Last-minute advice from a couple of club colleagues helped secure a New Zealand road cycling title for Wanganui's Pat Johnstone.
The 56-year-old wheeler won the masters 5 crown on the last day of racing yesterday at the four-day national champs hosted by the Wanganui Cycling Club.
"I got a couple of texts in the morning about what it would take to win. Basically they were saying everyone would be waiting for me to make a run, and the message was - 'Do it once; do it right'," said Johnstone.
The messages - both tactical and inspirational - helped turn Johnstone, twice a runner-up in the nationals, into an New Zealand road race winner for the first time.
His was the only break - and it proved decisive.
Five kilometres from the finish of the 66km race, coming up the Goat Valley hill, he made his move.
"I had a quick look behind and saw no one was chasing me.
"Once they hesitated, I just knew I had to go for it."
Johnstone, who finished seventh in Thursday's time trial, burst to a 23-second lead at one point, though it was whittled down to 12 seconds as he hung on to beat Tasman Wheelers pair Richard Howes and Rudy Tetteroo, with seven riders clocking the same time in a blanket finish behind him.
Johnstone took the title despite riding with a broken shoulder.
He suffered the injury late last year when a dog tangled with his bike on a training ride and has never managed to get it mended.
"I've just learned to live with it," he said.
Johnstone's triumph brought the Wanganui medal haul to 10 for the championships.
Jane Winchcombe got silver in the masters 6 race to go with her first place in the time trial.
Allan Luff was third in the masters 7 race, a category where he also won the time trial.
In the masters 3, Sue Nicholls was third in the race and second in the time trial.
Silver medals in the time trials also went to Vladimir Stewart, under-17 boys, Tom Francis, under-23, and Cassie Cameron, under-19s.
Master Johnstone does it once and does it right
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