Welcome to the New Zealand National Championship, today we have a hilly route. 27 professional riders competing with the top 9 relatively well matched.
Rider
MT
HI
AC
RS
Bennett
80
76
73
74
Gunman
65
75
75
68
Smith
78
75
74
74
David
62
75
73
74
Vink
67
75
68
71
McCormick
65
74
72
70
Miller
73
73
67
74
Davison
69
73
69
70
Torckler
67
72
73
70
It is a short punchy course so Bennett’s mountain ability is probably not relevant. He is also the best puncheur but that is closer. Smith and David look like particular threats. The defending champion is Farfetch’s Josh Atkins, this course doesn’t suit him.
Startlist – Professional Only
Spoiler
Last name, First name
2019 Team
Torckler, Michael
Adriatic Kontinentalna Selekcija
Scully, Tom
Aker - MOT
Smith, Dion
Bennelong - Mitchelton
Oram, James
Bennelong - Mitchelton
Miller, Nick
Bennelong - Mitchelton
McCormick, Hayden
Bennelong - Mitchelton
Schreurs, Hamish
Bennelong - Mitchelton
Yates, Joel
BNZ Cycling Team
Gunman, Taylor
BNZ Cycling Team
Mudgway, Luke
BNZ Cycling Team
Marryatt, Jake
BNZ Cycling Team
Williams, Zac
BNZ Cycling Team
Reddish, Nick
BNZ Cycling Team
Christensen, Ryan
Delvaux
Archbold, Shane
Duolingo
Atkins, Josh
Farfetch Pro Cycling
Frame, Alex
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
Vink, Michael
Grieg - Maersk
Bond, Hamish
Jayco - Mitchelton
Gate, Aaron
Jayco - Mitchelton
Fouche, James
NENT Racing p/b Hootsuite
Sergent, Jesse
Podium Ambition
David, Tom
SPAR - Siam Cement
Bain, Nick
VIP Mobile
Kennett, Dylan
Xero Racing
Davison, Tom
Xero Racing
Bennett, George
Xero Racing
With 30km to ride an initial break of 3 amatuers has been shut down and we have 37 riders off the front with a 55 second lead. All the important professionals are present in the front group.
With 20km to go the group has swelled to 65 riders including all the professionals and they have a 2 minute lead.
Bennelong and BNZ set a hard pace all the way up the last climb before the finish and 25 riders, including all the big names, split off the front. They have 10km to go.
As they turn up the final 1.5 km climb the top riders have lead outs: Yates for Gunman, Davison for Bennett and Miller for Smith. Just behind them are David and Vink
With 600 meters to go Bennett is at the front with Gunman to his right. Smith, David and Vink right behind them. Williams doing well on the far left and Torckler looking for room in the middle.
300 meters to go and not much has changed, Gunman has nosed ahead of Bennett. Vink best placed of those behind.
150 meters and Bennett has edged back ahead. Smith making up ground but he is running out of road.
Under 100 meters and Gunman is fading, it looks like Bennett will take the NC jersey.
And Bennett wins with time to show off the jersey. His team put him in the perfect spot to start the climb and he did the rest.
Welcome to the New Zealand National Time Trial Championships. 27 riders on the start list but five riders stand above the rest.
Rider
TT
Prologue
Resistance
Sergent
80
80
74
Atkins
78
77
75
Oram
77
77
72
Archbold
77
67
71
Bond
74
74
75
Sergent has a clear edge but the next 3 should have a good shot. Bond is an outsider and the rest are 70 or below.
Startlist – Professional Only
Spoiler
Torckler, Michael
Adriatic Kontinentalna Selekcija
Scully, Tom
Aker - MOT
Smith, Dion
Bennelong - Mitchelton
Oram, James
Bennelong - Mitchelton
Miller, Nick
Bennelong - Mitchelton
McCormick, Hayden
Bennelong - Mitchelton
Schreurs, Hamish
Bennelong - Mitchelton
Yates, Joel
BNZ Cycling Team
Gunman, Taylor
BNZ Cycling Team
Mudgway, Luke
BNZ Cycling Team
Marryatt, Jake
BNZ Cycling Team
Williams, Zac
BNZ Cycling Team
Reddish, Nick
BNZ Cycling Team
Christensen, Ryan
Delvaux
Archbold, Shane
Duolingo
Atkins, Josh
Farfetch Pro Cycling
Frame, Alex
Glanbia Foods Cycling Project
Vink, Michael
Grieg - Maersk
Bond, Hamish
Jayco - Mitchelton
Gate, Aaron
Jayco - Mitchelton
Fouche, James
NENT Racing p/b Hootsuite
Sergent, Jesse
Podium Ambition
David, Tom
SPAR - Siam Cement
Bain, Nick
VIP Mobile
Kennett, Dylan
Xero Racing
Davison, Tom
Xero Racing
Bennett, George
Xero Racing
Yates, the first rider away holds the best time at the first check for 20 riders until he is passed by Vink.
He holds it for just two riders until he is passed by Bond, the first of our favorites.
But then come the big 4 and in turn Archbold, Oram, Atkins and finally Sergent set the best time.
The gaps look like this: Sergent, 25’47 Atkins, + 0’10 Oram, + 0’19 Archbold, +0’27 Bond, + 1’05
Seems like it will be between the top 4. At the second time check the order is exactly the same with the gaps all growing a little. Sergent has a 16 second lead to defend over the last 20 km.
Archbold finishes 1’38 ahead of Bond. Oram coming in next does better by 22 seconds. Then comes Atkins. He leads Oram by 24 seconds, he added 9 seconds to his lead at the second check. Atkins is the current title holder. Is it good enough to retain his title of will he lose both jerseys?
It is not good enough. Sergent is the last rider on the course and he takes the title by 25 seconds.
Podium Ambition have their third Time Trial National Championship.
New Zealand National Championships 
