The week of the National Championships concluded today with Bahrain Victorious celebrating a new road race national champion in Slovenia, as Roman Ermakov claimed a brilliant solo victory in Gaberje after 165 km, spending almost 100 kilometres alone off the front.
The 21-year-old takes over the Slovenian champion’s jersey from his teammate Jakob Omrzel, who finished second at 2’52”.
Roman Ermakov said:
“Honestly, it feels super strange. Obviously, we came here to win and keep the title within our brilliant team, and it didn’t matter which one of us won. Everyone was ready to give 100% to deliver that result. In the end, it came down to me, which feels a bit surreal because I went on my own with something like 100 kilometres to go, maybe even more.
I didn’t expect much from myself; I just wanted to create a good situation for us. With me ahead, Jakob, our leader, could just stay protected with the other guys while the chase happened behind me, and then make his move. But in the end, I made it all the way to the finish line. Even as the gap was growing, I didn’t truly believe it, to be honest. I didn’t want to ease up until the last 100 metres, and when the sports director called from the car telling me to just enjoy it, I still couldn’t believe it. It’s still hard to take in.”
Ermakov and Omrzel had already stood on the podium earlier in the week after finishing second and third respectively in the Slovenian time trial championship. On the 28.7 km course around Karteljevo, Primož Roglič (Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe) claimed the national title.
Bahrain Victorious also celebrated a new national champion against the clock, as Alec Segaert secured the Belgian time trial title. Due to the extreme heat, the race was shortened from two laps (41.4 km) to a single 20.7 km circuit around Etikhove.
Segaert stopped the clock in 24’56”, six seconds faster than Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), while teammate Vlad Van Mechelen completed a Bahrain Victorious double podium by taking third place, 14 seconds behind.
“I was very happy to finally have that good feeling back that I’d been looking for in a time trial. To deliver a performance like this at the National Championships couldn’t have come at a better time. I’m super happy to win my first elite title, and I’ll wear the Belgian jersey with pride.”
Further medals in the time trial came from Attila Valter, who claimed bronze in Hungary on Thursday over 38 km in Bocskaikert, and Rainer Kepplinger, who secured silver in Austria on Saturday on the 23.8 km course in Weißenbachtal.
Outstanding performances also came from the Bahrain Victorious Development Team. Seth Dunwoody was crowned Irish Elite Road Race Champion after winning a sprint in Cong ahead of defending champion Rory Townsend (Unibet Tietema Rockets) and Finn Crockett (VolkerWessels Cycling Team).
Although Townsend launched his sprint with 200 metres remaining, Dunwoody powered past him to secure the national title.
“It feels incredible. I’ve had a lot of close calls in big races this year, which has been tough, but to open my account at Nationals is incredible. Today was super tactical, but I kind of like that; it always makes for a good race. As for the tough conditions, I actually thrive in them.
I wasn’t expecting Rory to go so early and I had to dig really deep, but giving up wasn’t an option. It’s been a tough year. I lost my granny over Christmas, which was really hard. I wanted to win a big race for her. Then after second in Roubaix and Gent, and with Shane O’Brien’s passing during the Giro, which affected all of Irish cycling, I knew I was racing for more than just myself. I wanted to win it for everyone around me, all my family and everyone who has supported me.”
The Development Team also celebrated further podium finishes during the National Championships, with Babovich winning the Belarusian Road Race title, Mihajlo Stolić taking third in the Serbian time trial, and Dunwoody adding a bronze medal in the Irish U23 time trial.
