CHRISTCHURCH - The national men's criterium cycling championships developed into a duel between Commonwealth Games bronze medallists when Otago's Greg Henderson pipped Canterbury's Tim Carswell on the finish line.
Henderson, aged 22, regained the title he last won in 1996 with a finely-judged finishing spurt down the Oxford Tce home straight.
He
felt "a bit tired" after racing in the recent Tour of Wellington, but still had enough gas to head off the inform Carswell, the sprint ace on the Wellington tour.
Tania Duff-Miller timed her final sprint to perfection to win the women's race from fellow Aucklanders Susy Pryde and Vanessa Cheatley. Duff-Miller collected her second national criterium title in three years
More than 7000 onlookers lined the streets along the 1km inner-city course which encompassed the cafe circuit of Christchurch. Criterium street races are a popular spectator sport in Europe and the United States.
Five of the top eight finishers in the 50-minute men's race were members of the 1998 Commonwealth Games track squad, including Hokitika's Christchurch-based Hayden Godfrey, who finished third.
- NZPA
