Title tough as Garfoot seeks gold
GOLD Coast cycling star Katrin Garfoot says the battle for Commonwealth Games positions will make it difficult to defend her national road title in Ballarat next month.
Garfoot, who will take a break from professional cycling after the Games in April, will ride with a Queensland Academy of Sport side at the national championships after walking away from her contract with Orica-Scott at the end of the European season.
But she will still attempt to defend her national road race and time trial crowns as she bids for a Games spot.
“Leading into Commonwealth Games, it will be big,” Garfoot said of Ballarat.
“It will be very hard this year to defend the road title because of this, riders want to qualify for the Games.
“I think that I will be well covered in the race and not being part of the Orica team in 2018 means I will have a few more high-quality opponents this year.”
Garfoot will not return to Europe to race next season, focusing instead on starting a family with husband Chris on the Gold Coast.
But after her medal-winning efforts in both the road race and time trial at the world championships in Norway, the 36-year-old will be among the gold-medal favourites in both disciplines on the Gold Coast.
BMC is the team to beat in the men’s race, with defending champion Miles Scotson, Richie Porte, Rohan Dennis and Simon Gerrans set to work together for the win.
“It will be nice to go into the road race with numbers,” Porte said.