Horgan wins Le Race

Sam Horgan (SUBWAY® Pro Cycling Team) won the tough 100 kilometre Christchurch to Akaroa Le Race today in two hours and forty minutes.

Horgan’s team mate, Oceania Road Race Champion Paul Odlin, looked to have the win secured until he crashed on the final corner of the descent into Akaroa.

“It’s not how I like to win a race, but I’m happy the win stayed within the team and I’m pleased Oddy (Odlin) is okay and got up to take second,” Horgan said.

“He would have been able to hold on for the win and I really feel for him because he was going really well today. It was terribly bad luck.”

Horgan said that it was a day when team tactics played out “perfectly,” and that also having team mates Tayla Harrison and Dylan Kennett with him in the closing stages was vital.

“We had the numbers around the top of the Summit Road in the final stages; four of us out of the seven leaders were from SUBWAY® Pro Cycling so it was looking good.”

SUBWAY® Pro Cycling’s General Manager Hayden Godfrey was very pleased with the team’s performance.

“They put themselves in a good winning position and as a team rode a good strategic race, riding smart,” he said.

“We had the numbers at the business end of the race so it was good to have Sam as a back up to still cross the line first after Paul’s crash.”

Odlin was disappointed to have crashed so close to the finish but was also pleased the win stayed with the SUBWAY® Pro Cycling Team.

Hamish Schreurs from the Benchmark Homes team was third, six seconds behind Horgan.

Reta Trotman successfully defended her 2011 women’s title setting a new course record of two hours 56 minutes and four seconds. Ideal conditions allowed Trotman to lower Jo Buick’s existing record by two minutes 46 seconds.

Results:
Men, 100km: Sam Horgan (Subway Pro Cycling), 2.40.55, 1; Paul Odlin (Subway Pro Cycling), 2.41, 2; Hamish Schreurs (Benchmark Homes), 2.41.01, 3.
Women, 100km: Reta Trotman, 2.56.04, 1; Haley Mercer, 2.59.48, 2; Sia Svendsen, 3.08, 3.