Cycling: Squad gain ground in road classic

Tim Gudsell helped New Zealand's likely Athens Olympic Games-bound pursuit squad steal the early advantage when they won the opening 7km teams time trial in the Wellington-Wairarapa road classic in Lower Hutt yesterday.

Long-legged Gudsell was the first of the five national track team riders to cross the finish line to claim the tour leader's yellow jersey and a two-second lead over team-mate Marc Ryan, of Timaru.

Gudsell, Ryan and fellow team members Heath Blackgrove, Matt Randall and Peter Latham recorded nine minutes 21 seconds to head off the Canadian national team, and Australia's MGZT squad by 6s.

"With the requirements of the time trial similar to pursuiting it was our kind of event," Gudsell said.

"We were keen to take advantage of that, and we're more than happy with result. It doesn't mean a lot looking at the tour as a whole but it's an early confidence boost."

The pursuit squad will be seeking Olympic qualifying points at a World Cup track round in Moscow early next month.

In his first racing of the year he displayed good early form to be second in last weekend's Tour of Hastings, and back in November Gudsell excelled in finishing 10th in the Tour of Southland.

Gudsell, of Te Awamutu, rode with a fixed rear wheel, along with team-mates Blackgrove and Latham, which allowed them to time trial more easily, especially when battling in to a head wind.

Blackgrove, Ryan and Latham were in the New Zealand pursuit team that was sixth at last year's world track championships in Stuttgart.

The New Zealand Subway squad's ride of 9min 36s for fourth lost a little of its gloss when one of their riders Jason Allen fell just a few metres from the finish after losing control in a dip in the road.

Allen had dropped off, leaving three riders ahead of him to record the team's time, when he slid along the road. He suffered damage to his left hip, shoulder and knee, and fingers but recovered quickly, and will be fit to ride today in Wairarapa.

- NZPA