Subway Pro Cycling team focused on strong start to year

Subway Pro Cycling team focused on strong start to year at elite nationals
Media release 6 January 2011

The Subway Pro Cycling team are focused on starting 2011 strongly with a new look team when the RaboDirect New Zealand Road Cycling Championships start in Christchurch tomorrow.

The new team has a good balance of youth and experience which includes medal winning Olympic and Commonwealth Games riders and Team Manager for the Championships Graeme Miller said it was vital to build a strong sense of ‘team’ right from the first event of the year.

“It (the New Zealand Road Cycling Championships) is the most important one day race in New Zealand. We have some awesome talent in the team and we’ll find out where everybody is at as we plan to excel working as a good team unit, not only at this event, but for the whole year.”

“We’ll have strength in numbers and so long as we don’t ride as individuals, we look after each other – especially up the hill – and ride smart I’m hoping we’ll have a group of riders still together at the business end of the race.”

“It’s a proven fact that a good team is better than a good rider,” Miller said.

The Subway Pro Cycling Team’s new signings for this year are Olympic medallist Wesley Gough, Commonwealth Games and World Championship medallist Pete Latham, Commonwealth Games medallist Jason Allen, exciting young talent Thomas Hubbard and the very experienced Paul Odlin.

Returning riders are Nick Lovegrove, Matt Gorter, Sam Hogan, Ian Smallman and former World Champion track cyclist Hayden Godfrey.

Miller said Gough and Latham were both good chances in tomorrow’s elite time trial. Gough was third quickest in the time trial last year. Allen, Horgan, Lovegrove and Odlin are also strong time trailers.

“The guys have all prepared well and it will come down to who has the best legs on the day, for the time trial and for the road race.”

The championships begin tomorrow with the time trial at Lincoln before the 123 kilometre women’s road race on Saturday and the 187 kilometre men’s race on Sunday which includes a tough climb up into the Cashmere Hills which riders will do 11 times.

The Subway Pro Cycling team for the RaboDirect New Zealand Road Cycling Championships is:
Elite men’s 40km time trial; Nick Lovegrove, Westley Gough, Peter Latham, Paul Odlin, Sam Horgan and Jason Allen.
Elite men’s 18 7km road race; Lovegrove, Gough, Latham, Odlin, Horgan, Allen, Matt Gorter and Ian Smallman.
Under 23 road race; Thomas Hubbard.

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