Atkins claims under-19 honours in RaboPlus national club cycling

Canterbury cyclist Josh Atkins showed he is on form for the upcoming world junior track championships when he won the under-19 road title at the RaboPlus New Zealand Club Championships in Hawkes Bay today.

Atkins broke clear on the final lap of four on a tough circuit near Taradale to take the honours after he won the time trial yesterday.

It was good reward for Atkins, who missed the national championships earlier in the summer following surgery.

“I had a problem with the blood flow through the artery into my leg. I needed to get the operation done but I was a bit gutted to miss the nationals,” Atkins said.

“I’ve made the team for the world junior track championships and this has given me some confidence that I have a good base for it.

“We had a group of three of us get away and then some others bridged up. I was a pretty tough course especially out the back with the hills and some strong winds.

“Fraser Gough and I went clear with two laps to go and we put a minute on them quite quickly. Then I went on the hills on the last lap and stayed clear. It’s great and now I am really focussed on the world track championships.

“I want to win medals there and I think we have a great team that can do well.”

He finished the 113km race in 2:54.19 with Gough, from the local Hawkes Bay Ramblers club, 37 seconds back in second and a minute clear of Stratford’s Nick Sutton.

Te Awamutu’s Hayden McCormick took out the under-17 boys race over 75kms while Alexandra’s Sophie Williamson won the girls’ honours in a sprint finish.

The Ulmer name continued to shine with Gary Ulmer, father of Sarah, retaining the men’s 65 years and over title.

The senior women’s race is tomorrow and senior men on Sunday.

Results:

Male:

Under 19, 113km: Josh Atkins (Pegasus) 2:54.19, 1; Fraser Gough (Ramblers) 2:56.57, 2; Nick Sutton (Stratford) 2:57.45, 3.

Under 17, 75km: Hayden McCormick (Te Awamutu Sports) 2:00.35, 1; Hamish Schreurs (Pegasus) 2:01.12, 2; Tayla Harrison (Pegasus) 2:01.13, 3.

Under 15, 28km: Regan Gough (Cycling CHB) 49:10.05, 1; Connor Stead (Pegasus) 49:10.35, 2; Benjamin Johnstone (Marsden Wheelers) 49:10.36, 3.

Masters 5 , 75km: Barry Ulyatt (Counties Manukau) 2:09:28, 1; Rudy Tetteroo (Tasman Wheelers) same time, 2; Bruce J Galloway (Ramblers) same time, 3.

Masters 7,  57km: Neil Robinson (Gisborne) 1:43:24, 1; Laurence Sunde (Wanganui) 1:43:25, 2; John Lowe (Cycling CHB) 1:43:25, 3.

Masters 8, 57km: Gary Ulmer (Counties Manukau) 1:39:51, 1; Garry Humpherson (Port Nicholson Poneke) 1:39:51, 2; Bruce Goldsworthy (Counties Manukau) 1:47:36, 3.

Female:

Under 17, 47km: Sophie Williamson (Central Otago Whakatipu) 2:00.35, 1; Georgina Wilson (North Harbour) same time, 2; Paige Patterson (Counties Manukau) same time, 3.

Under 15, 28km: Maxyna Cottam (New Plymouth) 56:23, 1; Shannon Grinter (Te Awamutu Sports) 57:47, 2; Jordyn Crouch (Morrinsville Wheelers) same time, 3.

Full results: www.bikenz.org.nz