Cycling: Arndt in narrow win over Cheatley

Catherine Cheatley. Photo / Getty Images

Germany's Judith Arndt won the women's cycling tour of New Zealand for the second time yesterday after holding off a strong challenge from Wanganui's Catherine Cheatley.

The 112km fifth and final stage from Palmerston North to Masterton was won by Ukrainian Alona Andruk, representing the Diadora Pasta Zara team of American defending champion Shelley Olds.

Olds, whose team contained just three other riders, finished 13th overall this time after Andruk won a sprint finish involving five riders to clock a stage time of 3h 28m 02s with Australian Kendelle Hodges second and New Zealanders Emily Collins, Jeanne Kuhajak and Kate Chilcott filling the next three positions - all credited with the same time as the winner.

Arndt, well looked after by her HTC Highroad teammates throughout the stage, rolled across the line in eighth place with Cheatley 13th, both 35s behind the winner.

Arndt completed the tour in 11h 50m 56s with Cheatley 4s behind.

Australian Ruth Corset overcame a puncture 10km out from yesterday's finish to retain third spot, 12s behind Arndt.

Cheatley, who won the inaugural tour in 2005, admitted to feeling a little bit frustrated at missing out by such a narrow margin.

"We went out there to race for the win today but just didn't quite pull it off," she said. "The girls raced really hard. It was frustrating at times. It was really tactical and you had to be thinking all the time about who was up the road and how much time you could give them.

"We had to try and use up HTC so they couldn't give (Arndt) a lead-out. So we put the girls on the front with 10km to go to try and bring it back - because the only chance for me to win was sprinting for the time bonuses at the end. That's what we tried to do but didn't quite pull it off.

"I'm really pleased with the way the team went this week and it was a good hitout," added Cheatley, who now turns her attention to her United States season with a Colavita-Baci team camp coming up in a fortnight. "It would have been nice to take the tour win but I don't mind coming second to a world class rider like Judith Arndt."

Arndt said the win had come tough: "The tour is always hard to win and today was a lot of work for my team-mates who had to keep everything under control. With only seconds separating us, you can never be sure of the win as you could get a puncture or something. It is kind of nerve-wracking."

Nelson's Serena Sheridan was second in the tour's hill climbing contest behind Corset with China's Li Huang third. Huang also won the sprints classification with Kuhajak second and American Amber Neben third. The under-23 title went to New Zealander Emily Collins of Cyclosport with Chilcott second and Huang third.

- NZPA