Australian National CX Championships 2025: Mega Men’s Preview
The biggest race in Australian cyclo-cross is taking place this Saturday in the Victorian town of Ballarat - the AusCycling National Cyclocross Championships.
We’ve already previewed the race course and the weather forecast, so now it’s time to dive into some of the contenders for the Elite Men’s, U23 Men’s and Junior (U19) Men’s national championships.
ELITE MEN
The Champion - Max Hobson (QLD/StëLF-Giant Indooroopilly)
Max Hobson awaits the start of the 2024 CX National Championships - a race that changed his life.
Photo: @shotbyleealexand3r
Elite CX national championship participations: 1
Previous highest finish: Champion (2024)
Ordinarily the previous year’s national champion would be a natural starting point for discussion of race favourites, but Max Hobson is an exception.
After triumphing as a second-tier favourite on a muddy Ballarat course in 2024, the Queenslander actually hasn’t raced cyclocross at all in 2025. Indeed, Hobson’s only race as national champion was when he finished 4th on day 2 of racing at Ballarat CX in 2024, less than 24 hours after being crowned national champion.
Hobson’s absence from the Aussie CX scene in 2025 has been due to him pursuing a career in road racing, and he’s spent much of this cyclocross season with teams in Spain and China.
With no recent reference points as to his form Hobson will be a true wildcard coming into the 2025 national championships – will he be able to repeat as national champion 12 months on?
The Challenger - Tristan Nash (WA/Wembley Cycles)
Former U23 national champion Tristan Nash goes on the attack at round 6 of the CX National Series in Adelaide.
Photo: @rideadelaide
Elite CX national championship participations: 1
Previous highest finish: 4th (2024)
Last year Tristan Nash was a heavy favourite for the Elite Men’s race after winning 5 of the 6 rounds of the CX National Series, but had an off day and had to settle for 4th.
We first started covering Nash’s rise in 2022, when he was featured on our Between The Tape series as a young U23 rider mixing it up with the Elites for the first time. That was also the first year he raced on this Ballarat course as part of the CXNS, building up a lead of more than a minute before fading late and finishing second to Chris Aitken. Although he wasn’t able to take the win that day, the young Western Australian seemed happy to have been in the mix.
Back then he was a young hopeful looking to make his mark – now he’s an older, wiser racer with a bit of mongrel in him. The West Australian only raced two rounds of the CXNS this year (round 5 and 6 in Adelaide) but won them both in dominant fashion – railing muddy corners like they were bone dry and thrashing at the pedals like they’d said something mean about his mother.
The West Australian has designs on in the upcoming European CX season and is out for revenge. At his best he’s got a level that no one else in this field can match – but can he produce it on the biggest stage in Aussie cyclocross?
Cam Ivory lays down the watts in round 6 of the 2024 CXNS in Adelaide.
Photo: @rideadelaide
The smokey - Cam Ivory (TAS/Cervélo Shimano Australia)
Elite CX national championship participations: 2
Previous highest finish: 9th (2016, 2024)
The overall leader of the 2025 CX National Series is originally from the NSW town of Newcastle, but now resides on the Apple Isle.
Ivory has had considerable success in other cycling disciplines - he represented Australia at the Commonwealth Games in Cross-Country Olympic mountain biking (XCO) in 2014 and was XCO national champion in 2018 and 2024.
He’s no slouch on drop bars either - he was Australia’s inaugural U23 Men’s national champion in cyclocross in 2013, and won the national criterium championship in Ballarat in 2022 - only a stone’s throw from this weekend’s course.
He’s won three rounds of the CXNS in 2025 and would cap off a great year in CX if he could take the national title.
Others to watch
Chris Aitken (NSW/MAAP Sixpence CX)
Crowned national champion on this Ballarat circuit in 2023, Chris Aitken is among Australia’s most experienced cyclocrossers. The man from Newcastle won the U23 national championships all the way back in 2015, has represented Australia at the CX World Championships twice, and has been a consistent fixture at the pinnacle of the domestic Elite Men’s field for over a decade. He’s got great memories of this circuit, but will he be able to recreate the magic of his title win here in 2023?Nick Smith (NSW/Southern Highlands CC)
Nicknamed ‘The Silent Assassin’ for his quiet demeanour, Smith has finished second at the CX National Championships for the past two years straight and represented Australia at the world championships five times at U19 and U23 level.
He hasn’t raced at CXNS level in 2025, but won a mudfest of a NSW State Championships in early August, which should stand him in good stead for the heavy conditions often seen in Ballarat. We’ve heard from around the traps that Smith is absolutely flying at the moment – after finishing on the second step of the podium here twice before, is 2025 the year he finally takes the big prize?Tasman Nankervis (VIC/Cannondale-Rapha-Shimano)
Better known for his exploits racing gravel and mountain bikes, Nankervis has only started racing cyclocross more recently, but he finished 3rd at the 2024 CX national championships on this circuit last year.
A former winner of gravel events including Seven and RADL GRVL and U23 Cross-Country Olympic (XCO) national champion in 2017, the man from Bendigo has won all three rounds of the Victorian state CX series that he’s competed in this year, including two weeks ago at Dirty Deeds CX.Harrison Bebbington (VIC/Maxxis-Flanders)
Fifth in this race last year, the Maxxis-Flanders rider stepped up to take his first CXNS win in 2025, taking the round 1 victory in a sprint finish over Campbell McConnell. Might be one of the riders hoping that conditions stay dry.Garry Millburn (VIC/MAAP Sixpence CX)
The last Australian to race in the Elite Men’s CX World Championships back in 2024, Garry Millburn spent much of this CX season riding his road bike on a European holiday. He did manage a quality result in his only CX race this season did finish second in her only race of the CX season so far at Dirty Deeds CX in early August. Excels in heavy conditions, so he might be doing a rain dance so it’s as muddy as possible.
U23 MEN
Sam Northey finished second in the U23 Men’s national championship behind New Zealand’s Jacob Turner in 2024, but took the jersey as first Aussie home.
Photo: @shotbyleealexand3r
The Champion - Sam Northey (NSW/MAAP Sixpence CX)
U23 CX national championship participations: 1
Previous highest finish: 2nd place, Australian Champion* (2024)
Last year Sam Northey was crowned Australian Men’s U23 champion, despite not finishing first in his race. Although the Victorian finished behind New Zealander Jacob Turner on the day, the fact he was the first Australian home meant he took the green and gold jersey.
After spending the past few months in Europe racing a mix of cross-country and enduro mountain biking, Northey’s confirmed to CX Down Under that he won’t be racing at the CX national championships this year.
The Challenger - Campbell McConnell (VIC/Giant Hampton Racing)
Campbell McConnell (L) leads Sam Harberts (R) uphill at rounds 6 of the 2025 CXNS in Adelaide.
Photo: @rideadelaide
U23 CX national championship participations: 0
Previous highest finish: Junior Champion (2024)
Campbell McConnell won the Junior national championship on this circuit last year, and in early 2025 was Australia’s sole representative at the CX World Championships, racing in the Junior Men’s event at Liévin in France.
Since then he’s aged up to the U23 Men’s category and has consistently challenged the nation’s best at the 2025 CX National Series. The Victorian has racked up 6 podium finishes from 6 Elite Men’s CXNS rounds so far - two second places and four third places, including narrowly losing a sprint finish to Harry Bebbington in round 1.
McConnell loves to start hard and put his rivals under pressure early, so expect him to go full gas once the whistle blows on Saturday. After the first lap his usual strategy is to settle into the hardest pace he can sustain, so expect to see some excellent pain faces being pulled after the halfway mark.
Sam Harberts takes a spare bike from the pits during round 5 of the CX National Series in Adelaide.
Photo: @rideadelaide
The Smokey - Sam Harberts (VIC/Maxxis Flanders Racing)
U23 CX national championship participations: 0
Previous highest finish: Junior runner-up (2024)
The likely challenger to Campbell McConnell for the U23 Men’s race this Saturday will be Sam Harberts, who finished just 10 seconds behind McConnell in the junior race here last year.
The Maxxis-Flanders rider has really stepped up a level in his CX racing in 2025, consistently in the top 5 in the Victorian State CX Series and achieving his first podium in the Elite Men’s CXNS at round 5 in Adelaide. He’s been in good form lately, and could give McConnell some headaches if he’s able to keep up for the first half of the race.
Others to watch
Toby Price (WA/Dome Coffees Cycling Team)
The West Australian finished in last place in last year’s Junior Men’s national championship race, but don’t be fooled - he suffered a mechanical issue that scuppered his chances. When he had better luck a clean run the following day he beat the entire field - including Campbell McConnell and Sam Harberts. He also gained some international racing experience in January this year, competing in events in Luxembourg and Spain. He finished 5th in the most recent round of the CXNS when McConnell was 3rd and Harberts was 4th, so he can absolutely challenge for the win.Ty Whitford (VIC/Maxxis Flanders Racing)
Third in this race a year ago, the Geelong-based rider has raced just 3 times this year, earning two 7th place finishes in Elite Men at rounds 1 and 2 of the CXNS and 8th in a stacked Men’s A grade field at Dirty Deeds CX two weeks ago. Could be a key tactical ally for Harberts if a large group of riders forms early on.Zachary Bryant (SA/PMA Guestpix Racing)
Has snagged four top 10 finishes in the four rounds of the CXNS he’s competed in this year, and recently finished in 3rd place in the South Australian state championship for Elite Men. Might be able to find his way onto the podium on his best day.
JUNIOR (U19) MEN
Campbell McConnell races in the U19 national champions jersey on day 2 of CX Ballarat in 2024.
Photo: @shotbyleealexand3r
The Champion - Campbell McConnell (VIC/Giant Hampton)
Junior CX national championship participations: 1
Previous highest finish: Champion (2024)
Campbell McConnell was the winner of the Junior Men’s race in 2024, taking the title a mere 10 seconds ahead of Sam Harberts.
In 2025 he’s aged up, and will compete for the U23 Men’s national title.
Photo: Paul Thomas
The Challenger - Oliver Grande (ACT/Davy Sprocket)
Junior CX national championship participations: 0
Previous highest finish: U17 runner-up (2024)
Winner of three rounds of the CXNS in Junior Men in 2025, Oliver Grande has also been testing himself against the best riders in the NSW & ACT State CX series this year. Indeed, the young Canberran got the best of former Elite national champion Chris Aitken in a sprint finish in June - bunnyhopping a late set of barriers that Aitken ran before carrying his advantage all the way to the line. Keep an eye out for his tall frame and teal Davy Sprocket jersey at the front of affairs.
Hayden Vimpani flies through the trees at round 3 of the CXNS in Sydney.
Photo: CX Down Under
The Smokey - Hayden Vimpani (VIC/Giant Hampton)
Junior CX national championship participations: 1
Previous highest finish: 3rd (2024)
The third place finisher in this race 12 months ago, Hayden Vimpani’s been racing a lot of cyclocross since then. The young Melburnian raced three weeks over the Kerstperiode (Christmas period) in Belgium and the Netherlands in late 2024 - including two World Cups - and has finished inside the top 5 of Men’s A grade in all 4 rounds of the 2025 Victorian CX Series.
Perhaps most importantly, the Giant Hampton Racing rider also won two rounds of the CXNS in this category, which should boost his confidence coming into the weekend.
Others to watch
Billy van Hout (SA/Villawood Cycling Team)
Winner of the U17 Men’s race here last year ahead of Oliver Grande, the South Aussie was the winner of round 2 of the Junior Men’s CXNS in Geelong back in June. He’ll have his dad Russell - the 2006 Elite Men’s road national champion and current Men’s Masters 5 CX champion - to offer a sage word or two on the day.Miles Price (WA/Midland Cycle Club)
Has raced in 4 rounds of the CXNS this year and finished on the podium each time. WA have also had plenty of muddy weather this season, so experience in slippery corners will likely come in handy in Ballarat.Benjamin Holmes (VIC/Brunswick Cycling Club)
The Victorian youngster has been having a cracker of a season, winning three different rounds and the overall title in Men’s B grade in the Victorian CX Series. Could challenge for a podium spot on his best day.
The racing won’t be televised, but you can follow all the action by following CX Down Under on Facebook and Instagram - we’ll be doing our best to document all the highs and lows of the day!
Who’s your tip to be Australia’s National Champions for the men’s categories in 2025? Who are you cheering for? Let us know in the comments below!