Meyer & Garfoot claim gold in the time trial

WOMEN’S TIME TRIAL

Gold Coast local Katrin Garfoot obliterated the field to win gold in the GC2018 women’s individual time trial, an upgrade from her bronze at the Glasgow Games four years ago.
 
Garfoot, the heavy hometown favourite, was a class above in the women's event, which was 13km shorter than the men's, coming in at a distance of 25.5km, and included an 800m steep section known as "the beast" en route to the finish line.
 
Leading at every checkpoint, Garfoot eventually stopped the clock at 35:08.09, almost one minute ahead of silver medallist and defending champion Linda Villumsen of New Zealand, while Scotland's Katie Archibald was fourth.
 
"I knew I needed to go out hard. I was scared I was going to go too hard. I know the road, I know the lines, I know everything, but it doesn't protect you from the pain.
 
"It was really exciting to be in front of a home crowd with all my friends and family watching. I've worked hard, and for it to come together for a gold medal is just extraordinary. It has never worked (out) like this before."
 
Both Meyer and Garfoot will be aiming for a GC2018 golden double when they contest the Road Race on Saturday.

Southport teacher @katrin_garfoot has led a clean sweep of gold medals at the Currumbin road cycling time trials. @7CommGames @MatthewamHoward #7CommGames #7News pic.twitter.com/EiWTjC7dgL

— 7 News Gold Coast (@7NewsGoldCoast) April 10, 2018

​MEN’S TIME TRIAL

Meyer delivered Australian cycling’s 11th gold medal of the Games in a dominating win in the men’s time trial.
 
In hot conditions, Meyer conquered the tricky course in 48 minutes 13.04 seconds to chase down the morning's previous-best time set by New Zealand's two-time Olympic rowing gold medallist Hamish Bond.
 
The versatile cyclist, who finished fourth in the points race the track on Sunday, mastered the two steep climbs and avoided any drama over the tough 38.5km Currumbin course, while lady luck cruelled the hopes of teammate Callum Scotson who finished in fourth.
 
Speaking after his gold medal ride, Meyer said, "It's been a while since I've done a time trial and I broke my collarbone in the last one I did, so luckily I stayed upright this time and I couldn't be more thrilled than I am today.
 
“I've got to thank all the stuff who got behind me and prepared me for
today, they did everything right and my coach Tim Decker who said
'give it a crack'."
 
"It was only two weeks ago that we decided, it was Tim Decker who knew I had good aerobic form and I was concentrating on the points race which is a 45-minute effort and today is roughly the same," Meyer said.

"And he said 'Cam I reckon you could have a crack in the time trial', and I said 'why not? Let's have a go'. We scrambled a bike together, did my measurements and I had nothing to lose and somehow it paid off."
 
It was a devastating start for Scotson as he suffered a rear wheel puncture just five minutes into his ride, losing 30 seconds and valuable momentum with the swift wheel change, eventually finishing in 49mins 35.65secs.
 
“It wasn’t to plan, little my own fault, I didn’t nail the line on the corner and went near the barrier and to the stones.  I heard the puncture, but you have to not panic in that situation, you know you’ve lost time, but you had to treat it like it hadn’t happened til it finished.”
 
“Nothing I would change apart from the puncture, it is a really fast course, I had fun out there.”

.@cammeyercyclist is calling himself an accidental hero, after winning the cycling time trial. https://t.co/xz9WiwqNed @GreenhalghSarah #7CommGames #7News pic.twitter.com/guQBHR0rl8

— 7 News Brisbane (@7NewsBrisbane) April 10, 2018