Roulston takes his fourth national title
Trek Factory Racing rider beats Bauer in a sprint
Hayden Roulston netted his fourth New Zealand national road race championship. The Trek Factory Racing rider beat Garmin-Sharp’s Jack Bauer in a sprint à deux in Christchurch on Sunday.
"It feels the best of the four wins to be honest," said Roulston, who became the first national winner for his re-named Trek Factory Racing team and won wearing the team's new black jersey.
"It is very difficult to win this race once, let alone winning it again and again,” he said happily after his win.
Roulston, a Christchurch native, was part of a three-man breakaway that rode away after six of the twelve laps. As well as Roulston and Bauer, the break also included 23-year old triathlete Tom Davison. The wind reigned on the 185 kilometre circuit around the Cashmere Hills and it made for a real hard race where only twelve riders manage to finish.
"I think this year was the hardest. I raced different to how I usually race at championships. This time I decided to go from the start and make those guys chase me. I hit 306 watts today - that's a massive, massive day for four and a half hours. We were all wondering with 40 kilometers to go if we would even make it to the finish it was that brutal of a race.”
The three riders worked well together until the final 400 meters. It came down to a sprint between Bauer and Roulston. The Garmin-Sharp rider could not add a second title to his 2010 victory.
"I am exhausted," Bauer said. "Anything but the win here is disappointing especially after a hard, hard day. I just had nothing left and completely cramped up when he [Roulston] went.
Roulston’s title means Trek Factory Racing has five national road race champions on the team for 2014. Stijn Devolder of Belgium, Luxembourg Bob Jungels, Croatian Robert Kiserlovski and new Austrian signing Riccardo Zoidl will also wear their national colours this year.
Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*
Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets
After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59
Join now for unlimited access
Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Latest on Cyclingnews
-
SD Worx try to avoid further Demi Vollering transfer drama by going silent
Danny Stam only willing to answer 'sporting' questions after disappointing Dwars door Vlaanderen - 'Cannot happen in Flanders' -
‘We continued the plan’ – Matteo Jorgenson steps up for Visma after Van Aert crash
Dwars door Vlaanderen victory puts North American in frame to lead at Tour of Flanders -
Crash between Soudal-Quickstep team car, medical car from men's race stops women's Dwars door Vlaanderen
Officials safely resume race after a 15-minute halt, remove Knokteberg-Trieu and Hotond from route -
'Wout hit my rear wheel' – Tiesj Benoot blames himself as crash ends Van Aert's Flanders dream
Visma-Lease A Bike's Dwars door Vlaanderen victory overshadowed by loss of Classics leader