Cycling: McCauley leads Counties to team time trial title

Gordon McCauley. Photo / Herald on Sunday

Commonwealth Games cyclist Gordon McCauley was straight back into the saddle yesterday as he led Counties-Manukau to victory in the national team time-trial championships in Hamilton.

McCauley, who rode strongly at the Games at New Delhi this month, was in excellent form as the powerful Counties-Manukau combination proved too strong in the open men's race.

BikeNZ has reintroduced the team time trial, with teams of four timed on their third rider across the line, over 40km for open and masters and 20km for age groups.

McCauley partnered former national representatives Karl Murray and Aaron Strong plus Nick Lovegrove to clock a time of 50 minutes 48.48 seconds for the 40km.

They were more than one minute faster than Otago, with Stratford another minute back in third.

Counties-Manukau made it a double when they took out the open women's division in 59m 50.58s, with Hawkes Bay Ramblers second nearly two minutes behind, ahead of Te Awamutu Sports.

The winning combination included New Zealand representative Toni Bradshaw.

- NZPA