CYCLING

The Team Championship Race 2 Release

By Dynamo Events

On a strongman’s course in strongman’s conditions a strongman took out the win in Race 2 of the Dynamo Events Team Series. Cycling New Zealand’s Regan Gough, who had been out on the attack all day, powered past Blindz Direct’s Michael Torckler in the final metres to seal a fully deserved victory in the Category 1 race.

Keen to get proceedings started a group of six riders containing the likes of Commonwealth Silver medallist Sam Gaze and former Junior World Champion Luke Mudgeway eased off the front of the main field along Scotsman Valley Road, quickly gaining over a minute on the splintering chasing bunch. This gap slowly grew, peaking at nearly two minutes, no one shying and everyone equally pulling their weight, “They were all committed to riding themselves into the ground,“ explained Gough, “so it was a good bunch of blokes to be away with.”

The tough battle against the hilly terrain and strong winds increased as the rain started and one by one the lead break started to whittle down until only one man remained. Gough, now alone, just put his head down and powered on, fighting the gusty crosswinds along the ridges and then into the head wind home.


Rushlee Buchanan. Photo courtesy of Dynamo Events

Behind him two riders had jumped from the splintered pack, defending Race Series Leader Frank Sutton of Te Awamutu Cycling Club and Blindz Direct’s Michael Torckler. After a long chase Gough spotted them behind and decided to wait, “I was getting lonely out there,“ he laughed, ”I saw the other two as an opportunity to get a breather.” Just as they had reached him Torckler saw his own opportunity to get rid of the stronger sprinter Sutton and attacked hard, Gough instinctively jumping on Torckler’s wheel. “I just had to dig deep and go for the line,” explained Sutton, who was now hoping just to stay clear of the chasing pack so to hold onto his Leaders Jersey.

In the final 10km Gough’s teammate Alex Frame escaped the bunch and started to bridge the gap, Sutton and Frame quickly forming a solid duo. Up front Gough was glued tight onto Torckler’s wheel, making him do all the work, “It played into my hands a little bit,” admitted Gough, “I could see Frame behind so I had a good excuse.“ As the two swung into the finishing straight Torckler had no reply for Gough’s jump, the 19 year old Hawkes Bay rider taking the win after a tough and testing day out there, “Ah, it’s part of the job,“ he laughed. While Frame took third, Sutton held on for fourth place so defends his Leaders Jersey by just two points over Torckler going into the next round.

Meanwhile, the Elite Women’s race was as equally action-­packed, with the in-­form and newly re-­crowned National Criterium Champion Rushlee Buchanan owning the race and soloing to a dominant victory. “I was the first one to attack,“ explained Buchanan, “no one came with me so I just kept going! I saw the opportunity and took it.”

“That headwind was pretty brutal, especially by myself. I actually hadn't ridden some of these roads before so it was good, plus there were some good crowds out there too.”


Regan Gough. Photo courtesy of Dynamo Events

Bikelab’s Helen Baillie-­Strong was out to challenge the Series Lead held by Buchanan’s Cycling New Zealand teammate Jamie Nielson, but found herself closely marked throughout the 82km race, Neilson’s teammate Georgia Williams also escaping from the bunch to take second place.

After a solid lead out from Pip Sutton, Nielson just edged out Baillie-­Strong in the bunch sprint to grab the third podium place and retain her Leader’s Jersey. “We were all out for a hard race today,” said Buchanan afterwards, “it’s important for our training and lead up to the World Cup and beyond, so we were just ready for a big day.”

Not an easy course for anyone, all of the categories providing exciting racing across the board. Black Spoke Racing’s Aaron Strong successfully defending his Category 2 lead against Thermal Chemistry’s Glen Carabine, Albany Bike Club’s Steve Taylor taking a second win to hold the Category 3 lead over Black Spoke Racing’s Adam Smith, while Cycling Rotorua’s Chris Groome holds onto his Category 4 title by just a single point over Michael Hicks of the Speed Works Diamante team, Hicks piping Groome in today’s final sprint.

Race three sees the Series head down to Tokoroa on the 13th of December, and with such small leads in each of the categories we can surely expect more exciting racing.

For the full results of Race 2 and more information on the next race head to Dynamoevents.co.nz