Cycling: Gorter second in US

Hamilton professional cyclist Matt Gorter finished second in the 100-kilometre South Shore Classic race in the United States on Friday.

The Subway Pro Cycling rider improved on his fifth placing in the Brown Deer Park Challenge race a day earlier to average 46km/h over the Cudahy, Wisconsin course to cross the line behind Canada's Jeff Schiller.

Gorter was in the decisive eight-man break with 10 laps of the 61-lap race to go and got help from his Subway teammate Nick Lovegrove.

"I got in a good move with about 10 laps to go and we worked hard to hold off the field and I nearly got the top step - it was a great result and Nick was good support," the 26-year-old said.

The race was part of the 43rd annual International Cycling Classic/Superweek, a 17-day series of international races in Wisconsin and Northern Illinois.

The Subway team will be boosted by the arrival of New Zealand time trial champion and Olympic medallist Westley Gough next week for the last five races of the series.

- NZPA