Amid arguably the strongest group of UCI WorldTour riders, a young journeyman professional from Wanaka, Paul Wright, upset all predictions to claim the Cycling New Zealand men’s elite road national title in Timaru.
Wright, 27, who has moved around some respected UCI Continental professional teams for several years, put all his cards on the table with an emphatic victory in the stern 190km test in South Canterbury.
He formed part of an initial group that opened a lead on the second of eight laps, then into a select seven-strong bunch that worked hard to stay clear as the big guns shaped up to challenge.
However the lead continued to grow out to 1:30 at the 90km mark, and by the sixth lap the lead had split into two select groups with Wright together with 2023 champion George Bennett, fellow World Tour rider and Olympic track medallist Campbell Stewart, rising pro star Logan Currie, Paris Olympian track rider Keegan Hornblow and highly respected road rider and Commonwealth Games MTB medallist Ben Oliver.
The big guns behind were unable to fire any threatening shots on the closing two laps, with the quartet of Wright, Bennett, Currie and Oliver showed the way on the final telling club before Hornblow attacked and Wright speared over top of him.
Once in clear air, Wright held on to win in 4:17.36 impressively with Oliver runner-up nine seconds back and Bennett 25 seconds behind in third.
It proved an outstanding performance from Wright, who has earned some respectable performances as he has moved around several UCI Pro Continental teams. He will be taking the national jersey proudly back to Europe, where he currently riders for Factor Racing, comprising all Slovenians, along with former MTB world champion Henrique Avancini and a proud young kiwi.
“I did some good training behind the moped and the car. I would do a five-hour ride followed by 90 minutes pacing behind the car or moped,” said Wright.
“This means a lot. I needed the win. Halfway through last year I switched up my training, started coaching myself and there were some good signs like in the Tour of Britain before I crashed.
“Today I knew I was good; I just needed some luck. Following George (Bennett) up the climbs a few times – he is one of the best climbers - I knew I had good legs. And if it all went well it was going to finish like that.
“I always feel like the under-dog. I never feel like a favourite. Never have and probably never will. I really can’t believe that I have done it.”
Otago rider James Gardner, the 2024 national criterium champion, claimed the under-23 title. He worked his way into the second group that split off the leading six, comprising mostly under-23 riders.
But it was Gardner who proved strongest, finishing in 4:21.43, to be ninth overall and 55 seconds clear of second placed under-23 rider, Lewis Bower, the Groupama FDJ professional from Auckland, with North Canterbury’s Nate Pringle third.
“Winning the national jersey is something you always dream of when you are a young bloke. I did it as an Under-19 and that was the best feeling of my life. So to do it as an under-23 and on a course that does not necessarily suit me, and execute as I did, then I am thrilled.
“Last year I got a taste of riding in the elite criterium jersey in pro races and now this year I can wear the under-23 road jersey on my back when racing overseas and my local club races in Dunedin for sure.”
It proved an excellent day for the home-grown MitoQ-NZ Cycling Project professional outfit with Oliver, Hornblow and Gardner all performing strongly for the kiwi team.
Result:
Elite men, 190km: Paul Wright (Factor Racing, Wanaka) 4:17.36, 1; Ben Oliver (MitoQ-NZ Cycling Project, Rangiora) at 9s, 2; George Bennett (Israel Premier Tech, Nelson) at 25s, 3; Logan Currie (Lotto, Staveley) at 28s, 4; Keegan Hornblow (MitoQ-NZ Cycling Project, Nelson) at 33s, 5.
Under-23: James Gardner (MitoQ-NZ Cycling Project, Dunedin) 4:21.43, 1; Lewis Bower (Groupama FDJ Conti, Auckland) at 55s, 2; Nate Pringle (Pringle Homes, Leeston) at 1:32, 3.
Credit: Aiman Amerul Muner