Subway – Avanti Pro Cycling's Cooper retains King of Mountain jersey

Subway-Avanti Pro Cycling’s Joe Cooper retained the King of the Mountain jersey winning two climbs on the 137 kilometre stage six of the Powernet Tour of Southland today.

Cooper was in an early break of seven riders which stayed clear until the race entered the Queenstown Lakes district.

He was second on the days first King of the Mountains climb at Jollies Pass in Northern Southland before comfortably winning the second climb between Kingston and Frankton and then the third climb high above the Shotover River near Queenstown.

Cooper then moved clear off the front in but was reeled in by the chasing peloton approaching the day’s final climb up to the Crowne Terrace.

“The team is super keen to have the KOM jersey and today was all about adding more points in that competition,” Cooper said.

“We are really happy about how things have gone since the added challenges after crashing on the first day, and we are focused on the job that has to be done over the next two days.”

The sixth stage was won for the fifth time by tour leader Jeremy Yates who was taken out by an official’s motorbike less than 1000 metres from the finish line.

“I was midway through the attack, I moved out to the right-hand side and the commissaries motorbike came past and tipped me off,” a bruised Yates said.

“Fortunately Hayden Roulston, who was on the front at the time, waited for me which was one of the unwritten rules of bike racing – it was a classy decision by him.”

“There’s no written rule to say you have to but I was really disappointed to see George Bennett (Team SVS) making the most of it and attacking before the finish.”

With adrenalin pumping Yates was quickly back on his bike crossing the line two seconds ahead of Bennett and five seconds ahead of Roulston who, looking for his fourth Southland title, said the race was not over until the finish line is crossed in Invercargill on Saturday.

“I’ve won this race twice on the second last stage of the tour so I don’t believe this race is won until you cross the finish line in Invercargill to be honest,” Roulston said.

Tomorrow's penultimate day of racing features a 163.6 kilometre stage from Winton to Te Anau that includes the Blackmont hill climb. The good weather the tour has experienced to date is expected to take a turn for the worse with cold southerly showers and the potential for snow forecast.

Ends

Results

KOM
Joe Cooper Subway Avanti Pro Cycling 34, Alex Meenhorst Team SVS 22, 50 George Bennett Team SVS 16, Jeremy Yates Share the Road 12.

Notes
• In the traditions of the Tour of France Subway-Avanti Pro Cycling’s Joe Cooper will start tomorrow’s seventh stage of the Powernet Tour of Southland with a red poker dot KOM Avanti bike.
• Stage seven starts in Winton at 10am and approx finish is 2.15pm at Te Anau.
• The Subway – Avanti Pro Cycling Team is New Zealand’s only UCI Continental team receiving UCI status in early 2009.
• http://www.youtube.com/user/SubwayAvanti  
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For more information please contact:

Hayden Godfrey
021 464482
www.subwaycycling.co.nz

John McKenzie
enthuse ltd
021 384 730
03 384 7338
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