History will be created for New Zealand cycling with a record 16 kiwis and the first UCI Pro Team comprising all kiwis will compete in a World Tour race in Australia today.

The kiwi contingent will compete in the eighth Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race which starts and finishes in Geelong on Sunday, raced over 176km scenic roads, rolling hills, technical corners and pinchy climbs, which since 2017 was an official WorldTour race.

The New Zealanders in the men’s race compete for eight teams, and features the first appearance for Bolton Equities Black Spoke Pro Cycling as a UCI Pro Team in a UCI WorldTour event.

The riders comprise Shane Archbold (BORA – Hansgrohe), Tom Scully (EF Education-EasyPost), Dion Smith (Intermarche-Circus-Wanty), George Bennett, Finn Fisher-Black, Michael Vink (all UAE Team Emirates), Patrick Bevin (Team DSM), Corbin Strong (Israel-Premier Tech), Campbell Stewart (Team Jayco AlUla), and James Fouche, James Oram, Logan Currie, Luke Mudgway, Tom Sexton, George Jackson, Aaron Gate (Bolton Equities Black Spoke Pro Cycling).

Saturday saw the women’s race over 141km won by Loes Adegeest (FDJ Suez) in a sprint finish over Amanda Spratt and ahead of a 14-strong peloton that included New Zealand riders Henrietta Christie (Human Powered Health) and Georgia Williams (EF Education TIBCO) in an impressive 6th and 8th places respectively.