World champion Rebecca Wiasak started the weekend rubbing shoulders with Australia's cycling elite and finished it by winning the race that launched her career.
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Wiasak was back in Canberra on Sunday and got a warm welcome home when she held on in a sprint finish to win her first Tour de Femme title.
It was the perfect way to finish a whirlwind few days after being nominated as the elite female track cyclist of the year at the Cycling Australia awards on Friday night.
She was pipped for the gong by retiring great Anna Meares at the event in Melbourne but she quickly turned her attention to battling a hot 200-strong field in the capital.
Wiasak first raced in the Tour de Femme in 2008 as a training event in her former life as a triathlete.
She became hooked on two wheels and the 32-year-old is now a dual individual pursuit track world champion.
"I haven't been able to do [the Tour de Femme] in the last few years because I've been away so it's nice to be able to come back and reflect on that," Wiasak said.
"This is where I started eight years ago, I got the bug when I did my first one.
"There are some really strong Canberra teams so I was definitely outnumbered and trying to follow the right moves."
Professional Canberra rider Chloe Hosking jumped on a tandem bike with her sister Chelsea and tried to set the pace as teams jostled for positions in the event's 27th year.
The 24-kilometre race started and finished at Rond Terrace with the capital's roads closed as female riders battled for line honours.
A large group stayed together for the majority of the race and Wiasak just stuck her wheel in front in a 25-strong bunch sprint finish.
CBR team manager Jesse McLean finished second with teammate Georgina Von Marburgh third.
Wiasak will fly to Adelaide on Monday to meet with Cycling Australia coaches to map out her training and competition plan for the next six months after narrowly missed selection in the Rio Olympic Games team.
"I started back in the gym at the [ACT Academy of Sport] two weeks ago and it was good fun to race again [on Sunday]," Wiasak said.
"Everyone starts somewhere and for me this is where it all happened, so I'm so happy."
AT A GLANCE
Tour de Femme: 1st Rebecca Wiasak, 2nd Jesse McLean, 3rd Georgina Von Marburgh in a time of 37.42 minutes (bunch sprint finish)
