A "fuller" report than mine...

At vorb.org.nz posted by Melissa_Theuriau

Papamoa cyclist Logan Hutchings created the upset when he took out the individual time trial title at the Lion Foundation New Zealand road cycling championships near Napier today.

Hutchings grabbed his first elite title when he beat off a quality field including former champion Gordon McCauley and others on a testing 40km course near Taradale.

Experienced Cambridge rider Melissa Holt pushed defending champion Ali Shanks (Dunedin) back to third place to win the women’s championship while Rotorua’s Clinton Avery took out the men’s under-23 title.

Hutchings, who was seventh in the world under 23 time trial two years ago, produced a superb effort to clock 51m26sec for the 40km course. The Melbourne Commonwealth Games road and time trial representative laid down the testing time that no-one was able to seriously challenge. Paul Odlin from Nelson/Marlborough was second some 33 seconds behind Hutchings with McCauley back in third place.

“I am pretty pleased to win although I was quite surprised,” Hutchings said. “I didn’t expect it because I had a fair bit of November off organizing a criterium event at Mt
Maunganui. I just went hard and held on.”

Hutchings, who rides professional in Belgium for a team associated with Quick Step, said it was a difficult course to judge.

“It was basically flat with a dead road and swirling winds. That made it difficult to judge and hard to find a real rhythm.”

The win was a good boost for the Western Bay of Plenty cycling after he recovered from a major knee operation last year.

Holt, the Athens Olympian was in impressive form to take out the time trial. The Cambridge rider, who is turning her attentions to triathlon to compete in Ironman New Zealand in March, clocked an strong 36m20s for the 25km course.

It proved an exciting challenge with Wellington’s Rachel Mercer, fourth in the junior world championships last year, finishing second only 10 seconds behind the winner. Defending champion Alison Shanks (Dunedin), who is chasing qualification for the Beijing Olympics on the track, finished third only one second behind Mercer.

Avery, the former national mountainbike representative, also had a close battle to win the under-23 title, just seven seconds clear of Hawkes Bay hopeful Wesley Gough in 53m23s.

The road championship will be decided on the testing course near Taradale on Sunday with the women’s race from 8.30am and the men from 12.30pm.

Results, Time Trial:

Female, 25km:
Melissa Holt (Cambridge) 36:20, 1;
Rachel Mercer (Wellington) 36:30, 2;
Alison Shanks (Dunedin) 36:31, 3.

Male Under 23, 40km:
Clinton Avery (Rotorua) 53:23, 1;
Wesley Gough (Napier) 53:30, 2;
Matt Haydock (Auckland) 53:59, 3.

Male:
Logan Hutchings (Papamoa) 51:26, 1;
Paul Odlin (Nelson/Marlborough) 51:59, 2;
Gordon McCauley (Auckland) 52.15, 3.