Cycling: Hamish Bond wins Oceania time trial title

Hamish Bond. Photo / Photosport

Multi Olympic and world rowing champion Hamish Bond has claimed elite time trial honours on the opening day of the Oceania road cycling championships in Tasmania.

Bond, who moved to cycling last year, produced a confidence-boosting performance to claim the 41km test against time three weeks out from his cycling introduction to the Commonwealth Games.

The Waikato rider clocked 51 minutes 03.44 seconds in Evansdale near Launceston to beat two-time defending champion Sean Lake (Australia) by 32 seconds.

It proved an excellent day for New Zealand riders, with Christchurch's Jake Marryatt winning the men's under-23 honours, while Mikayla Harvey (Central Otago) won the women's under-23 crown. Commonwealth Games-bound Sharlotte Lucas (Canterbury) was third in the elite women event.

The competition didn't include many professional riders, with all the leading World Tour and pro-continental riders from down under riding in pro races around the world.

However, Bond said the win was an encouraging stepping stone leading into the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

"It's always good to get the win against some quality competition on what looked a benign course, but it proved quite challenging," Bond said.

"With those rollers over the back of the course, I used up a bit too much energy early and I needed a bit more power in the legs against the headwind coming home.

"It is good learning for me - I'm still building experience in every race."