Successful warm-up for NZ Cycle Classic

Callum Gordon. File photo by Paul Rickard.

GISBORNE road racer Callum Gordon warmed up for the prestigious New Zealand Cycle Classic with success in Hawke’s Bay last weekend.

Fresh from a strong showing at the national elite and under-23 road race championships, the Team Skoda rider was third in the open men’s grade of the three-day Hub tour. He also won the King of the Mountains title, emulating his previous weekend’s effort at the nationals.

His Hub performance was a repeat of his results in 2016, although he also topped the sprints points that year. The Hub tour comprised a prologue and three stages totalling around 300km. Gordon, as expected, came to the fore in the last stage — the 113km Dartmoor/Apley circuit — in which he finished third.

He ended up third overall, 49 seconds behind overall winner Hayden McCormick, who led from start to finish.

Another Gisborne Cycling Club rider, Jack McLaughlin, finished 12th overall in his first A grade tour. He was just under seven minutes behind McCormick.

Gisborne Cycling Club coach Stephen Sheldrake led by example by winning the B-grade men’s title over the same stages. Sheldrake powered away in the final stage to win it by nearly 3½ minutes and was a similar time ahead in general classification. He also won the sprint title.

'Gives it 100 every time'Sheldrake, while pleased with his victory, heaped praise on Gordon and McLaughlin. Gordon was developing into one of New Zealand’s most consistent road cyclists, he said.

“If any overseas pro team teams out there are looking for a guy who will give it 100 every time he is on the start line, he is the man.”

McLaughlin had shown he “was not out of place” at A grade level, he said.

Gordon’s focus has shifted to the pinnacle event of a busy period of racing for the 22-year-old. Gordon is a key member of the five-man Team Skoda for the 30th anniversary New Zealand Cycle Classic, starting on Sunday.

He finished 14th overall last year — 5 minutes 12 seconds behind winner Ben O’Connor.

This year’s five-stage Wairarapa-based race features top New Zealand riders, along with quality international road racers from Australia, Great Britain, Italy, Colombia, The Netherlands, Malaysia, Spain and The Philippines.

Line-up for NZ Cycle Classic 'the best ever'Race director Jorge Sandoval has described the 2017 line-up as “the best ever”. Among the field is Olympic Games rowing champion Hamish Bond.

Stage one tomorrow morning takes rider 121km from Masterton to Carterton followed by stages of 147km, 136km, 143km and the tour-ending 120km, 12-lap Masterton circuit.

The New Zealand Cycle Classic has become renowned for unearthing new talent or helping up-and-coming riders step on to a bigger platform.

“We’ve had the likes of Julian Dean, Chris Jenner, Robbie McEwen and Hayden Roulston all claim the yellow jersey while many others have gone on to ride in the Tour de France,” said Sandoval.