2023 Devil Cardigan
Race Recap

Congratulations to our 2023 AusCycling Gravel National Champions

Connor Sens and Justine Barrow

Our freshly crowned Australian Champions had one hell of a race around the hills of North East Tasmania.

The Elite Mens and womens field was packed with talent from all across Australia, as well as a few international riders that fancied a dance with the Devil in Derby. It was a ride of attrition across the first half of the course. Straight into the first KOM climb, the field ascended out of the morning fog and into Mutual Valley as the day's first sun sparkled through the forest. If they were looking for a sign of an easy day, that wasn’t it.

The Dead Horse Hill Road descent into Ringarooma, an active logging road, was our fields first taste of the rough stuff. Thankfully, the log trucks working the area had packed down and cleared out a lot of loose rough blue metal stones. That said there was still plenty laying about to puncture on and the first mechanicals of the day began to influence the field.

Justine Barrow, Cassia Boglio, Courtney Sherwel, and Peta Mullens started the second QOM climb up to Ralph Falls together but soon stretched out with Justine leading the way. Justine would maintain her lead over the top and down towards our Portal to hell. The descent from Ralph Falls to the Portal favors those comfortable on rougher terrain, which saw Peta catch and pass Cassia and Coutrney having trailed them in fourth place by the end of the second classified climb.

Justine would start the third QOM climb up to Mount Albert road with Peta barely minutes behind, Peta would shadow Justine all the way into the Ringarooma valley where Justine was caught by her teammate. Then it all came down to the final little pinch, Ruby Flats road, nothing flat about it and not helped by the 50mls of rain that fell prior to race day. It was enough though for Justine to keep traction and climb away from Peta, creating and holding that gap the remaining 5kms to the finish line in Branxholm. Peta Mullens taking second behind and Cassia Boglio taking third after a long running battle with Courtney Sherwell. 8 minutes and 19 seconds separated first to fourth. If you know anything about the Devils Cardigan course, a course that plays into the strength and weakness of all, our elite female race was one epic battle.

The men's field approached the ralph falls climb a dozenish deep and over the 8kms of climbing as the hammer was put down the field began to spread out with scorching tempo being laid down at the front. Inaugural Champion Nathan Earle was dropping watt bombs all over the climb until disaster struck and a front flat prior to the portal changed his plans for the day. His mechanical was not the first at the pointy end, the pace of the Men’s field on the back road descent from Ralph falls to the Portal had caught out many. Now pockets of powerful riders were working hard to hunt the lead group down as they started the final KOM climb of the day.

It was here where Connor Sens and local rider Alex Lack had established a gap from the rest across the false flat plateau that is Mount Albert Road. Sensing Alex was having a moment, he attacked prior to the final aid station and pushed hard. The same song was blasting as they passed by the final Aid station separately and despite Alex’s best efforts (holding 40+km/h solo prior to the descent into Ringarooma) Connor defended the gap he had established and did not let off until he crossed the finish line in Branxholm 3 minutes and 7 seconds ahead of Alex Lack in Second.  Hobartian Scott Bowden won the sprint for third 4 minutes and 31 seconds behind Connor.

Two incredible battles between the Elite Men and Females field everything was left out on course.