ROGERS WINS AUSTRALIAN TT TITLE

Former time trial World Champion Michael Rogers has won the Australian TT national championship in Ballarat, Victoria.

Despite being world champion in the discipline in 2003, 2004 and 2005, Rogers has never managed to win his national title against the clock until now.

"I have never won these Championships before so it?s a very proud moment for me and to have the chance to wear the green and gold all around the world is a proud thing to have on my shoulders," said Rogers.

"I have come from a winter in Italy and have done all my training over there, so it is certainly great to be back as I miss coming out to Australia and racing here.

"The conditions were really tough out there, it was quite cool and there seemed to be a head wind most of the way around. I had a good gap at the halfway distance and knew I just had to hold it together."

The Team Columbia rider completed the 39km course in 48 minutes 59 seconds, six seconds ahead of second-placed Cameron Meyer, who recently signed to Garmin-Chipotle. Defending champion Adam Hansen came in 11th, some 3 minutes 38 seconds adrift of Rogers. Richie Porte was third.

Last year, Rogers rider suffered a major setback to his early season due to Epstein-Barr-Virus, and was forced to take eight weeks out of competition which set back his Tour de France preparations. He bounced back in June to take 11th in the Dauphine Libere but was not well enough to start the Tour.

Rogers then recovered to represent Australia in the 2008 Olympic time trial and road race in Beijing, China, coming eighth and sixth respectively, and he is now one of the favourites for this Sunday's Australian national road race.

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