Kennett wins Chinese tour

South Canterbury’s ‘‘immensely talented’’ Dylan Kennett nabbed the biggest win of his professional road cycling career in China on Tuesday.

The 24-year-old from Waimate, a 2015 world team pursuit champion on the track and 2018 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist in the individual pursuit, dominated the seven-day UCI-ranked Tour of Taihu Lake, winning by 23 seconds over Belgium’s Boris Vallee, the 2018 winner.

‘‘He’s a bit of a character but the guy is an immense talent,’’ said Brett Dutton, the sport director for the St George Continental team Kennett rides for. ‘‘It’s unbelievable to think what he can do.

‘‘To convert from track to road like that is unbelievable. There are bigger and better things to come that’s for sure.’’

Kennett’s stage placings illustrate his tour dominance with three seconds, a first, a fifth and a fourth while he cruised home 96th in the bunch finish on Tuesday to seal a win he was delighted with.

‘‘It’s nice to pull it off and I stayed safe today,’’ he said after the finish.

Kennett first rode the Taihu event in 2018 and said that had been ‘‘by far his biggest road race’’.

‘‘I was happy to come back and have a crack at it this year.

‘‘I had a good team built around me. The teamwork for me has to be the highlight.

‘‘It shows that if you work hard as a team you can get the results and we’re stoked.’’

Kennett, who also won the tour’s points competition as St George finished the top team, said he was delighted to be able to reward the team with the win.

‘‘These guys all work jobs. I’m the only one who doesn’t work a job. It’s a bit of pocket money for the boys. They deserve it. So proud of them.’’

Kennett is unsure whether he will get to defend the title in 2020.

‘‘It will be just after the Olympics. Maybe I’ll be in even better form next year.

‘‘Next year is a busy year. It would be nice to come back and defend it.’’