Dean doesn’t expect a winning swan song
AT THIS time of year, the men’s road race at the national cycling championships can be a lottery, but the retiring Julian Dean isn’t expecting his ball to roll out in the No 1 position in Christchurch today.
The trail-blazing Kiwi known for his toughness bows out today after 17 years as a professional cyclist, which have included 20 Grand Tours, including seven Tour de France appearances, and having earned the reputation as one the best lead-out riders in world cycling.
A former stage winner in the team time trial in both the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia, and part of the Slipstream team which stood on the podium as team classification winners at the 2011 Tour de France, Dean has achieved at the highest level in one of the toughest competitions in world sport.
He has also won the national title twice, in 2007 and 2008, and there’s no doubt he has earned what is coming his way today; the first 2km will be something of a ceremonial procession with Dean at the front, as a mark of respect for his career.
The Waihi- born 37-year-old, perhaps underrated in his homeland but a household name in European cycling circles, says that will be nice, but he isn’t expecting to feature at the front come the end of the 182.8km race.
‘‘ Realistically, I’m not holding huge expectation,’’ he said.
‘‘ I always struggle at this time of the year because I’m a guy who needs racing before I get going; there are a few guys around like that. ‘‘But I’ve worked hard for the last couple of months to give it a good crack and, if I’m not in contention at the end, then I want to at least be a factor in the race.’’
The hilly nature of the 12-lap course will not play into Dean’s hands, either. He reckons someone like another former champion, Jack Bauer, who represented New Zealand in the London Olympic timetrial, could thrive. ‘‘You get to this time of year and different guys are at different levels, so you don’t really know. Obviously Jack Bauer is a good rider, it’s a nice course for him and I think he had a break-
The great thing is it’s not easy to pick a winner, there’s a bunch of guys who could win. For that reason, it’s going to be the best race we’ve seen around that circuit yet. Julian Dean
through year for him in 2012. He’s got to be a good chance.
‘‘ Greg Henderson has been going well in Australia, he’s had a lot of racing and is obviously highly motivated, and Josh Atkins did well to finish third in the Herald Sun tour in Melbourne last week.
‘‘The great thing is, it’s not easy to pick a winner, there’s a bunch of guys who could win. For that reason, it’s going to be the best race we’ve seen around that circuit yet.’’
Dean, the sentimental favourite who will take up a role as assistant sporting director with Australian pro team GreenEDGE and will continue to be based in Spain, said it was ‘‘hands down’’ the best field assembled for a national championship. All seven of New Zealand’s World Tour professional riders will suit up.
Hayden Roulston is always a favourite and the 2006 and 2011 winner can rip the strongest fields apart while Henderson, one of New Zealand’s most consistently impressive riders, has not always been able to ride in this event and is yet to win it, so will not lack motivation.
The other top pros, George Bennett, Jesse Sergent, Sam Bewley and Bauer should feature, but will have strong competition from the in- form defending champion Michael Vink, Tour of Southland winner Mike Northey and Atkins.