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'I still can't believe it's real': Alli Anderson wins U23 time trial title by 1.8 seconds
Jan 9, 2025
Alli Anderson has won a surprise under-23 women's individual time trial national championship by a narrow margin of 1.82 seconds at the 2025 AusCycling Road National Championships in Perth.
The 21-year-old edged out 2023 junior individual time trial world champion and Lidl-Trek UCI WorldTour rider Felicity Wilson-Haffenden to don the national champion jersey.
Anderson stopped the clock at 40 minutes and 54.9 seconds on the three-lap, 28.8-kilometre course and posted the best time at both every intermediate time checks.
The win is a career-best road result for the South Australian, who was forced to take two months off cycling last year due to glandular fever.
"I still can't believe it's real. I've worked so hard for this and I just can't believe that I've pulled it off," Anderson said.
"I came in knowing I was in the best form of my life, and as long as I can execute a good ride, if someone beats me on the day, you can't control that. I didn't get beaten, so I'll take that.
"I've struggled with some health issues over the last 18 months, so I had a two-month break last year just to shut it down and sort everything out, because sometimes you have to choose your life over a bike race, sadly. I think it was a blessing in disguise.
"I wanted to come back really strong and show people that I'm still here, and I'm good enough to be here, so it's really satisfying to finally have something to be like, 'Yeah, I am the best.'"
Perth 19-year-old Sophia Sammons (Praties Cycling Team) completed the podium in third, 38 seconds behind Anderson.
Results
Under-23 Women Individual Time Trial
- Alli Anderson (Butterfields Ziptrak Racing/SASI) 40:54.90
- Felicity Wilson-Haffenden (Lidl-Trek) +1.82
- Sophia Sammons (Praties Cycling Team) +38.19
- Talia Appleton (Praties Cycling Team) +42.80
- Keira Will (Lidcombe Auburn CC/NSWIS) +1:09.15
- Mackenzie Coupland (Liv AlUla Jayco Women's Continental Team) +1:19.78
- Sophie Marr (Praties Cycling Team) +1:57.39
- Lilyth Jones (Bendigo and District CC/VIS) +2:47.83
- Haylee Fuller (Praties Cycling Team) +2:49.31
- Emma Ochoa (Praties Cycling Team) +3:50.99
Feature picture: Chris Auld/AusCycling