Australia's elite women's road race team is already on the podium at every opportunity in this home event of the UCI Road World Championships. [This week, Grace Brown finished second in Sunday's individual time trial, while Georgia Baker, Sarah Roy, and Alex Manley took bronze in Wednesday's mixed team time trial. Can they make it three wins and three losses in Saturday's elite women's road race?

Amanda Spratt, the team's experienced rider and road captain, described the team's depth as the strongest Australia has had in years. On the final circuit, the numbers could be there for the taking, with Spratt, Brown, Baker, Roy, Manley, Brodie Chapman, and local rider Josie Talbot among those who could make it.

However, one of the favorites to win is Brown, who confirmed her strength in the time trial and will be facing a home course suited to her aggressive nature.

"It gives me a lot of confidence in my current form," said Brown at the Australian team press conference the day before the 164.3km women's elite/U23 road race.

"Of course, just because you're good at time trials doesn't mean you're in good road race shape. But I have trained specifically for road racing, so I have confidence that my form will work." [The week between the time trial and the road race was very long. I can't wait for race day."

On Saturday, the Australian team will descend along the coast from the settlement of Helensburgh, through the Mount Keira Circuit, which has an average gradient of 5% and a maximum climb of 15% for 8.7 km, to the Mount Pleasant Circuit, which has an average gradient of 7.7% and a maximum climb of 14% for 1.1 km, for 6 The course will challenge the competitors with an elevation of 2,433 meters.

"It is difficult to control a race like tomorrow. It's hard to control a race like tomorrow," said Chapman.

"But looking at the parcours, I think it's going to be a pretty exhausting race and the parcours is selective enough.

The Australian team has a lot of options, with a strong group of riders and a co-leader in Manley, who is a sprinter but also a good climber.

Particularly strong hands are the Italians, with defending champions Elisa Balsamo and Elisa Longo Borghini, and of course the Dutch.

Annemiek van Vleuten was cleared by the Movistar team to race after crashing in Wednesday's mixed team time trial and breaking her elbow, but even if she had not, Marianne Vos, Demi Volering, and U23 rider Shirin van Unrooy with a team that has no shortage of options is clear.

In addition to course and competitors, other factors could come into play on Saturday. The latest forecast for Wollongong by the weather bureau calls for a very high 95% chance of showers, with the possibility of thunderstorms in the late morning and afternoon. The race will start at 12:25 local time (AEST) on Saturday.

"All of these things combined will give us a lot of confidence and a really positive and exciting attitude," Roy said of the course's difficulty and the rain. [We are all really experienced, we have a great strategy, and we have a great team of DS and coaches to support us. [31][32] "Now we just need to get a good night's sleep and lock off and do what we have to do. I think we are ready."