Eventual winner Jason Christie (centre) on his way to the elite men's title for a second time yesterday. Photo/Duncan Brown
Tasman cyclist Jason Christie hopes his national elite men's road race victory in Napier yesterday will enhance his chances of Commonwealth Games selection.
There are several factors which suggest Christie, 27, warrants serious consideration for an April flight to the Gold Coast. His time of 4hrs13m51s over the 171km course in the glamour event of the BDO nationals is one.
It's a lot faster than the 4hrs35m03s he recorded when he last won the title in 2016 even when one takes into account the course was 9km longer that year. Then there are the mental and physical barriers he had to overcome on his way to the top spot on the podium yesterday.
"I didn't think I would make it here after that nasty crash I had on Friday which knocked me around a bit," Christie said referring to his spill en-route to a third placing in Friday's Taradale-hosted time trial.
"A week ago I was dealing with a vomiting bug so I didn't have the best of buildups to today," Christie explained.
"Because I was a bit sore I had to ride smart to put me in a position to win."
Christie also revealed there was an extra incentive for him to win.
"My fiance had a win on Friday so I thought I had better finish the weekend with at least one win too," Christie quipped referring to fellow Tasman rider Georgia Catterick's victory in the under-23 women's time trial.
Christie was spot on about riding smart. He bided his time in a chasing group of three which ran down solo leader Michael Torckler on a final lap which saw the lead change three times.
Christie out-sprinted his rivals to beat runner-up Waikato professional Hayden McCormick, third placegetter Torckler and fourth placegetter George Bennett by a second. Delighted event manager Kevin Murphy described the finish as "unbelievable" and he couldn't have been more accurate.
Waikato-based former professional Torckler jumped off the front of the lead group two laps from home in ideal conditions opening up a 30-second advantage on Bennett who was caught by McCormack and Christie with a lap remaining.
"I knew I could outsprint them," Christie said.
"I think it was probably the best field ever for these championships and so to win it is pretty special. Last year I wanted to win it for a second time and coming second was disappointing," he added.
Torckler, 30, faded on the final climb of Napier Hill as Bennett, 27, led the charge in search of his first New Zealand title. Christie and McCormick had the superior sprints.
Bennett, who rides for the Lotto NL Jumbo World Tour team, had come into the race hoping that recent surgery to cure long-term side stitch issues would prove a success.
"I changed my mind as the race went on and I felt quite good. I thought I had a chance," Bennett said. "I thought Michael (Torckler) had gone too hard up the climb and thought I had a chance. But it was not to be as the young boys had the legs.
"However I had no issues with stitch at all and it is so early in the season for me. There's a lot to be satisfied with from today."
Bennett received the ideal form of consolation when he was later named Cycling New Zealand Rider of the Year.
In the absence of Hawke's Bay's defending champion Regan Gough through illness, last year's runner-up James Fouche of Auckland captured the under-23 men's title with a one second victory over Waikato Bay of Plenty's Ryan Christensen. The pair had ridden in the peleton of the combined elite and under-23 race, with Fouche edging out Christensen who lost his chance when he pulled his foot out of his pedal just before the line.
Cycling New Zealand's 2017 best young emerging rider, Fouche, also had the honour of becoming the first recipient of the New Zealand Cyclist Corps Memorial Trophy. This trophy honours the Corps that fought in the Great War with their major battle venue at the Kemmelberg in Belgium, now a famous cobbled climb in cycling. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the local town and the cycling race organiser in the area combined to produce the trophy made from a cobblestone from the Kemmelberg and wood from the trenches.
"It was a tough race for sure but I am so pleased to win. It is a real honour to win this trophy and I look forward to riding in a New Zealand team in that race in Belgium in March during the commemoration," said Fouche, who will ride professionally for Team Wiggins in Europe, the team established by Sir Bradley Wiggins.