High Road strong for New Zealand

Team High Road believes its women's team will be hard to beat at this week's Women's Tour of Wellington. The team enjoyed a strong week in Geelong, Australia last week repeating the multiple podium finishes it took in the 2007 Tour of Geelong and Geelong World Cup, however the power-house women's team again failed to repeat its double victory at the two Victorian races from 2006.

Despite a strong field lining up in New Zealand tour, High Road team manager Ronny Lauke believes the team has the power to take victory. "We've already had a good start in the Tour of Geelong and got a podium in the Geelong World Cup race, so we're looking forward to adding some more victories this week," Lauke told Stuff.co.nz. "We have a strong squad so we are looking forward to some good action.

Not only does the squad feature defending champion Judith Arndt, but also Geelong place getter Ina-Yoko Teutenberg. The German duo will make a formidable combination at the race which commences later today.

"We have the defending champion and we will be working very hard to make it happen again, but it will be very difficult because there is a strong lineup from other teams," he added.

Lauke said the early season events were important to help judge the rider's form ahead of the Olympic Games and women's Tour de France.

"The buildup period to the Olympic Games and the Tour de l'Aude, which is probably the biggest women's tour, consists of several stepping stones so it is very good to get some work done and to see where we are after the winter," he said. "It's quite an important time for us to see whether we're on the right way or the wrong way."