Jordan Kerby started the U23 Australian time trial championships with the firm intention of paying back the Drapac team for the faith they had shown him by giving him a chance to ride at pro continental level. He gave his team a dream start to the season when he beat Harrp Carpenter by just 0.2 seconds and was delighted to have had the margins on his side.

Jordan Kerby (Drapac Professional Cycling) has kicked off the new year with gold in men’s under 23 time trial title on the opening morning of the 2014 Mars Cycling Australia Road National Championships in Burrumbeet today.

In a nail-biting finish to the 28km event, Kerby (34:56.44) narrowly edged out Harry Carpenter (34:56.64) by just two tenths of a second, with Carpenter’s SASI Cycling team-mate Miles Scotson (35:10.59) rounding out the podium.

2013 Australian road world championships representative Campbell Flakemore finished fourth (35:16.22).

“I’m absolutely overwhelmed,” said Kerby who is making his debut for the newly promoted Drapac pro continental team. “The support from the team was phenomenal, it was unlike anything I’ve ever had before. We put a target on the time trial and everything went to plan and we got it.

“I focused on [the time trial] last year as well and things didn’t really go to plan and I ended up fourth, but this time round I really, really wanted it.

“I was digging deep the whole way, giving it absolutely everything on the line with nothing left in the tank.”

Kerby was the second last rider of 46 competitors to set out on the testing course, pushing Carpenter off the hot seat by smallest of margins at the end.

“I knew I was up on him [Carpenter] on the way out so from then on I just give it everything you can on the way back,” he explained. “Sometimes it works in your favour and you win by 0.2 and sometimes you lose by 0.2, it came my way today.”

Kerby will now turn his attentions to defending his road race crown in Saturday’s 132.6km under 23 men’s road race in Buninyong.

“I’m going in as the defending champion so I’m definitely going to be marked and I’m going to do everything I can [to win] on the day.”