Paul Wright wins elite men's New Zealand road title

Paul Wright (Factor Racing) has claimed New Zealand's men's elite road race title after launching a well-timed attack from the leading group of four on Saturday in Timaru.  

The cross-discipline rider Ben Oliver (MitoQ - NZ Cycling Project) claimed second in the 191.1km combined elite men's and U23 race at the Cycling New Zealand Elite Road National Championships, crossing the hilltop finish line nine seconds back from Wright. It was then 2021 winner George Bennett (Israel-Premier Tech) in third.

“This means a lot. I needed the win," said Wright in a statement from Cycling New Zealand. "Halfway through last year I switched up my training, started coaching myself and there were some good signs, like in the Tour of Britain before I crashed.

“Today I knew I was good; I just needed some luck. Following George (Bennett) up the climbs a few times – he is one of the best climbers – I knew I had good legs. And if it all went well it was going to finish like that."

The action started early in the race, which played out over eight laps of a circuit, punctuated by a climb each lap, as Boris Clark (St George Continental Cycling Team) and James Fouche (MitoQ - NZ Cycling Project) clipped off the front with the break of two providing a carrot for many others.

The chase groups continued to roll, ultimately leading to the formation of a group of 17 riders with over 150km of racing to go that included Bennett, Fouche, Clark, Oliver, Wright and Logan Currie (Lotto).

That group split further as the laps went by, and on the seventh ascent of the climb, it was just Bennett, Currie, Oliver and Wright out front together with a group of six in pursuit. Then with around 10km to go Wright went on the attack, quickly stretching the gap in what turned out to be the race-winning move.

The competition for the under-23 title was playing out behind, with James Gardner (MitoQ-NZ Cycling Project) claiming the title after he crossed the line ninth overall, 55 seconds ahead of his nearest rival in the category, Lewis Bower (Groupama FDJ Continental). Nate Pringle (Pringle Homes), who on Thursday claimed the U23 time trial title, was third.

The men's elite and U23 national jerseys were the final ones up for grabs at the event in New Zealand's South Island. Finn Fisher-Black (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) swept up the elite men's time trial title on Thursday while Kim Cadzow (EF Education-Oatly) claimed both the women's elite time trial title on Thursday and the road title on Friday.

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