Damien Howson claims under-23 time trial gold medal at road cycling championships Australia's Damien Howson celebrates on the podium after winning the men's Under-23 Individual Time Trial event at the road cycling world championships. Australia's Damien Howson pedals on his way to win the men's Under-23 Individual Time Trial event at the road cycling world championships. SOUTH Australian rising star Damien Howson has farewelled the under-23 ranks in style by securing time-trial gold at the road cycling world championships in Italy. Howson, who has signed with Australian professional team Orica-GreenEdge for 2014, blitzed the field by almost a minute to improve on the bronze medal he claimed in the same event in the Netherlands last year. "I'm obviously really happy to take away the win," Howson said from Florence. It's been a major focus of mine since the world championships last year. I'm sure after dinner when things settle down it will hit me that I've finally become a world champion. The 21-year-old from Adelaide averaged 52.3km/h over the 43.46km course to finish in a time of 49 minutes and 49 seconds. That was 57 seconds clear of silver medallist Yoann Paillot of France with Danish 2012 Olympic omnium champion Lasse Hansen a further 13 seconds back. Fellow Australian Campbell Flakemore finished just off the podium in fourth place in a time of 51:12. Earlier on Monday, Australia's Alexandria Nicholls and Alexandra Manly were just pipped at the post in the junior women's event, with France's Severine Eraud emerging victorious. Nicholls was just 2.69 seconds behind Eraud over the 16.19km course with Manly 8.17 seconds behind the Frenchwoman. Howson said the key to his win was controlling his effort throughout the entire race. He was second fastest through the first time check after 9.5km and was quickest by the next split after 28km. While Howson won't get to wear his U23 rainbow jersey as a professional in 2014 the youngster isn't complaining. "You can't take away the world title," he said on Monday. I'm looking forward to the next step of my career in the professional ranks. Before that, however, he'll tackle Friday's 173km road race as part of the seven-man Australian team which includes fellow young gun Caleb Ewan. Howson raced in Europe this year with the Jayco-AIS world tour academy outfit. He's spoken openly about his desire to eventually become a grand tour contender. The new world champion starred at January's national road titles in Victoria winning the under-23 time trial and coming second in the road race. Later in the month he rode the Tour Down Under featuring in a long breakaway with senior road world champion Philippe Gilbert on stage four. Then, in mid-March, Howson won both the U23 time trial and road race at the Oceania Championships. Success on day two in Florence followed a superb start to the world championships for Australia on Sunday. Orica-GreenEdge were edged out by just 0.81 seconds for the team trial title while Orica-AIS finished third in the women's event.