Cycling: 'Strongest ever' NZ team out to dominate tour

Experienced professional Joanne Kiesanowski heads a strong national team at this week’s Tour of New Zealand. Photo / Getty Images

The national team, rated the strongest ever assembled, will set out to dominate this week's women's cycling Tour of New Zealand but should face strong opposition from a number of in-form international riders.

The New Zealand will be made up of experienced professionals Joanne Kiesanowski, Catherine Cheatley and Linda Villumsen backed by track riders Rushlee Buchanan and Kaytee Boyd, and new face Courteney Lowe who placed seventh at the road nationals.

"This race is about conditioning Buchanan and Boyd for next month's world track champs," team manager Andy Reid said.

"But we are in the mix to win the race - many things can happen in road racing and you need luck to fall your way - but I believe this combination can definitely be making a bid for the overall title and stage wins.

"We can't judge how good our opposition will be but we'll definitely be doing everything in our power to overwhelm them," he added.

The team have been communicating by email discussing race plans and which riders to watch out for, Reid said.

Kiesanowski, a veteran of Europe and the United States road racing, will be expected to draw on her experience to make the on-road calls for the team.

Cheatley, who won the tour in 2005, is in good form - she won the second round of the national road racing series in Hamilton on the weekend, while Villumsen is a renowned all rounder with power to burn.

Buchanan, the reigning national road champion, and Boyd are key members of the national track pursuit team and Reid is looking to the pair to provide the sprint fireworks at the conclusion of the stages.

"This is the best NZ team we probably ever had at any event - there is strength across it and it is well-balanced," Reid said

"We have four riders in there we know are proven at world level, and Linda and Cath are in really good form.

"Since this time last year, when she decided to focus on road racing, Cath has come on and can climb as fast as the best in the world - and for the sprint finishes and stage wins, we have got a one-two punch in Rushlee and Kaytee."

The opposition is impressive, though.

The Nashua professional team contains the tour defending champion Amber Halliday, the Australian national time-trial champion, and Ruth Corset, the current Australian road champion and the winner of the queen of the mountains category in last year's tour.
There's also Amber Neben, the 2008 world time trial champion and Tour of Italy runner-up, who will lead the United States national team.

"Amber is a super threat - she can climb, she can time trial and she has won some big races from all parts of the world."

The China national team return with Ming Gao and Lang Meng who finished second and third in general classification last year and well-performed Australians Rochelle Gilmore and Vicki Whitelaw from the Lotto team present another danger.

Sprinkled through the field are a number of strong local performers such as last year's national points series champion and current leader Serena Sheridan from Hawke's Bay who will be out to catch the national selectors' eyes for a spot in the Commonwealth Games squad.

The tour starts tomorrow with a 132km stage race from Martinborough to Masterton.

- NZPA