KEY POINTS:
Australian Travis Meyer, who became youngest winner of Wellington Classic cycling tour yesterday, is also the best rider to do so in the 21-year history of the event, race organiser Jorge Sandoval says.
Meyer, 18, won two stages and finished second in three others to also net the under-23 title and the team title with his South Australia.com AIS team. He was third in the sprints classification.
He joins some big names on the tour's winners' list such as: New Zealand's Brian Fowler, Ric Reid, Julian Dean, Robin Reid, Hayden Roulston and fellow-Australian, Robbie McEwen.
"When put in perspective, he is the best," Sandoval said.
Meyer has won five junior world titles in the past two years, three of them - the kilo and team and individual pursuits - coming on the same day in Mexico last year.
But as a junior, he has not been allowed to compete in races longer than 120km - until now.
"The others were already seasoned riders when they won, Travis is racing in his first major senior road race," Sandoval said.
Meyer's success is directly the result of some magnificent teamwork but his victories in the hilly third and longest stage of 185km and yesterday's criterium in the final stage proved that he is a genuine all round talent.
Meyer has all the goals of any racing cyclist, such as world and Olympics glory, as well as competing in the Tour de France.
But the level-headed youngster said all of that, including becoming a professional, was some way off yet.
"I really don't know if I am a trackie or a roadie - most of my experience is on the track and this is just my first senior road race."
Meyer won in 14 hours, 27 minutes, nine seconds, with New Zealand's Robin Reid from Delmaine Foods second at 2min 49sec.
Another Australian, David Pell of the Savings and Loans team was third, 5min 13sec behind the winner.
While the South Australian team were wrapping up the major silverware, the tour also marked the end of an era.
The Trek Zookeepers were the dominant team last year, sweeping every stage for the teams title while their leader Hayden Roulston topped the general classification.
This was their final hurrah as team co-owners Ron Cheatley of Wanganui and Zookeepers Cafe Paul Clark of Invercargill had decided to pack away the distinctive zebra stripe uniforms after this tour.
They began this tour with a win in the first stage but with their riders' eyes firmly on Olympics preparation for track events, were unable to match the speed, endurance and resilience of Meyer's team.
The third stage on Friday was crucial for the Zookeepers but the team fragmented and Roulston, with no support, hit the wall with 20km to go.
He finished 35th and over 15min behind Meyer, his goal of a third stright title in tatters.
When the fourth day dawned, the Zookeepers were down to two men - Roulston and Paul Odlin - after McCauley, Sam Bewley and Michael Torckler were withdraw as they were too fatigued to continue.
In stunning fashion, the duo engineered victories in three of the last four stages - Roulston taking the 128km fourth stage and the 12km time trial while Odlin won the fifth stage, a criterium in Masterton.
There was little left in the tank for the final stage, a criterium in Wellington, which Meyer dominated, lapping all but six riders in the field.
But by then, Roulston and Odlin had shown great courage and commitment against the odds to write an honourable last chapter in the team's storybook.
- NZPA
