Paul Wright (Factor Racing) has claimed New Zealand’s men’s elite road race title after launching a well-timed attack from the leading group on four on Saturday in Timaru.
The cross-discipline rider Ben Oliver (MitoQ – NZ Cycling Project) claimed second, crossing the hill top finish line nine seconds back in the 191.1km combined elite and under 23 men’s race. Then it was 2021 winner George Bennett (Israel-Premier Tech) in third at 25 seconds.
“This means a lot. I needed the win,” said Wright in a statement from Cycling New Zealand. “Halfway through last year I switched up my training, started coaching myself and there were some good signs like in the Tour of Britain before I crashed.
“Today I knew I was good; I just needed some luck. Following George (Bennett) up the climbs a few times – he is one of the best climbers – I knew I had good legs. And if it all went well it was going to finish like that.”
The action started early in the race, which played out over eight laps of a circuit, punctuated by a climb each lap, as Boris Clark (St George Continental Cycling Team) and James Fouche (MitoQ – NZ Cycling Project) clipped off the front with the break of two providing a carrot for many others .
The chase groups continued to roll, ultimately leading to the formation of a group of 17 riders with over 150km of racing to go, that included Bennett, Fouche, Clark, Oliver, Wright and Logan Currie (Lotto).
That group split further as the laps went by, and on the seventh ascent of the climb it was just Bennett, Currie, Oliver and Wright out front together with a group of six in pursuit. Then with around 10km to go Wright went on the attack, quickly stretching the gap in what turned out to be the race winning move.
More to come …..
