A 290-kilometre charity ride has provided south-west cycling product Jack Aitken an invaluable training opportunity as he chases victory in the 104th Melbourne to Warrnambool Cycling Classic.
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The 24-year-old former Hamilton resident, who now lives in Melbourne and is studying to be an osteopath, was part of the Warrnambool to Melbourne ride for charity group Big Life with his father and Hampden league Maskell medalist Wayne.
Aitken took on the former route of the iconic race and said it provided a good chance to get miles in the legs ahead of the 267-kilometre task he will look to complete with an overall victory on February 15.
"It gave me time on the bike as I normally don't do rides over 5 hours during training so it was a bit out of the blue to have that much time on the bike," he said.
"It normally takes around five to six hours to complete the Melbourne to Warrnambool and that's a lot of time to spend racing on the bike."
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The breakaway specialist, who recently secured a third-place finish on stage one of the National Road Series' Tour of Tasmania, is hoping his second attempt at the 'Warrny' will see him hit the podium.
"Last year I had a bit of a hard run breaking my collarbone in December and August didn't have much training," the Pedlar team rider said.
"This year I have been able to do a lot more and the last NRS tour I got a podium so I want to do a bit better than that this time.
"I'll be looking for the breakaway to form again and hoping it stays away."
In the 2019 edition of Australia's oldest one-day classic, Aitken joined a 13-rider breakaway at the 70-kilometre mark and went on to finish 13th - 19 seconds behind eventual winner Nick White.
Aitken, who is also taking on the new elite men's criterium on the Sunday, is hoping the weather will again favour the opportunists in the peloton looking to split the field up.
"A cross-wind helps split it up and I am not much of a sprinter so it's easier to get in a breakaway and the easier it is to get through to the end the better," he said.
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Sean Hardeman
I'm a sports journalist for the Warrnambool Standard who covers a number of different sports across the south-west of Victoria. I enjoy watching cycling, surfing, football, soccer and Formula 1.
I'm a sports journalist for the Warrnambool Standard who covers a number of different sports across the south-west of Victoria. I enjoy watching cycling, surfing, football, soccer and Formula 1.
