The pair duelled for victory up the final straight after spending the last 35kms off the front, Garfoot's finishing kick proving too strong for 2016's champion, Spratt. Their initial breakaway companion, Lucy Kennedy (QLD Institute of Sport) finished one minute and 27 seconds behind in third place.
"There was a lot of time trialling today, team time trialling. It was still what I'm used to," Garfoot said to Cycling Australia after the race.
"It feels great. I've wanted to be here for a few years and I finally made it. It feels definitely great and a double as well which was also a dream coming into it.
"It's very special because it’s such a rare thing to achieve this.
"I was a bit scared because last year the last climb was really hard and I didn't want them to make up much time. I was trying to keep the pressure down and Spratty was trying to hold me back a bit," she joked.
But the duo did largely work together.
"We were just talking to each other. Our goal was to go up the hill together and ride together to the sprint."
"I think I was suffering the last three laps to be honest, not just the last lap but most of all the sprint."
Jenelle Crooks (Orica-Scott), Ellen Skerritt (QLD Academy of Sport) and Shara Gillow (FDJ - NouvelleAquitaine - Futuroscope) attacked up the first climb of the day and quickly built a maximum advantage of around three minutes and 27 seconds halfway through the race.
Women's elite podium at the 2017 Cycling Australia Road National Championships Amanda Spratt (L), Katrin Garfoot (C) and Lucy Kennedy (R) (Kathryn Watt) Source: Kathryn Watt
Garfoot was having none of this, working hard to reduce the gap with group of around 15 riders including Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon/SRAM), Peta Mullens (Hagens Berman/Supermint), Carlee Taylor (Ale) Spratt, and Ruth Corset to lure in the leaders with four laps to go.
This group split with a new lead bunch developing which included Gillow, Skerritt, Crooks, Taylor, Shannon Malseed, Corset, Garfoot, Spratt, Emily Roper and Kennedy.
Garfoot, Spratt and Kennedy then attacked with 35kms to go, Spratt soon unleashing a solo attack. The Sydneysider quickly developed an advantage of 20 seconds, but Garfoot was able to make the catch.
And @AmandaSpratt is away! #RoadNats @visitballarat @OricaScott pic.twitter.com/SWXZkgu06b — Cycling Australia (@CyclingAus) January 7, 2017
In the battle for the u23 title, Alex Manly (Orica-Scott) completed an Orica-Scott clean sweep of the women's national road race titles on offer in 2017. Manly, who like Garfoot also took out the time trial on Thursday, finished in 15th place in the elite race.
"It is really good. I came here wanting to win both and I did so I'm really happy," said Manly to Cycling Australia.
"I was aware where they were. It came down to the last sprint and they rode really well," she added of her competition in the under 23 category. "They were really strong on the hills and had to wait for the sprint. I was confident."
"I'm not really a sprinter but I have a track background so I was like maybe I can out sprint them. That was my strongest point out there because I definitely didn't have them on the hills.
The women's under 23 podium at the national road race championships Emily Parkes (silver), Alex Manly (gold) and Jaime Gunning (bronze) Source: Kathryn Watt
| 1. | 17 | Katrin GARFOOT (ORS) | 2h57:50 | |||
| 2. | 54 | Amanda SPRATT (ORS) | +0 | |||
| 3. | 28 | Lucy KENNEDY | +1:27 | |||
| 4. | 39 | Shannon MALSEED (HWC) | +3:00 | |||
| 5. | 18 | Shara GILLOW | +3:00 | |||
| 6. | 12 | Jenelle CROOKS (ORS) | +3:00 | |||
| 7. | 10 | Ruth CORSET (RSH) | +3:00 | |||
| 8. | 57 | Carlee TAYLOR (ALE) | +3:00 | |||
| 9. | 11 | Tiffany CROMWELL (LPR) | +6:34 | |||
| 10. | 63 | Rebecca WIASAK (HFD) | +6:34 | |||
| 11. | 9 | Brodie CHAPMAN | +7:10 | |||
| 12. | 25 | Chloe HOSKING (ALE) | +7:19 | |||
| 13. | 51 | Sarah ROY (ORS) | +7:19 | |||
| 14. | 14 | Gracie ELVIN (ORS) | +7:19 | |||
| 15. | 40 | Alexandra MANLY (ORS) | W23 | +7:19 | ||
| 16. | 24 | Kendelle HODGES (CVB) | +7:19 | |||
| 17. | 30 | Lauren KITCHEN (WM3) | +7:19 | |||
| 18. | 43 | Peta MULLENS (HBS) | +7:19 | |||
| 19. | 21 | Lauretta HANSON (UHC) | +7:19 | |||
| 20. | 44 | Jessica MUNDY | +7:19 | |||
| 21. | 109 | Emily PARKES (CBR) | W23 | +7:19 | ||
| 22. | 64 | Madeline WRIGHT (SPW) | +7:19 | |||
| 23. | 1 | Jessica ALLEN (ORS) | +7:19 | |||
| 24. | 38 | Rebecca MACKEY | +7:19 | |||
| 25. | 4 | Justine BARROW (RSH) | +7:19 | |||
| 26. | 104 | Jaime GUNNING (QAS) | W23 | +7:23 | ||
| 27. | 46 | Kate PERRY (SPW) | +7:33 | |||
| 28. | 112 | Ella SCANLAN-BLOOR (SPW) | W23 | +7:37 | ||
| 29. | 5 | Lucy BECHTEL (SPW) | +7:37 | |||
| 30. | 19 | Kristy GLOVER (RSH) | +7:51 | |||
| 31. | 59 | Victoria VEITCH (MBB) | +8:24 | |||
| 32. | 55 | Rebecca STEPHENS (CBR) | +8:24 | |||
| 33. | 29 | Erin KINNEALY | +9:34 | |||
| 34. | 26 | Aimee INGRAM (RSH) | +9:34 | |||
| 35. | 62 | Kimberley WELLS | +9:34 | |||
| 36. | 35 | Louisa LOBIGS (HWC) | +9:37 | |||
| 37. | 49 | Emily ROPER | +10:36 | |||
| 38. | 61 | Rachel WARD (CBR) | +11:26 |
Race time: 2h57:50
- Average speed of the winner: 34.4 km/h
- Number of starters: 65
- Riders abandoning the race: 27
