McGregor wins Benchmark race

Alex McGregor (Team Calder Stewart Road) won today’s elite round of the Benchmark Homes Elite Cycling Series on the South Island’s West Coast near Hokitika.

The Dunedin rider attacked on the final lap of the energy sapping Blue Spur circuit managing to break free of a large bunch as riders hit the main road 10 kilometres from the finish. H&J's Outdoor World Avanti Plus led the chase trying to protect the elite leaders jersey held by Cameron Karwowski.

The chasers ran out of road as McGregor held on to win the 135 kilometre race in three hours eight minutes and 27 seconds, with Dan Barry (Tasman Wheelers) just edging out Brad Evans (Calder Stewart) to win the bunch sprint to claim second, only seven seconds behind McGregor. Karwowski was fourth, enough to hold onto the elite series leaders jersey.

In the masters race Lee Johnstone (Warmup Cycling Team) won a large bunch sprint comfortably after some good work from his team mates Tony Gibson and Greg Thompson who covered a number of attacks and kept the pace high over the final 15 kilometres.  

Johnstone won the 105 kilometre race in two hours and thirty six minutes with Scott Wilder (Dad’s Army) second and Phil Patterson (Kiwi Style Bike Tours) third. Johnstone’s win saw him claim the master’s 45 to 49 series leader’s jersey with Wilder holding onto the 35 to 44 series jersey.

Andre Chappel (Thule) did enough to take the 50 plus leaders jersey off Cycle World’s Ray Dunstan.
Sharlotte Lucas (Benchmark Homes) won the women’s race in two hours fifty five minutes holding off a charging Elyse Fraser (Benchmark Homes) and Reta Trotman (Cycle World Fairweather) in a sprint after getting the early jump on the final corner leading into the finishing straight.

Results

Elite men
1, Alex McGregor 3:08:27, 2 Daniel Barry @7 seconds, 3 Brad Evans @7 seconds
Series elite leader Cameron Karwowski
Series under 23 leader Brad Evans
Winning team Team Calder Stewart

Masters Men

35-44

1, Scott Wilder 2:36:08; 2, Justin Sims same time; 3Phil Patterson same time

45-49
1, Lee Johnstone 2:36:07, 2 Blair Stuthridge @ 1 second; 3, Paul Gough same time

50+
1, Jorge Englebrecht 2:36:08, 2 Andre Chappel @ 3 seconds; 3, Jeremy Heathfield @ 1 second 

Masters series leaders
35-44; Scott Wilder
45-49; Lee Johnstone
50+; Andre Chappel
Winner team; Team Thule Cycling

Women
1, Sharlotte Lucas, 2:55:18; 2, Elyse Fraser @ 2 seconds; 3; Reta Trotman same time
Series leaders
Senior; Elyse Fraser
Under 19; Georgia Catterick
Master; Tracey Clark
Winning team; Cycle World Fairweather