The 21-year-old completed the six-lap course on March 19 in 1:11:26 to finish seven seconds ahead of Perth rider Reece Tucknot, with Hobart's Ben Bradley more than three minutes behind in third.

The race was held in Canunga, Queensland, as part of the Australian Mountain Bike Championships.

Nankervis' win will allow him to wear the green and gold when he competes in Australia and Europe.

The Bendigo rider, who has competed at the national championships each year since he was 15, said he was relieved to finally snare a championship win.

"It's the biggest race of the year and it's the first time I've won, which is exciting," he said.

"I'm glad I've finally got one.

"I was second last year and have been second in under-19s before.

"I think I've stood in every spot on the podium, except the top one until last Sunday."

His time would have placed the Bendigo third in the elite men's category.

Nankervis entered the championships in top form after winning 100km Otway Odyssey marathon and 97-kilometre Great Otway Gravel Grind in successive days last month.

He will now focus on a busy racing schedule in Europe before competing at the World Championships in Cairns in September.

Nankervis last year finished 12th at the XCO Under-23 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup event in Cairns, on the same course the world championships will be run on.

"This will be my third world championships," he said.

"Last year in the Czech Republic I had a mechanical problem - I broke a back wheel which put me out of the race.

"Two years before that in the juniors I finished 40th.

"This year with a home world champs, I'm hoping to do better."

Nankervis was not the only Bendigo rider competing at the national championships.

His brother Russell finished seventh in the elite men's, Peta Mullens was fourth in the elite women’s and Max Heizer was 13th in the junior men's (under-19).