O'Grady yearns for second Buninyong gold

Stuart O’Grady, arguably Australia’s best ever all-round cyclist, still hungers for a second victory in the blue riband elite men’s road race and he hopes to achieve that at the MARS Cycling Australia Road National Championships next month in Ballarat.

The 38-year-old war horse is training up to five hours daily in the renowned Willunga Hill area, about 20kms south of Adelaide, in preparation for his assault on Mt. Buninyong in the 163km race on Sunday, 8 January.

A 160-strong field will climb the mountain 16 times on the spectacular 10.2km circuit, a course that O’Grady knows well, having narrowly defeated Queenslander Allan Davis to win his first national road title in 2003.

“It would be a bloody proud moment to wear the green and gold colours again,” O’Grady said. “It’s been a long time since I had the honour of wearing the Australian jersey in the big European races and I’m sure I would do it justice again.

“It was a really special victory for me when I won the title in 2003.”

The remarkable O’Grady, who has twice worn the Tour de France leader’s jersey for a total of eight days – in 1998 and 2001 – boasts a winning record on track and road that would be beyond the wildest dreams of most cyclists.

On the track, he has won gold, silver and two bronze medals at the Olympic Games, four gold, two silver and a bronze at Commonwealth Games, and two gold and two bronze world championship medals.

His road triumphs are exceptional with the highlight being the 2007 Paris-Roubaix where he became the first Australian to win the historic classic. He has also won three stages of the Tour de France, a stage of the Tour of Spain and overall honours in the 1998 Tour of Britain, 2008 Jayco Herald Sun Tour and has twice caimed the Santos Tour Down Under crown in his home town of Adelaide.

O’Grady’s visits to Buninyong have been sparse since his 2003 triumph - a factor he attributes to lack of preparation

“I have not done it much because I have not had the form or injury-free lead-up to win it,” he said.

You have to have everything going well to win at Buninyong.

“Lately, I have been able to put in some really hard training. It’s probably cram training and I am feeling pretty good.”

O’Grady will go into the event as a member of Australia’s first ProTour registered team, GreenEDGE, and is naturally hopeful that if he cannot win, one of his team-mates can snare the green and gold jersey.

“At the end of the day, it will come down to who has got the best legs,” he said. “Drapac have had the numbers in the past (producing winners Darren Lapthorne in 2007 and Peter McDonald in 2009). Let’s see how we go.”

SBS will screen a three-hour live telecast of the men’s road race, starting at 2pm (AEST).

The six-day championships will run from 5 to 10 January.

Thursday, 5 January (Sturt Street, Ballarat CBD)

• 5.00pm - Under 23 men's criterium - 33 kms (30 laps)

• 6.15pm - Elite & under 23 women's criterium - 33 kms (30 laps)

• 7.30pm - Elite men's criterium - 44kms (40 laps)

Friday, 6 January - Rest Day

Saturday, 7 January (Buninyong)

• 9.30am - Under 23 men's road race– 122.4 kms

• 1.30pm - Elite & Under 23 women's road race – 102 kms

Sunday, 8 January (Buninyong)

• Midday - Elite men's road race– 163.2 kms

Monday, 9 January - Rest Day

Tuesday, 10 January (Learmonth)

• 10.00am - Men's under 23 time trial– 28 kms

• Midday - Elite & Under 23 women's time trial – 28 kms

• 2.00pm - Elite men's time trial - 39 kms

For more information about the championships go to www.cycleballarat.com.au

Media who wish to cover the event must obtain accreditation. To apply please complete the application on the Cycling Australia website.