DYLAN Sunderland has grown up in a hurry. The 19-year-old Inverell cyclist riding with AMR Renault Racing stepped up to the under 23 category on January 1 and straight into some fierce competition.
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Sunderland tackled the gruelling Mitchelton Bay Criteriums in Geelong, VIC before taking on the Road Nationals at Ballarat.
In race three of the ‘Bay Crits’, Sunderland finished 25 seconds off the leader, placing him 22nd. Not a shabby effort when the man to beat was Orica/Green Edge rider Caleb Ewan Sunderland described as a freak, he is that good. Ewan at only 20 has already gone pro and was edged out into second place by Inverell son Heinrich Haussler for the Elite Men’s Road National titles.
It was seen as the training ground for the nationals, and Sunderland took ninth place in the 33km criterium and placed #33 out of a field of 128 starters in the 132.6 road race for the under 23s.
Sunderland took it to Toowoomba for the Zarraffas Oceania Road Cycling Championships on February 13-15, and faced the national players again. He placed 12th in the time trial. Then the under 23 and elite rode together for the 142km road race, and Sunderland shone, finishing 6th for the under 23s, and 19th overall in a field of 107 riders.
Sunderland was honest about climbing the ladder.
“It’s been a big step up from under 19s, being a dominant national rider to stepping up and versing guys, 21, 22-years-old there’s so much more strength, and you’re versing world-class riders,” he said, and added that every step is an education.
“Just taking in the positive, learning from everything, learning from what I’ve done wrong. Just build on what I’ve got.”
Sunderland is entered in the Orica Kermise at Newcastle on March 15, then heads to SA for the National Road Series Jayco Adelaide Tour in the second week of April.
