Cycling: Dean makes mark with top-10 placing

Julian Dean's 10th placing at the world championships yesterday was the best professional result in New Zealand road cycling history and will open doors to the highest level, say officials in Wellington.

Dean was in the midst of the world's premier sprinters when he crossed the line in Zolder, Belgium. The 256km race was won by Italian great Mario Cipollini.

What made 27-year-old Dean's performance even more meritorious was that he was the sole New Zealand rider in a huge field, which included up to 10 cyclists a nation. Cipollini's victory was set up by the hard work of his team-mates who knew the 35-year-old would be too strong in the sprint.

The circuit course was set up for sprinters, but Dean was less than two lengths behind Cipollini, second-placed Australian Robbie McEwen and third-placed Erik Zabel of Germany - all noted finishers.

New Zealand selection convener Gordon Sharrock said Dean should now have booked more than just a start in next year's Tour de France with his Danish team CSC-Tiscali.

He should also be the team's sprinter in the event.

"After a result like this, I'm sure ... Julian will be in the Tour de France and I think his team-mates will be riding for him."

A broken leg ruined Dean's chances of riding in his first Tour this year.

The Waihi rider was then ruled out of the Manchester Commonwealth Games because CSC-Tiscali wanted him for a conflicting World Cup race.

- NZPA