Saturday, 3 February 2018: Amy Cure has won the 25km women's points race at the track national cycling titles in Brisbane, holding off Kristina Clonan in a last-lap dash for the title.

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Defending champion Amy Cure has held off surprise packet Kristina Clonan to win the national points race cycling title in a thrilling last-lap sprint finish.

The Tasmanian was tipped to win the 100-lap, 25km event on Saturday at Brisbane's Anna Meares Velodrome but was pushed until the final bend by the unfancied Queenslander.

Clonan took the five points on offer in the 90th-lap sprint to edge within three of the 2014 world champion and Rio Olympian and set up a two-woman tussle for the title.

The crowd favourite had a chance to steal the win on the second-last turn, with double points on offer, but missed her narrow opening on the inside and was boxed out as Cure enjoyed a clear run to the line.

Cure finished with 25 points in 31:46.72 minutes, five ahead of Clonan with Ashlee Ankudinoff third a further two points back.

Earlier, Alexandra Manly (fifth, 15 points) looked to break the race open by putting a lap on the field to earn 20 points and take the early lead.

But she was immediately lapped by a group of riders to nullify that advantage in a frenetic few minutes, with Cure and Clonan taking control of the race from then on.

"It makes it pretty tough to go in there as a watched rider," Cure said.

"But there was a lot to learn here and it's great to see so many of us really pushing everyone."

Cure, who hails from Penguin in the north of Tasmania, is expected to be a key member of the Commonwealth Games squad when it is announced later this month.

Used to riding a heavy schedule, the 25-year-old could potentially gun for gold in the points, scratch, team and individual pursuit at the same track in April.

Day three of the national titles continues later on Saturday night with the men's and women's sprint medal races.