Cycling: Sell leads top field in women's road race

Defending champion Catherine Sell will be happy if there is no let-up to the wet and windy conditions that have plagued the national road championships for today's women's road race.

The Wanganui rider, a track specialist who finished a creditable fifth in Thursday's 25km time trial, predicted a tough ride today because of the undulating nature of the course, the unrelenting bad weather and a strong field of 33.

The field contains several strong roadies such as time trial winner Sarah Ulmer, 2001 champion Melissa Holt, Dale Tye, 1999 and 2002 champion Annallisa Farrel, Michelle Kiesanowski, Toni Bradshaw and Johanna Buick.

"I'm feeling pretty good after yesterday's time trial," said Sell, ranked No 79 in the world road rankings.

"I didn't really train for it and hopefully it shows I'm in good form to defend the road race title.

"Except for Sarah, the times were pretty close [in the top 10] in the time trial and give a pretty good indication just who will be up there in the road race," she said.

The race will cover 105km, three laps of a 35km course at Ashhurst, near Palmerston North, with wet and windy weather predicted to continue.

There is one steep climb from the 9km mark and another series of short, sharp hill sections from the 25km mark until the finish, which makes for a tough ride.

In her first appearance at the road championships, Ulmer has a fine chance of completing the double, but said today's race would be a lot different from her pursuiting track days.

"Track is so predictable - 3km indoors and conditions are totally predictable.

"But here [on the road] you have potholes, winds come from different directions, different road surfaces, the rain that will come and go.

"Then you have a rider in front of you, someone passing you or you passing someone, so it's totally different."

The men's 175km road race tomorrow appears to be wide open, with Robin Reid, who won the time trial, expecting an interesting race.

Although 2003 and 2004 winner Heath Blackgrove is not here, Reid said the time trial showed experienced riders such as Gordon McCauley and Glen Mitchell, as well as Hayden Godfrey and young Jeremy Vennell, were in good form.

- NZPA