Latham grabs open stage cycling win in USA

Commonwealth Games hopeful Peter Latham continued the recent success on the roads of North America for New Zealand cyclists today.

The Te Awamutu cyclist has won the opening time trial stage of the Tour of Elk Grove near Chicago, edging out 2007 champion Mike Friedman by less than 2/10ths of a second over the 7.2km test.

Latham, riding for Team Bissell, hopes to be named this week in the New Zealand team for October’s Commonwealth Games where he would swap the road for his more accustomed role in the team pursuit squad on the track although could be called on to also cover for the road race.

The win in the three-stage Classic was his first in the National Road Championship series.

“I’ve been close a few times but didn’t know how I would do today. Getting the top placing is nice and it’s nice to get a win for the team,” Latham said.

“I think it is the cat’s whisker between the top 10 guys. The GC is wide open with two hard days of racing to come but it is certainly nice to start off on the right foot.”

Latham was lured to success in the test that also carried a US$10,000 prizemoney bonus.

“The money is a bonus and it is nice to get across the line first but we want to win the
overall race.”

Fellow kiwi and Bissell team-mate Jeremy Vennell with other New Zealanders including Taupo’s Patrick Bevin (Bissell) 12 seconds back in 18th, Waimate’s Heath Blackgrove (Hotel San Jose) 24th and his team-mate Logan Hutchings (Papamoa) in 56th spot, 36 seconds behind Latham.

Tomorrow’s second stage is a 155km circuit race over a technical course.

Meanwhile across the Atlantic Blenheim teenager Richard Anderson grabbed his first top 10 finish at World Cup level in the junior race at the last round of the UCI World Cup mountain bike crosscountry in Val di Sole in Italy.

Anderson, in his first venture in to the cross country mountain bike stronghold of Europe, finished an impressive seventh, only 2min 42sec from the winner Jens Schuermans (BEL).

Anderson was 12th last month in the last round at Champery (FRA) and won the junior title at the Swiss Bike Trophy in June.

Beijing Olympian Rosara Joseph was 42nd in the elite women’s race just ahead of fellow kiwi Samara Shepperd while Dirk Peters was 96th in the elite men’s race.

Results, Tour of Elk Grove, Chicago, Stage 1 7.2km time trial:

Peter Latham (NZL, Team Bissell) 8:32.56, 1; Michael Friedman (Jelly Belly at 0.19s, 2; Jeremy Vennell (NZL, Bissell) at 1.31s, 3. Other New Zealanders: Patrick Bevin (Bissell) at 12.03s, 18; Heath Blackgrove (Hotel San Jose) at 16.74, 24; Logan Huchings (Hotel San Jose) at 36.41, 56.

UCI World Cup Mountain Bike cross country, Val di Sole, Italy:

Junior elite: Jen Schuermans (BEL) 1:15.56, 1; Maximilian Vieider (ITA) at 33s, 2; Jeff Luyten (BEL) at 1:15, 3. Also: Richard Anderson (NZL) at 2:42, 7.