KEY POINTS:
Cambridge rider Melissa Holt made it a unique double-double when she won the women's race at the national road cycling championships in Te Awamutu yesterday. Holt followed up her victory in the time trial by out-sprinting a small field at the end of a 120km circuit.
The former New Zealand representative also won last year's time trial and road race in Hawke's Bay. Her victory was special in that she has been based back in New Zealand for more than a year and concentrated on the Ironman triathlon last year, winning her age group in New Zealand and placing in the top 10 in her age group at the world championships in Hawaii.
"I am naturally stoked," Holt said. "I don't know where the sprinting legs came from today. My Waikato team really worked hard for me and did a great job."
Holt won in 3 hours 36 minutes 26 seconds, outsprinting Nelson's Karen Fulton and Christchurch's Tracy Clark in the sprint into Te Awamutu after four laps of a circuit near Kihikihi.
Earlier, Auckland's Marina Dujnvak repeated the aggressive approach she showed in last year's race, leading Britta Martin and Tara Ellerton away on a break after 20km.
She led by 3 minutes before the Waikato riders, led by former Olympic rower Sonia Waddell, whittled away the lead.
The leaders were caught with 20km remaining and a number of breaks all came to nothing, with the peloton involved in a bunch sprint.
Holt managed to grab the best wheel and launch herself to the win by just 2s from a chasing bunch led by Fulton and Clark.
- NZPA
