her a third straight time trial title, and the fourth of her career so far.

Chapman, who was third in the trial trial in 2023, heads into the weekend looking to defend her road race crown.

“It’s always nerve-wracking coming and doing the time trial straight up, not really knowing exactly where my form sits compared to everyone else,” Brown said following her win.

“It was probably not my best time out on this course and it was quite tough, but I feel like I paced myself really well for where I’m at. I think Brodie was closing in on me on the second lap."

Sarah Gigante, riding her first race for AG Insurance-Soudal Team and having been highlighted as a pre-race favourite, saw her chances of victory end on the start ramp. The 23-year-old suffered a mechanical and was forced to swap out her time trial bike for her 2023 road machine. She finished over three minutes down on the winner, and in ninth place.

"Pretty heartbroken after an unlucky start line mechanical today, but I’m grateful for the support and proud of myself for my hard work (60 hours on the TT bike in 1 month!) and for still getting out there & racing on a road bike, even if I was 3 min down on worthy winner Grace!" Gigante posted on X.