Lovegrove wins in impressive fashion

Nick Lovegrove from the SUBWAY® Pro Cycling Team made it two in a row in impressive fashion, comfortably winning the Fred Ogle Memorial 110km Road Race in Northland yesterday.

Auckland based Lovegrove, who grew up in Northland, won the event last year, and fresh from contesting the tough Powernet Tour of Southland a week ago was hopeful of repeating his win.

“I had good form in Southland and I’m generally stronger this year after a pretty solid season of racing which has included racing with the SUBWAY® Pro Cycling Team overseas in the Tour of Korea and five weeks in the United States,” Lovegrove said.

Lovegrove was part of a nine rider group that had broken away early and after the halfway point of the race he turned up the pressure, eventually riding away solo to win in two hours 47 minutes and 13 seconds.

“We worked together until the turn around at 50 kilometres. I stepped into it there to try and break it up and three of us rode away. We established good gap then Ben (Johnstone) dropped off. Jowsey (Nick Jowsey) and I kept the pace on and rode away. I attacked him in cross winds on a climb with 18 kilometres to go and soloed away.”

Jowsey came home second, almost two minutes behind Lovegrove. Promising 15 year old Johnstone, who four days ago was lying on a hospital bed with a neck brace on with massive grazes after he was knocked off his bike by a motorist, hung on to take third.

“It was a good day out and there was a bit of wind to make it hard. The legs were good after an easy week. It’s a well run event and a fitting tribute to those from the cycling fraternity who are no longer with us due to accidents.”

Lovegrove said he was very happy to defend the title in front of his parents and grandparents who live in the region and were all supporting him on the side of road, except for his father who also rode the event.