McDonald starts Wellington defense with a win

It was defending champion Peter McDonald (Drapac Porsche) who showed his strength in the hills and managed to take the yellow jersey on the Tour of Wellington’s opening stage. The 121km stage started in Upper Hutt, climbed the six kilometre Rimutaka Hill before travelling through Featherston, Martinborough and Gladstone to Masterton.

It was a day of steep climbs and fast descents that split the field, and sorted the climbers out from the rest.

The excitement started with an early break of seven riders making their move before the first climb. This break featured some of the top Australian riders, as well as national time trial champion Subway-Avanti’s Gordon McCauley. This group was soon joined by a chase group of 11 riders, with the group managing a 2:30 minute lead.

Rimutaka hill posed a challenge to the riders, with the field staggering over the steep hill. However the fast descent and following flat kilometres allowed for most of the peloton to regroup. It was on the second big climb, Te Wharau Hill, that the peloton caught the lead bunch.

This climb again separated the field, with many riders losing touch with the bunch. Australia’s McDonald attacked on the climb, taking with him teammate Lachlan Norris. They managed a substantial lead over the reduced peloton.

Just short of the 100km mark the race was stopped due to a flock of sheep on the road. While the time gap between McDonald, Norris and the bunch was observed, the gap between the bunch and the stragglers was not. This gave some of the riders dropped on the climb the chance to rejoin the bunch, and the other riders the chance to refuel.

The decisive move of the race came on the final climb, 110km into the race where McDonald rode away from Norris, opening up an ample lead. The bunch engulfed Norris and then set its sights on chasing McDonald.

In the last 10km the peloton managed to shut down most of McDonald’s lead. McDonald was just over one hundred metres clear of the peloton as he crossed the lined to take the familiar yellow jersey. Michael Matthews (Jayco-Skins) took second place over team-mate Malcolm Rudolph.

Tomorrow’s 125km stage finishes atop Admiral Hill, a pivotal stage in the tour, featuring a total of five climbs. 

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