Cycling: Bevan shrugs off 'brutal' winds for glory

FIZZING: Winner Patrick Bevin (centre) with runner-up Tom Scully (left) and Joseph Cooper after the men's elite time trial. PHOTO/Duncan Brown

The answer was always in the wind for Patrick Bevin so when the balmy nor'westers picked up yesterday the Taupo rider's professionalism came to the fore.

"This is a really good way to start the year," said the 24-year-old who saw his national time trial victory in Napier as an extension to his celebrations in joining the Cannondale Pro Cycling team in the elite UCI world tour.

Bevin clocked 52:21 to finish almost two minutes ahead of Tom Scully (Drapac, Southland) with Joe Cooper (Avanti, Wellington) third.

He felt yesterday's wind was "horrendous" during the time trial.

"Coming around the second time was brutal and it just became a bit of [a task] just to stay on the bike and keep as much momentum as you can and that wasn't easy."

While confident in his brisk lap times he emphasised that adapting to the elements was vital because the 20-second comfort zone could have easily dissipated in the field of 20.

"It was about being fairly conservative and riding the course where you could."

"I love the course and I'm keen to have a crack but it just takes the pressure off," he said before tomorrow's gruelling 180km road race but mindful that Avanti and One Pro both have younger riders.

"Strength in numbers is always a huge advantage," he said, happy to fly the flag of individualism this year after Avanti and Cooper's success last year.

He thought the nationals should be proud of the presence of five professionals this year compared with just one last year.

"It's about time," he said that pedigree cyclists came here, although it wasn't the easiest way of doing it.

Hayden McCormick (Waikato) won the U23 crown, the first global one for his new ONE Pro Cycling .

WEEKEND SCHEDULE

From the two days of road racing at the Big Save Elite Road National Championship in Napier:

Start/finish at Marine Pde, War Memorial Conference Centre today:

10.00: Women 117km - 55km rural loop (Puketapu) including 7km neutralised to Tamatea plus 4.5 loops of Napier Hill city circuit.

14.30: Podium presentations.

Start/finish at Marine Pde, War Memorial Conference Centre tomorrow:

9am: Under-23 & elite men's road race 180km - 80.5km rural loop (Puketapu) including 7km neutralised to Tamatea plus 7.5 loops of Napier Hill city circuit.

14.30: Podium presentations.