Ian Smallman, from The Subway – Avanti Pro Cycling team, won New Zealand’s longest one day cycle race, the 204 kilometre Gwaloop Challenge, in Gisborne on Saturday.
Ian Smallman
(Photo: Subway-Avanti; click to enlarge) |
Smallman was with fellow Christchurch cyclist Nathan Smith and Gisborne's Kevin Strongman with 40 kilometres to go when he made his winning move.
"It was undulating terrain and I went hard up a small roller, managed to distance the other guys and then just put my head down and went hard," Smallman said.
He won in a time of six hours and two minutes, one minute in front of Strongman who was four minutes ahead of Smith.
While Smallman was winning in Gisborne Subway – Avanti teammate Nick Lovegrove was part of the winning Counties Manukau team in the RaboDirect National Team Time Trial Championships in Hamilton.
BikeNZ has re-introduced the popular team time trial, and Lovegrove teamed up with Gordon McCauley and former national representatives Karl Murray and Aaron Strong to record 50:48.48 for the 40 kilometres.
Both Smallman and Lovegrove are members of The Subway-Avanti team for the Powernet Tour of Southland which starts on Monday.
