New Zealand cyclists on the podium around the world

New Zealand cyclists were on the podium on both sides of the Atlantic in outstanding performances over the weekend.

Beijing Olympians Greg Henderson and Joanne Kiesanowski both finished second at the Philadelphia Championship today while mountainbiker Sam Blenkinsop placed third in the latest round of the UCI World Cup downhill in Scotland.

Henderson (Dunedin), who won a stage in the Tour of Catalunya in Spain last month, finished second behind Columbia-Highroad team-mate Andre Greipel in the bunch sprint at the high profile 251km race.

Their team controlled the race to swallow up the last of the breakaways with just 11km remaining with Henderson given the job as the final lead-out for his German team-mate, Greipel. He did so to perfection with enough speed to hang on for second place.

Next best of the New Zealanders was Henderson’s Olympic team-mate Peter Latham (Team Bissell) who finished in the peleton in 34th place.

Meanwhile Kiesanowski (Christchurch) was part of a 12-strong breakaway along with fellow Beijing Olympian Catherine Cheatley in the 93km women’s criterium held in conjunction with the men’s race.

The Columbia-Highroad team made it a double when they pushed four riders into the breakaway to control the race, and set up key sprinter Ina Teutenberg for the final sprint as she grabbed her third win in four years at the event.

She just edged Kiesanowski who produced a superb sprint to get within a wheel of the winner, while Cheatley followed up her outstanding sixth in the World Cup last week in Canada in finishing fifth in the sprint two lengths behind her compatriot.

Across the Atlantic, Blenkinsop (Wanganui) finished a superb third in the downhill World Cup at Fort William in Scotland, finished close behind defending champion Greg Minnaar (South Africa) and two-time world champion Sam Hill (Australia).

Christchurch rider Justin Leov, who crashed out in the qualifying run, set a superb time of 4:48.33 to grab the early lead which was not bettered until late in the competition.

Hill, who had qualified sixth fastest, went to the top of the table with a strong 4:40.44 with Blenkinsop (Yeti Fox Shox) producing a superb run to come within 1.5 seconds of the Australian. Second qualifier Minnaar made the winning run to claim the title in 4:38.98 with the Wanganui rider finishing third only 2.8s behind the winner.

Blenkinsop now moves to sixth on the World Cup standings with Leov seventh.

Results:

Liberty Classic, Philadelphia, 93km: Ina Teutenberg (GER, Team Columbia-Highroad) 2.22.33, 1; Joanne Kiesanowski (NZL, Team TIBCO) same time,2; Shelley Olds (USA, PROMAN Hit Squad) at 1 sec, 3; Trixi Worrack (GER, Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung)at 1 sec, 4; Catherine Cheatley (NZL, Colavita Sutter Homes) at 1 sec, 5.

Other New Zealanders: Toni Bradshaw (Team Lip Smacker) at 33sec, 24; Malindi Maclean (Jazz Apple) at 2:24, 49; Lauren Ellis (Jazz Apple) at 2.32, 69; Dale Tye (Altarum Women's Cycling Team) dnf; Marina Duvnjak (Jazz Apple) dnf.

Philadelphia International Championship, 251km:

Andre Greipel (GER, Team Columbia – Highroad) 6:24.04, 1; Greg Henderson (NZL, Team Columbia – Highroad) same time, 2; Kirk O'Bee (USA, Bissell Pro Cycling) at 1 sec, 3.

Other New Zealanders: Peter Latham (Bissell Pro Cycling)at 8sec, 34; Roman Uden (Land Rover-ORBEA) at 9:35, 90; Aaron Tuckerman (Land Rover-ORBEA) at 12:38, 101; Jeremy Vennell (Bissell Pro Cycling, Logan Hunn (Land Rover-ORBEA) and Mike Northey (Land Rover-ORBEA) all dnf.

UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Downhill, Fort William, Scotland:

Greg Minnaar (RSA) Santa Cruz Syndicate 4.38.98, 1; Samuel Hill (Aus) Monster Energy Specialized at 1.45 behind, 2; Samuel Blenkinsop (NZl) Yeti Fox Shox at 2.87, 3.

Other New Zealanders: Justin Leov (Trek World Racing) at 9.35, 11; Brook Macdonald (Ancillotti Doganaccia) at 13.56, 25; Aari Barrett at 20.12, 46; Wyn Masters at 22.83, 59; Cameron Cole at 26.58, 9; Matthew Scoles dnf.