Grace Brown (FDFJ-SUEZ) has been the most successful Australian rider in the women's peloton for the past two years and has consistently performed well in the Australian Road Championships on courses that play to her strengths.

On Sunday, she made the podium for the fourth year in a row, winning a sprint from a group of eight riders to take second place for the third year in a row.

"It's always difficult to plan when you're on your own because you're basically at the mercy of other riders' tactics. I was surprised that the race didn't start today until at least four laps to go. The first half of the race was very quiet, which is a good thing, but as a solo rider it's difficult. [Georgie Howe (Jayco Alura) and Lauretta Hanson (Trek Segafredo) were braking on the last lap.

"In the end, when there was a breakaway between Lauretta and Georgie Howe, I knew that if I didn't go after it, I had no chance of winning the race. Nobody else was doing it, so I did it myself. Even though I was a little more vulnerable, I knew it was my only chance. So I did that job."

"I was hoping to stay in a small group to the finish for the sprint.

It was a hope that did not match reality.

Thanks in part to Brown's efforts, Hanson and Howe reeled in the last lap, but just after the start of the final lap, Chapman became the new threat at the front.

"Brodie was super strong on the last lap and I was a little cramped so I couldn't make too many quick moves. So I just kept my pace and went for the sprint for second." But if Braun was to finish second again, she felt no one would want to stand next to her on the podium, and the FDJ-Suez-Futuroscope rider congratulated Chapman, whom she called her teammate until the end of the 2022 season.

"I was so happy that Brody won. She has been a great teammate to me so far. I think it's a great result for Australia."

Brown did not win the green and gold striped jersey on the road, but she did twice come out on top in the time trial on Tuesday. But despite being the defending national champion and silver medalist at the world championships, Brown does not consider it an easy victory. She said, "We have a really strong field this year, and Georgie Howe in particular is an unknown quantity. But I think she's learned a lot over the past year and honed her time trial technique."