Cycling: NZ's Latham takes bronze at world champs

New Zealand cycling team management were hailing Peter Latham's "sensational" result as he opened their world road championships campaign with a bronze medal in Madrid today.

Latham, of Te Awamutu, finished third in the men's under-23 37.9km time trial, less than three seconds off the silver medal position in an event dominated by Russian superstar Mikhail Ignatiev.

"With the quality and competitive nature of cycling in Europe, it's just a sensational result," BikeNZ high performance director Michael Flynn said.

"I think Pete's still a bit stunned. I don't think he's actually realised what he's done, he's in a bit of a state of shock."

Ignatiev recorded 47min 24.28sec to take gold, ahead of Ukranian Dmytro Grabovskyy in 47min 58.90sec and Latham in 48min 01.61sec, 13sec clear of the fourth-placed rider.

New Zealand's other entrant, Latham's former Te Awamutu College schoolmate Tim Gudsell, finished 24th in 50min 06.41sec in a field of 59.

Latham, based in France with an amateur team this year, hoped the result would lead to a professional contract.

"I've got the road race in three days and if I can build on what I've done today it will open a few doors for me," he told Radio Sport.

Flynn thought Latham was riding well enough to sneak into a top-10 position, at best, in tough 34C heat.

"He was unfortunate because the bloke who won it is just a superstar -- an Olympic gold medallist in the points race, won two junior world championships in time trial and road race," he said.

"Pete's result was even better as compared to the quality of who he was racing."

It was the best result of Latham's career and topped a good year where he finished fourth along with Greg Henderson, James Allen and Marc Ryan in the teams pursuit at the track world championships in Los Angeles in March.

The podium finish had given the New Zealand team a timely boost ahead of the road races at the weekend.

"There's a bit of a buzz about being able to get a result in the road race which is going to be extremely difficult," Flynn said.

"Even Greg Henderson, who's a real team player, knows the quality of the athlete that Pete beat today. He's (Ignatiev) the one who beat Henderson at the Olympics so he's got a real buzz as well.

"It's a bloody great feel among the group."

The other New Zealander in action on day one, Melissa Holt, finished 26th of the 39 starters in the elite women's time trial.

She was 3min 06.25sec down on the winner, Switzerland's Karin Thurig, who clocked 28min 51.08sec for the 21.9km circuit.

Thurig beat home favourite Joanne Somarriba to clinch the gold medal.

Latham and Gudsell are back in the saddle on Saturday with Logan Hutchings and Troy Klink in the men's under-23 168km road race, while the elite men's trio of Fraser McMaster, Julian Dean and Henderson commence the 273km road race on Sunday.

McMaster replaced Heath Blackgrove who was ruled out yesterday with a knee injury suffered in a crash in France three weeks ago.

On Saturday the 126km elite women's road race starts with Tammy Boyd, Toni Bradshaw, Johanna Buick, Michelle Hyland, Joanne Kiesanowski and Holt.

"The conditions are hot and it's not a climber's course but it's far more difficult than people are making out," Flynn said.

"If we can get one or two in the top-30 that would be a great result, in the top-20 would be a sensational result."

- NZPA