CYCLING

Super Cooper out-powers big guns to claim national road cycling title

By Sports Media NZ

While fans flocked to see some of the country’s big name cyclists in action, it was an often over-looked Wellington rider Joe Cooper who proved too strong in the New Zealand men’s road cycling championships in Napier Sunday.

The 31 year old, super-strong up the demanding Napier Hill, made his move on the final of eight ascents and held on over the 9km flat lap to claim his second national road race title.

While Cooper’s win was ultimately achieved in relative comfort, local Hawkes Bay rider Regan Gough had to recover from a late puncture to out-sprint Auckland’s James Fouche on the line for the under-23 honours.

A group of five riders pushed clear on the initial 81km circuit into the Hawkes Bay hinterland that included the 2016 rider of the year, Dion Smith. They pushed out to a 3:35 advantage until they returned for eight laps of the inner city circuit that included the arduous ascent of Napier Hill.

The big players, including time trial winner Jack Bauer, defending champion Jason Christie, Tour of Southland winner Aaron Gate, Gough, under-23 world mountain bike champion Sam Gaze and new World Tour rider Tom Scully.

They caught the leaders on the third lap and from that point attacks from Cooper, Smith and Christie up the climb were neutralised by the lead group on the flat.
 

Cooper, who won the national road title in Christchurch two years ago, made his move on the final climb, and as the big names looked at each other, the Wellington rider laid his cards on the table with a brave move.

He had a 17 second advantage going into the final 9.5km flat lap and was surprisingly able to hold off the powerful chasers into the head wind over the first 5kms and from there he was able to enjoy the run home to victory.

Cooper finished 14 seconds clear of Christie, who followed his win last year with another impressive performance for the 26 year old, who hopes the effort will help secure a spot in a professional team this year. Third place went to Smith, who like Christie, is in search of a professional ride in 2017.

“Today was about keeping calm and waiting for the right move. I didn’t have any teammates so I was forced to save energy and then unload at a certain point and hope that it stuck,” said Cooper.

“You had to give respect for the World Tour and Pro Continental guys and so if you are able to hang around their wheels long enough you land in the right moves and get an easy sit in the peloton which was a key to the strategy today.

“I knew they were riding for a bunch kick and I can’t sprint my way out of a wet paper bag so I needed to be solo. I had to roll the dice. There’s no way I wanted to wait for the bunch kick and come 10^th.”

Pre-race favourite Bauer said he did not have the legs today. The Quick-Step Floors World Tour professional said he felt the pain on the first climb up Napier Hill.

“I knew I was in for a hard day from there. This course was tough, possibly tougher than Christchurch but it was an excellent test. I just did not have enough miles in the legs today.”

Gough, a member of the world champion winning team pursuit in 2015 and Rio Olympics, started his life with his European-based professional road team An Post-Chain Reaction with victory in the under-23 time trial on Friday.
 

He rode prominently in the front group with one other under-23 rider, James Fouche (Auckland) until he punctured on the last climb. However Gough, from nearby Waipukurau, made a slick wheel change and emptied the tank to rejoin the bunch. He then regrouped before out-sprinting Fouche on the line for the under-23 title.

“I was lucky to get back on and contest the finish,” said Gough. “It was definitely a hard way to do it and definitely something I was not hoping I had to do.

“To get the double after the time trial, and even the criterium championships that I won last month, was a good way to kick things off for my new An Post team. It means a lot for me and a lot for the team and hopefully I’ve been able to impress them and they will be happy.”

Men’s Road Race, 169kms:
Elite Men: Joseph Cooper (Isowhey Sports, Wellington) 4:14:58, 1; Jason Christie (Tasman) at 14 seconds, 2; Dion Smith (Auckland) at 18s, 3; Brad Evans (Drapac, Otago) same time, 4; Aaron Gate (Aqua Blue Sport, Auckland) at 19s, 5; Jack Bauer (Quick-Step Floors, Tasman) st, 6; Michael Torkler (Blindz Direct, Taranaki) at 20s, 7; Tom Scully (Cannondale-Drapac, Southland) at 25s, 8; James Oram (ONE Pro, Auckland) at 5:59, 9; Callum Gordon (Skoda Racing, Gisborne) at 8:07, 10,
Under-23: Regan Gough (An Post-ChainReaction, Hawkes Bay) 4:15:17, 1; James Fouche (L&M Group, Auckland) at 1sec, 2; Jack Marryatt (Canterbury) at 9:48, 3; Sam Dobbs (BMC Development, Waikato BOP) at 11:02, 4; Liam Aitcheson (L&M Group, Southland) at 11:05, 5.