SUBWAY® Pro Cycling still focused on stage win at Tour of Southland

The SUBWAY® Pro Cycling Team is still focused on a stage win at the Powernet Tour of Southland with one day and two stages remaining.

The forecast for today’s racing could not have been much worst but riders did not have to face too much of the predicted rain, hail and snow but did get hit by severe cross winds that blew the field apart.

“It was a typically hard Southland day,” SUBWAY® Pro Cycling General Manager Hayden Godfrey said.

“It was good honest racing and there was nowhere to hide. It really sorted out the strong guys from the weaker riders. With one day remaining we are still focused on getting a stage win.”

SUBWAY® Pro Cycling has come close to the top step of the podium on three occasions, with Paul Odlin finishing second twice and Nick Lovegrove once.

“We’ve been so close but with a number of very good time trailers in the team we have confidence in getting a result in the individual time trial tomorrow,” Godfrey said.

SUBWAY® Pro Cycling’s Westley Gough gets to wear his National Champion Time Trial skin suit for the first time in New Zealand in tomorrow’s 13 kilometre time trial.

“It’s a bit different doing a time trial at the end of a tour, but the strong riders should still come through,” Gough said.

“At this stage it’s all about recovery and who has the best legs on the day.”
SUBWAY® Pro Cycling was represented in the break at the front of the race by Paul Odlin, who retained a position inside the top 10, and Sam Horgan.

Tim Gudsell (Pure Black Racing) won today’s 167 kilometre stage from Invercargill through Eastern Southland and Northern Southland before finishing in Gore, and moved into second overall. Race leader Josh Atkins stayed in the leader’s Yellow jersey.

Notes
• The Harcourts Sprint Ace Jersey stays with Gordon McCauley (Barry Stewart Builders-GMC Coaching)
• The HydraLink-Jesco King of the Mountain jersey stays with Joe Chapman (Creation Signs – L&M Group Racing)
• The Cooperative Bank Under 23 Jersey is lead by Josh Atkins (PowerNet)
• The PowerNet Leaders Jersey goes to Josh Atkins (PowerNet)
• Tomorrow’s 13km TT starts and finished in the main Street of Winton, getting underway at 10am.
• The final stage 8 of 87 kms starts at 1.30pm outside the Central Southland Lodge (Middle Pub), Main Street, Winton and finished about 3.30 pm on Gala Street, Invercargill.
• For more information about the Powernet Tour of Southland see www.tourofsouthland.com