Lovegrove makes it three in a row

Backing up from a challenging Tour of Southland last week, SUBWAY® Pro Cycling’s Nick Lovegrove won Northland’s 110 kilometre Fred Ogle Memorial Ride yesterday for the third year in a row.

With only a week between the Fred Ogle race and finishing the southern tour defending his title again was not going to be easy, however Lovegrove’s experience and recent top level racing saw him dominate the men's field, winning in two hours and forty eight minutes.

Originally from Northland the Auckland based lawyer said he likes to get back and race the event each year and winning it three times in a row is a real bonus.

“It’s nice to race on the Northland roads and put in a good performance in front of the family who were on the side of the road supporting me,” he said.

After 15 kilometres Lovegrove rode hard up the first climb which split the field and saw eight riders get away and establish a lead. He then waited for the sixty kilometre mark and the days’ hardest climb where he attacked his breakaway companions which resulted in the leaders being wilted down to just Lovegrove, 16 year old New Zealand Under 17 representative Ben Johnstone and Murray Healey.

In similar fashion to last year Lovegrove made his winning move less than 20 kilometres from the finish attacking again until finally shaking off Johnstone and Healey on a long climb with 15 kilometres to go.

“Once I had established a gap I just put the hammer down all the way to the finish. It’s great to win three in a row and the form is still building after Southland. I am looking forward to the races that are coming up.”

Lovegrove finished three minutes ahead of Healey who outsprinted Johnstone to take second.