Cycling: Roulston wants to make mark in Oz

Hayden Roulston. Photo / Getty Images

A lean and mean New Zealand road champion Hayden Roulston says he has never been in better early season form and is eyeing a stage win at the Tour Down Under, the first Pro-Tour race of the season, which begins at Adelaide tomorrow.

Roulston, 30, will be one of the main support riders for his HTC Highroad team leader Mark Cavendish in what is acknowledged as a sprinters' tour.

The other New Zealanders in the race are Greg Henderson with Team Sky and Julian Dean with Garmin Cervelo.

Roulston gave more than a hint of his form when he took out the national road title at Christchurch eight days ago, winning in a solo ride after leapfrogging group after group from 70km out.

Roulston told Cyclingnews.com he was more disciplined and focused than in the past and was doing things right now.

More than anything, he took great pleasure in pulling on his stylish national champion's jersey for the race which looks all black from the front but is mostly white on the back.

"The white part means it not too hot in the sun," said Roulston.

Roulston wants to make his mark in Australia as he's in the running to be part of Cavendish's lead out train for July's Tour de France and he's hoping to have his own chances for a stage victory in this tour given his form which he described as ``bloody good''.

Roulston said he would return to New Zealand for three weeks after the Tour Down Under before contesting the Tour of Oman ahead of some top European races.

His programme as he seeks to book a spot in Highroad's Tour de France squad includes the Tour of California and the Tour of Switzerland.

Meanwhile, Henderson was left ruing a crash which prevented him winning yesterday's tour prelude, the 51km Cancer Council Classic race through the streets of Adelaide for the second year running.

As the Team Sky riders formed a train before the final corner to slingshot Henderson at the finish line, the hot pace saw the New Zealander go down, leaving Roulston's Australian teammate Matt Goss to take the win.

Henderson who skinned his legs is expected to take the startline for the tour's 138km first stage from Mawson Lakes to Angaston.

Dean was 91st, 23 seconds behind Goss, Roulston was 109th at 30 seconds and Henderson was 127th at one minute, 16sec.

The Tour Down Under ends after six stages on Sunday.

- NZPA