Gigante wins National Race Series time trial

After 266 days of no outdoor racing, Sarah Gigante is back in action. The Australian time trial national champion claimed the opening TT at the National Road Series, a nine-day event in New South Wales.

"I can't even express how excited I am to race on the road again," Gigante said. "Despite the lack of racing for me this year, I have been kept motivated by the team's successes in Europe in the second half of the season, and I also set lots of goals with my coach, Dylan Lindsey."

Sporting her Voler national champion skinsuit for the first time, Gigante clocked 21:26 on the 15km course, taking the win by 38 seconds on her Cannondale SuperSix EVO road bike (time trial bikes aren't allowed at the National Race Series).

Despite Covid-19 restrictions wreaking havoc on her race season, Gigante remained motivated, and trained mostly on her indoor trainer. "Quite a few riders here are in the same boat as I am and haven't raced for many months, so we have a strong field lined up, filled with very eager riders," Gigante said. "As a pro, I'm not allowed to join a team for the series, so I'll be racing on my own throughout the tour. I am looking forward to the challenge, though. There is even a TTT on the second last day, with teams of five riders, and it looks like I'll be allowed to do it on my own as an ITT - I wonder how that will go."

The National Road Series consists of five road races, an individual time trial, team team trial, and two criteriums.