Joe Cooper from the Subway - Avanti Pro Cycling team won today’s individual time trial and took the leader’s yellow jersey in this afternoon’s individual time trial at the Air France Tour of New Caledonia.
Cooper was one minute and 40 seconds off yellow after nine days of racing and was confident he could make up the time in this afternoon’s 18 kilometre time trial.
Cooper is the defending champion and after losing valuable time on stage one when he missed a key break, made up ground over the last three hard mountain stages and was focused on taking yellow in today’s time trial.
The tour finishes tomorrow with the 10th stage 78 kilometre criterium in the city of Dumbéa.