Cycling: Blackgrove fights to keep yellow jersey

Waimate's Heath Blackgrove regained the tour leader's yellow jersey on the Tour of Southland but faces a battle to hang on to it in today's final two stages.

Blackgrove's Zookeepers-Cycle Surgery team pounced as rival teams including that of the previous leader Jack Bauer (Share The Road), Subway-Avanti and US-based Bissell Pro all missed an early break in yesterday's 165km seventh stage from Winton to Te Anau.

A group of 15 riders broke clear early and remained mostly intact for more than 150km before the brilliant Taupo junior Patrick Bevin (Ascot Park Hotel) outsprinted a group of experienced riders to claim his second stage win of the tour.

Bevin clocked 4h 15m 49s and Blackgrove finished fourth at the same time to reclaim the lead he relinquished when he missed the break on stage five from Tuatapere.

The battle for the yellow jersey today will likely be between Blackgrove and Timaru's Olympic track medallist Marc Ryan (ColourPlus). Ryan trails Blackgrove by just 11s.

Bauer is 1m 07s behind in third and Bissell's best, Peter Latham, is 1m 32s down in fourth.

"We knew it would be an important day, the second longest stage in a row, and our tactics were to outsmart Jack's team," Blackgrove said.

"The break came earlier than we expected but we had two riders in the break and with Marc Ryan also there, who was high up on GC [general classification], I could not have hoped for a better bunch. We all worked hard to keep clear. It was a surprise that Bauer's team, Bissell and Subway missed that break."

Blackgrove, an Athens Olympian, said while he could have worked harder for the stage win, he was really focused on the yellow jersey.

"That was the most important thing. It was still tight over the last 5km and I concentrated on working hard to maximise the time difference."

He said he was disappointed to lose the yellow jersey on day three and expects a huge battle today.

"This tour has often been won or lost on the last stage so I expect it will go down to the wire. I have faith in my team to provide the cover and get me home."

American Floyd Landis finished ninth to move to 14th overall on general classification.

The final day starts with a 79km stage from Te Anau to Lumsden this morning followed by a 65km stage from Winton to Invercargill.

- NZPA