New Zealand Cycle Classic: Regan Gough takes first leader’s jersey

New Zealand Cycle Classic: Regan Gough takes first leader’s jersey

Wednesday January 13, 2021 at 8:41 AM

The 2021 road season kicked off on Wednesday with the first stage of the New Zealand Cycle Classic, a five-day stage race in the Wellington region. The riders started with a ten kilometer team time trial. The victory went to the New Zealand national team.

The winning list consisted of Finn Fisher-Black (normally playing for the Jumbo-Visma practice squad), Reuben Thompson, Ollie Jones, Corbin Strong, Laurence Pithie and Regan Gough. The latter can start tomorrow as leader on the second stage around Masterton.

This year’s edition can count on the participation of fourteen teams of five or six riders each. The New Zealand Cycle Classic started today with a not too long team time trial. Then come an uphill finish, a sprint stage, an uphill stage and another criterium in Wellington City.

In the past ten years, the overall victory has gone to a local driver six times and an Australian four times. The general winners are future pros George Bennett (2011), Jay McCarthy (2012), Nathan Earle (2013) and Ben O’Connor (2016).

New Zealand Cycle Classic 2021 (UCI 2.2)
Wednesday January 13, stage 1: Masterton – Masterton (TTT, 10 km)
Thursday January 14, stage 2: Masterton – Masterton (158.1 km)
Friday January 15, stage 3: Masterton – Martinborough (126.3 km)
Saturday January 16, stage 4: Masterton – Admiral Hill (126.9 km)
Sunday January 17, stage 5: Wellington – Wellington (1 hour + 3 laps, criterium of 1.1 km)