Cycling: Holt wins road title

Auckland cyclist Melissa Holt finished strongly to win the women's national 110km road race title around Inglewood.

Holt, aged 25, capped her rapid rise in the ranks of New Zealand women cyclists by blitzing a top-class field to win by 54s from international rider Benita Douglas, of Wellington.

Canterbury's Fiona Carswell was next home, nearly three minutes behind Holt.

Nicky Soloman from West Coast-North Island and Toni Bradshaw of Otago were close together next across the line.