Cycling: McCauley makes no apology for Tour of Southland win

Auckland-based Gordon McCauley is making no apologies after claiming his second Tour of Southland title.

Trek Zookeepers rider McCauley was into everything over the final two stages of the six-day event, not willing to rest on the 17-minute advantage he had over the previous yellow jersey wearer, Jeremy Vennell from Calder Stewart.

That lead had come courtesy of Friday's bizarre protest from a group of high-profile teams, which saw McCauley, team-mate Jaaron Poad and Creation Signs rider Anthony Chapman ride away after a stage stoppage at the top of the Blackmount hill.

Despite suggestions the victory would be somewhat hollow, McCauley was wearing a grin as bright as the yellow jersey he had worn so well during the final day.

"I just wanted to prove that, had the stage not been stopped [on Friday], they would have had a hard ride to catch me."

Defending champion John Lieswyn's comment that McCauley was a lucky winner had little merit, McCauley said.

"I don't feel that way at all. I attacked, I rode the race. We read the race correctly, we second-guessed the officials and they didn't - bad luck as far as I'm concerned."

It was McCauley's 10th Tour of Southland and his second win following on from victory in 1996.

He joins an illustrious but small group of riders who have won New Zealand's most prestigious race more than once.

"It means a lot. One of my main focuses for the whole last year has been to ride at the Commonwealth Games. With a bit of luck now, with nationals and the Tour of Southland under my belt, that should get me in the team."

Poad was second, 4m 43s behind McCauley, with Creation Signs rider Anthony Chapman of Dunedin, third and 5m 26s down.

Trek Zookeepers also won the teams classification.

- NZPA