Nelson professional Niamh Fisher-Black has won the UCI under-23 road world championship title in Wollongong, Australia today.
The 22-year-old has finished 12th in the combined elite and under-23 road race over 164kms, in a select peloton just one second behind winner Annemiek van Vleuten (NED).
Fisher-Black was the only under-23 rider in that group to claim the rainbow jersey, after being ranked top under-23 rider on the WorldTour last year.
She is the first New Zealand female to win a road race world championship title, with Linda Villumsen winning the time trial in 2015.
Fisher-Black, a professional with SD Worx, is a noted climber and road strongly in the peloton which was gradually reduced over the demanding hills at Wollongong.
Caption: Niamh Fisher-Black on the podium in Wollongong. (Credit: Casey Gibson).