Double gold for Oz at worlds

Ponferrada - Campbell Flakemore and Macey Stewart gave Australia a golden double at the cycling World Championships in Ponferrada, Spain on Monday.

Flakemore won the men's Under-23 time trial event, beating Ireland's Ryan Mullan by just half a second, with Switzerland's Stefan Kueng, the last rider away, snatching third.

It was Australia's fourth win in six years in the event - the two years they didn't win they took silver.

Teenager Stewart won the women's junior 13.9km time trial event ahead of Denmark's Pernille Mathiesen by almost 11 seconds while another Aussie, Anna-Leeza Hull pipped team-mate Alexandra Manly, third last year, by just half a second for the bronze.

It wasn't just double glory for Australia, though, as both riders come from Tasmania, just like Team Sky's Richie Porte.

"It's obviously a cool start for Australia, we've always had strong time trialists like (former Under-23 winners) Jack Bobridge, Damien Howson and Luke Durbridge," said Flakemore.

"It's a tradition I'm happy to continue. Macey won this morning and she's from Tasmania like me so it's pretty cool for Tasmania to get two gold medals."

Flakemore, who came fourth a year ago, put in a blistering sprint finish on the 36.15km course to wrench the gold medal out of a clearly disappointed Mullen's hands.

"I can't even explain it, I thought I might hang on but I got everything out, I took as many risks as I could. I can't take anything away, the better guy won," said Mullen.

But there was more disappointment for Portugal's Rafael Reis, who had long been sitting in a podium position but saw his medal hopes go up in smoke as Flakemore and Kueng came home as two of the last three riders.

Results from the Cycling World Championships in Ponferrada, Spain on Monday:

Junior women's time trial - 13.9km
1. Macey Stewart (AUS) 20min 8.39sec
2. Pernille Mathiesen (DEN) at 10.79sec
3. Anna-Leeza Hull (AUS) 13.31
4. Alexandra Manly (AUS) 13.81
5. Emma White (USA) 26.47

Under-23 men's time trial - 35.5km
1. Campbell Flakemore (AUS) 43min 49.94sec
2. Ryan Mullen (IRL) at 0.48sec
3. Stefan Kueng (SUI) 9.22
4. Rafael Reis (POR) 19.32
5. Maximilian Schachmann (GER) 37.84