Sunderland is completing a two-week break from the saddle after clocking 28,000 kilometres on the bike this year, and placing fourth overall in the general classification (GC) in the crushing Tour of Tasmania over October 4-9, earning the Young Rider’s jersey.

Racing with State of Matter MAAP cycling team, Sunderland came in .57 behind the leader Ben Dyball, with a time of 9h,11:08 in the five-day tour. He is enjoying his role in the the team, and said the organisation and strategy are working well as they approach each tour.

“They went into the races looking for a good GC position with me, and hopefully a couple stage wins, and possible a sprinter’s jersey with one of our other riders in the team, our sprinter, and we’ve pretty much done what we wanted,” he said.

The Tassie test followed up Sunderland’s podium finish in the September 18-20 four-stage NRS National Capitol Tour at Canberra, where he came in GC with 4h,46:40 in a field of 118 riders, captured fifth in the mountain classification, with a notable second stage second place. “It probably helps having such a good team around you to guide you through it,” he said. “It’s a lot more comfortable than last year, doing it by myself.”

Sunderland rolled back onto Australian roads after riding overseas for three months for the Belgian Baguet MIBA Poorten cycling team. “Doing a lot of the UCI under 23s and the one-day classics on cobbles,” he said.

The events included the bone-rattling Paris-Roubaix, where Sunderland competed in the under 23 classification. “That was hard,” he grinned. “I just racked that one up to experience that day; a crash and a few crunches.”

They raced up to three times each week, and Sunderland came home with successes under his belt from highly competitive events. “I had a three week stint where I got five podiums,” he said.

He said he is maturing on the bike. “I’ve learnt a lot more tactically, with the racing, over the last couple of years, and learnt to be a lot more patient in the racing, instead of getting too excited too early,” he said. Sunderland next tackles the Noosa Criterium and then Nationals at Ballarat in January.