Joe Cooper smashes Battle on the Border time trial

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Joe Cooper (Avanti Racing) continued his good start to the 2014 NRS season by taking out the Battle on the Border Saturday morning 9.3km time trial. Cooper, who is the overall leader of the NRS, now leads the race overall having wresting the lead off teammate Mark O'Brien. 

Cooper posted a time of 11:35 minutes on the out and back course in Murwillumbah, 25 seconds faster than Tim Roe (Budget Forklifts) and teammate Mitchell Lovelock-Fay.

"I love the Battle on the Border time trial and I know the course like the back of my hand," said Cooper who repeated his 2013 victory. "I got information from the boys saying it where the head wind or tail winds were and all of those little bits of information help, you can piece them together in your head and make up a plan out on course."

Cooper was one of the last riders to leave the starting gate having finished third on stage one. Teammate Lovelock-Fay occupied the hot seat for most of the race before being edged by Roe and then Cooper.

"It's always good when a teammate has a good time because you know the information they give is rock solid," said Cooper.

The victory moves Cooper 12 seconds ahead of overnight leader and teammate Mark O'Brien with Jack Haig completing the clean sweep of the overall podium, 17 seconds in arrears with two stages remaining.

"I was close enough up the hill on day one that I could still take the lead in the time trial," explained Cooper. "I'e been working a lot on my climbing because I really want to take out the overall NRS. It's a bit of a compromise, I have to be able to climb and yet still time trial."

The Tour continues Saturday afternoon with a criterium in Murwillumbah.

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