{"id":539441,"date":"2026-03-14T06:55:19","date_gmt":"2026-03-14T06:55:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/539441\/"},"modified":"2026-03-14T06:55:19","modified_gmt":"2026-03-14T06:55:19","slug":"race-recap-grafton-to-inverell-cements-its-reputation-as-australias-toughest-one-day-classic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/539441\/","title":{"rendered":"Race recap: Grafton to Inverell cements its reputation as Australia’s toughest one-day classic"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Northern Rivers hosted two memorable editions of arguably Australia\u2019s toughest one-day classics today<\/a>, with riders tackling punishing conditions and long, selective courses in both the Men\u2019s Squadron Energy Grafton to Inverell and the Women\u2019s Kennards Hire Mt Mitchell to Inverell races.<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s \u2013 Squadron Energy Grafton to Inverell<\/p>\n

The 228-kilometre men\u2019s race, first held in 1961, lived up to its brutal reputation. Relentless attacks from the start shattered the field and sent the previous course record tumbling.<\/p>\n

Team Brennan_ were among the main instigators, repeatedly forcing the pace to thin the peloton and set up a more manageable finale.<\/p>\n

Defending champion Tristan Saunders (Team Brennan_) launched the longest move of the day, staying clear for roughly 40 kilometres from Glen Innes to Wire Gully before being brought back as the decisive phase of the race took shape. <\/p>\n

\"\"Photo by Con Chronis\/PSL<\/p>\n

While Brennan_ succeeded in breaking up the peloton, the aggressive tactics left them with fewer riders to contest the final kilometres.<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo by Con Chronis\/PSL<\/p>\n

By the time the race reached Elsmore with 15 kilometres remaining, attrition had reduced the group to the strongest climbers. Finlay Walsh (CCACHE x BODYWRAP) and Lindon Milostic (Team Rauland) emerged on the final climb, breaking clear together. <\/p>\n

Behind them, Levi Hone (Team Brennan_) and rising West Australian Jeremy Smith (Butterfields Ziptrak Racing) tried in vain to close the gap.<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo by Con Chronis\/PSL<\/p>\n

Walsh held his nerve in the sprint, taking a decisive victory ahead of Milostic, who matched his father Peter\u2019s best-ever result at Inverell. <\/p>\n

Smith outsprinted Hone for third, marking himself as one to watch after a stellar performance.<\/p>\n

\"\" Photo by Con Chronis\/PSL<\/p>\n

Men\u2019s Podium \u2013 Squadron Energy Grafton to Inverell
\ud83e\udd47 Finlay Walsh \u2013 CCACHE x BODYWRAP
\ud83e\udd48 Lindon Milostic \u2013 Team Rauland
\ud83e\udd49 Jeremy Smith \u2013 Butterfields Ziptrak Racing<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s \u2013 Kennards Hire Mt Mitchell to Inverell<\/p>\n

The women faced cold conditions, but the racing was just as fierce, with attacks coming from the very first kilometre as riders jostled for position in the early break. <\/p>\n

\"\"Photo: PSL<\/p>\n

By the time a breakaway formed with 100 kilometres remaining, New Zealand U23 time trial champion Kirsty Watts (Meridian Bikebug) had gone clear, just ahead of compatriot Maria Laurie, riding as an individual.<\/p>\n

Watts rode a masterful solo effort, steadily increasing her lead and at one point stretching it beyond seven minutes, averaging a remarkable 42 km\/h over the long journey to Inverell. Behind her, the peloton shifted focus to contesting the remaining podium positions. <\/p>\n

A trio including League leader Sophia Sammons (Team Redcat), Belinda Bailey (NSTRMO x Attaquer x CCACHE), and Keely Bennett (Butterfields Ziptrak Racing) broke away to fight for third.<\/p>\n

Watts held on to claim a memorable victory after more than 100 kilometres alone at the front. Laurie secured second, while Bennett won the sprint from the chasing trio to complete the podium.<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo: PSL<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s Podium \u2013 Kennards Hire Mt Mitchell to Inverell
\ud83e\udd47 Kirsty Watts \u2013 Meridian Bikebug
\ud83e\udd48 Maria Laurie \u2013 Canterbury Track Cycling
\ud83e\udd49 Keely Bennett \u2013 Butterfields Ziptrak Racing<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Northern Rivers hosted two memorable editions of arguably Australia\u2019s toughest one-day classics today, with riders tackling punishing…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":539442,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[64,63,44],"class_list":["post-539441","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-australia","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/539441","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=539441"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/539441\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/539442"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=539441"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=539441"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=539441"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}