Lambert takes State title, eyes crown

Fresh from a first place finish at the State road race championships at the weekend, up-and-coming cycling talent Connor Lambert is already eyeing off his next win.

Connor, 15, has had an impressive year on the bike and continued a rich vein of form when he was named WA’s under-17s men’s champion on Sunday.

Held at Pickering Brook, the race was run over a 56km course.

Connor, who rides for PuraVida Apollo Racing Team, was supported by Perth cyclists Matthew Jackson and Alex Rendell.

The trio will next week head to NSW to compete in the national championships in Wagga Wagga.

The Australian time trial, road race and criterium titles will be on the line at the three-day event which starts next Friday.

The riders will compete against the country’s best junior teams.

Connor said he was “over the moon” with his performance at the State championships.

“I knew I was going to perform well but winning did surprise me,” he said.

“The quality of the field was good.”

The South West Academy of Sport scholarship holder said his team had played a big part in the win.

“If one of the team members gets in a breakaway the others can try to slow down the pace so there is an even bigger gap,” Connor said.

“If we’re in a bunch, we can try and slow things down and protect one rider for the sprint.

“It’s all about saving energy in different ways.”

Connor has been training for the national championships for about seven weeks.

Despite cycling’s status as one of the world’s most gruelling sports, Lambert said the winning feeling kept drawing him back to the bike.

“It’s about winning and the fun of crashing and bashing people,” he said.

“You’re going to speeds at close to 65km an hour. It’s dangerous.”