Mike O'Connor
Bright couple Garry Millburn and Fiona Morris have both claimed elite national titles at the 2026 AusCycling Cyclo-cross National Championships in Ballarat.
The Alpine Cycling Club riders tackled a muddy, demanding course to pull on the green-and-gold jerseys, with Morris taking a dominant victory in the women’s race before Millburn secured a hard-fought win in the men’s event.
For Morris, the victory was the culmination of several seasons of consistency. The 41-year-old finished third at last year’s Nationals and has regularly featured near the front of the field, but had never quite managed to reach the top step.
This time she had no such problems, riding clear of Alicia Reynolds to finish in 51:56.
“It feels pretty amazing,” Morris said, speaking to Auscycling.
The worsening conditions were very much to her liking.
“The circuit was getting more challenging – plenty of mud, which I do like – so lots of fun, great course and great to be here.”
Morris has spent years racing cyclo-cross and has represented Australia at World Championships, making the long-awaited national title particularly meaningful.
“I think I can be proud to be here today and take the jersey. I’ve spent a lot of time racing cross, so I feel like I’ve earned it.”
While Morris’s win was emphatic, Millburn’s was a tight, tense affair.
The men’s race came down to a hectic battle between Millburn, Nicholas Smith and Christopher Jongewaard, with the trio keeping a close eye on each other through the latter stages.
Smith appeared to have the advantage heading into the final lap, opening a small gap over Millburn. But the experienced Alpine rider stayed in touch and made his decisive move at the barriers.
He emerged ahead and held off Smith to win by just four seconds, with Jongewaard finishing third, 1:04 behind.
“About time, I think,” Millburn said.
The 39-year-old had previously stood on the Nationals podium six times without winning the elite title.
“It was a bloody good race out there. The three of us were watching each other for a while. Nick was so strong out there. He certainly had me on the ropes with two or three to go. I just knew I needed to get back on the wheel.”
Millburn had identified the barriers as a potential place to make his move.
“I thought if I could lead through the barriers, get out of that corner, it should be alright. Bit of luck out of that corner, but great battle all round.”
The victories cap a memorable day for two of the country’s most experienced cyclo-cross riders, who have both represented Australia internationally and been part of the domestic CX scene for close to a decade.
2026 Cyclo-cross Nationals – elite results
Elite Women
🥇 Fiona Morris (Alpine Cycling Club) — 51:56
🥈 Alicia Reynolds (Midland Cycle Club) — +4:23
Elite Men
🥇 Garry Millburn (Alpine Cycling Club) — 1:01:21
🥈 Nicholas Smith (Southern Highlands CC) — +4 sec
🥉 Christopher Jongewaard (Adelaide Cycling Club) — +1:04
Mike O’Connor – A keen cyclist, runner and photographer, Mike O’Connor is the Editor of Bicycling Australia. He manages the BA website and social media, and loves promoting the achievements of Australian cyclists.
