Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
THE family and friends of Bendigo cycling star Chris Hamilton were cheering on their hometown hero at the finish line of the Jayco Herald Sun Tour.
The 146.2km first stage saw of Australia’s elite cyclists take to the roads from Macedon through to the heart of Bendigo.
Hamilton finished the race in an impressive 16th position.
Parents Leanne and Keith Hamilton say it was a proud feeling to see their son do well in Bendigo.
“It was very exciting to see him riding in his hometown,” she said.
“He has a lot of support here.”
Leanne admits she often gets too nervous to watch the dying stages of a race.
“I get nervous, especially when he is doing well,” she said after Thursday’s race.
“He is doing really well for his age, so who knows where it will lead him.”
Chris said Bendigo was a proud cycling city and that he enjoyed racing on the streets he grew up riding on.
“There are quite a few riders here from Bendigo and surrounding areas and a lot of other riders come here to train, so to see so many people come down and support everyone is good,” he said.
“It was awesome to finish in my hometown and even better that I was in the lead bunch.”
Chris said he hoped his form in the Bendigo leg of the race would continue throughout the rest of the Tour.
"I want to see if I can try and get into the young riders journey, I don’t think I am that far off getting it," he said.
"I also want to try and hold on to a spot in the top 20 general classification."
Stage two of the race will begin in Bendigo at the Tom Flood Sports Center on Friday.
