Bevin secures national time trial title
He took the time to learn the course and now Patrick Bevin is the national time trial champion.
Taupo rider Bevin stormed home in 52 minutes and 21 seconds to win the national road cycling championships time trial in Napier yesterday, more than a minute faster than second-placed Tom Scully.
Bevin spent the lead in the the nationals getting to know the new Napier course, replacing Christchurch as host after five years down south.
He had warned riders that the course will be harder than anyone expects, and his words turned out to be true as Bevin seemed better prepared than anyone else on the 40.5km time trial.
Scully had been sitting on the leader’s chair with five men left to ride with a time of 53:34, but when Bevin came across the line it was clear where the national title would be heading for the next year.
‘‘I’ve been working on my time trial and I knew this course would suit me,’’ Bevin said.
‘‘I am thrilled to post the first international win for my new Cannondale team, it’s fantastic. That was so hard and at any stage I could have lost my advantage.’’
Winning the time trial and road race in the same year is a rare feat, but Bevin is upbeat ahead of Sunday.
‘‘Someone has to win the road race so why not me?
‘‘It is such a hard course with so many options.
‘‘If I can hang in there then I have a chance.’’
Waikato-Bay of Plenty rider Hayden McCormick won the men’s under-23 time trial, finishing in 55:56 to be the only under-23 rider under the 56min mark.
‘‘I didn’t feel that well today but really battled through a tough course and big winds,’’ McCormick said. Southland’s Liam Aitcheson was a close second at 56:05, while Canterbury’s Hamish Schreurs was third in 56:10.
With time trial world champion Linda Villumsen ruled out through an ankle injury, team pursuit team-mates Rushlee Buchanan and Jaime Nielsen went at it in the elite women’s time trial.
Te Awamutu rider Buchanan got the glory, finishing the 23.2km course in 34:14, one second ahead of Hamilton’s Nielsen on 34:15.
‘‘It’s great to win this for my United Healthcare team. While I’ve won the road race and the criterium, this was something I’ve always wanted,’’ Buchanan said.
‘‘The course suited me more than an open, flat course. It was so hard out there but I took out a fair bit of anger after having to restart.’’
The Waikato riders were more than 50 seconds clear of third placed Sharlotte Lucas, of Canterbury.