Cycling: Dean and Vesty looking good on tour

New Zealanders Julian Dean and Brendon Vesty have emerged as early favourites to win the Tour of Wellington road cycling race.

The Giant squad team-mates were the dominant riders yesterday on the tour's arduous second day, which involved the Rimutaka Hill climb in to the Wairarapa and a one-hour criterium (circuit-race) in Masterton.

Hastings' Vesty took the tour leader's yellow jersey from Lee Vertongen, of Palmerston North, after the 110km third stage from Wellington to Masterton.

By the day's end the versatile Dean, of Waihi, had grabbed the jersey from Vesty by virtue of being one of three riders to lap the field, including Vesty, in the criterium.

The tour finishes on Sunday.