KEY POINTS:
The New Zealand eight got off to a steady start on the first day of the Tour Down Under six-day cycling stage race yesterday.
The prologue, a 50km circuit race in the Adelaide's East end was won by Bathurst cyclist Mark Renshaw in one hour, three minutes, one second.
The New Zealand team, making their debut in the prestigious race, were all within 1min 13sec off the leader at the end of a stage that was raced in strong winds and hot temperatures.
Peter Latham was the front running New Zealander, 31sec down in 51st followed by Logan Hutchings and Clinton Avery (at 37sec), Scott Lyttle (at 41sec) Heath Blackgrove and Tim Gudsell (at 56sec), national under-23 and time trial and road race champion Matt Haydock (at 1min 13sec) and Gordon McCauley (at 1min 13sec).
Gudsell made the first break early with five other riders who grew the biggest lead of the day but were never in danger of escaping from the bunch and once the group were caught, he fell back.
The other New Zealander in the field, national road race champion Julian Dean, riding for his professional French Credit Agricole team, was 17th and credited with the same time as Renshaw who is a new teammate.
Dean tried to lead Renshaw out for the sprint for the line but felt he didn't have the legs for a lunge at the line.
"I couldn't do as much as I wanted too -- still missing some explosive power," said Dean who was wearing the New Zealand champion's road race jersey after winning the title last Saturday.
"I came up on Mark and tried to lead him out but just didn't have the power. I opened out and let him go. He had a straight line at the line."
The real work for the New Zealand team, whose aim is to win at least a stage, begins with today's stage one, a 152km tour from Mawson Lakes to Tanunda.
Australians claimed seven of the top-10 placings yesterday, with Hilton Clarke second and Simon Clarke (no relation) third in front of a crowd of about 30,000.
Australian Tour de France star Robbie McEwen overcame illness to take fourth, having won for the last three years on this course.
- NZPA, AAP
