Our champion
Drouin has a new national champion after cyclist Cyrus Monk pulled off a daring solo move to win the Australian under 23 road race on Saturday.
Cyrus, who recently turned 21, thrilled his family and local cyclists who travelled to Buninyong near Ballarat to cheer him across the finish line.
Racing for the green and yellow national jersey against the best young cyclists in Australia, he broke away with two-and-a-half laps to go of the 92.8km race.
Cyrus said it was hard to believe he had beaten such an accomplished field.
“It was a pretty amazing feeling to be up there. It was difficult to envisage I could beat so many quality riders.”
With the race shortened by four laps due to the hot conditions and fire danger, Cyrus gained added support during each hill climb by a group of “sneaky Warragul spectators” who defied a ban on roadside supporters.
“I definitely needed the support,” said Cyrus. “Most of them (on the hill) were cheering for me. It was really great having that many people from Warragul.”
He also had his parents, grandfather and other family as well as Warragul Cycling Club members cheering at the finish line.
“It was very nerve-racking,” said his proud dad Rob Monk. “We got time gaps every now and again. A very long day.”
After an eighth place in last year’s race, Cyrus stayed with the peloton instead of joining the early breakaway as in previous years.
With two-and-a-half laps to go, he made a move off the front to catch the breakaway before making a daring solo dash to the line. His plan worked, completing the final lap out on his own as the pack failed to chase him down.
He finished 26 seconds ahead of the runnerup.
“It was a pretty amazing feeling to be up there. It was difficult to envisage I could beat so many quality riders.”
As Cyrus drew his 20-second lead out to 30 seconds and then 40 seconds on the last lap, Rob thought “he couldn’t lose now”. “And then he came back into sight,” he said. Prior to his national championship win, Cyrus proved his “all-rounder” skills on Thursday, finishing fourth and just 2.5 seconds off a bronze medal in the Australian under 23 time trial race.
The disappointment provided real motivation during Saturday’s race.
“It was annoying being that close. The last lap, I was thinking about that and how I didn’t want it to happen again.”
A lot of hard work has gone into Cyrus becoming national champion.
He rides 20 to 30 hours per week and has completed two stints in Europe.
Preparing for the race, Cyrus spent a number of days riding around Baw Baw Shire, using his knowledge of local primary school locations for drink breaks.
He said a loop at Noojee was similar to the Buninyong circuit.
Cyrus also joined a bunch ride from Warragul in the lead-up.
Granted a coveted stagiaire position with World Tour team Cannondale-Drypac Pro Cycling in mid-2017, Cyrus is aiming for a professional contact in Europe this year.
After living in Spain and Italy and riding in professional races in Belgium, Japan and New Zealand, Cyrus returned to Australia in October. His highlight in Europe was a top 10 finish in a big one-day race in Belgium.
He will further showcase his talent in the Herald Sun Tour starting in late January, with hopes of gaining a start in next week’s Tour Down Under.
“I’m really hoping I do get the spot,” said Cyrus. “There’s selection issues Cycling Australia is working through. It’s only available to professional riders but I’m really hoping I will get an exemption from that ruling.”
Cyrus said it was his dad who inspired him to jump on a bike with Warragul Cycling Club.
“He would take me along to a few races. It was always just a weekend thing to do cycling after footy on a Saturday.”
Beginning at the Warragul Velodrome before getting his first road bike and joining the “old blokes in D grade”, Cyrus simply aimed to keep up on the first lap.
Half-way through year 12, he made the difficult decision to give up footy and cricket to focus on cycling.
“I just enjoyed the fact that the more you train, the better you get essentially. I really just enjoy going out and riding. I don’t really see it as a job or a chore.”
Cyrus is combining cycling with a Batchelor of Science degree at The University of Melbourne. He is just two subjects away from completing his degree. The former Drouin Secondary College student aims to pursue a career as a coach or physiology researcher.