Wollaston, Fisher-Black lead kiwi performers
Cycling New Zealand riders continue to shine around the world over the weekend.
On the road, Ally Wollaston continues her outstanding form with her first professional victory in the Grand Prix du Morbihan Feminin in France.
Riding for her AG Insurance-NXTG pro team, the Cycling New Zealand high performance rider outsprinted FDJ’s Victoria Guazzini to claim the honours in the category 1.1 one day race over 102kms.
The FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine pair of Guazzini and Australian Grace Brown were locked in a three-way battle in the sprint finish, but Wollaston had too much kick for her opponents.
In Spain, Niamh Fisher-Black won the young rider category in the new UCI Women’s World Tour event, the Itzulia Women stage race in the Basque Country.
Niamh rode for her Team SC Worx in support of her teammate Demi Vollering, who claimed the General Classification victory. The 21-year-old finished seventh on GC and fifth on Points to lead a kiwi contingent that included Mikayla Harvey (Canyon SRAM) 25th and Georgia Williams (Bike Exchange Jayco) 36th.
In the Czech Republic, Anton Cooper finished fourth in the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup at Nove Mesto Na Morave after a superb ride in the leading group with winner Tom Pidcock and superstar Nino Schurter.
Of the other kiwis, Ben Oliver was 58th, Sam Shaw 92nd and Sam Gaze dnf, as did Anna Bristow in the elite women. Earlier in the U23 race, Matt Wilson led the kiwis in 42nd, Cameron Jones in 60th and Caleb Bottchier 72nd from the 161 starters.
Across the Atlantic, Nick Kergozou won the silver medal in the men’s 1000m time trial at the UCI Nations Cup in Milton, Canada.
Kergozou was sixth fastest in qualifying but turned up the head in the final with a 1:01.105 to finish second, just 0.4s behind the winner Chenxi Xue from China.
Teammate Jordan Kerby was fourth in the men’s 4000m individual pursuit. He qualified third fastest in 4:13.486 but was edged by Australian James Moriarty in the ride-off for third.
Earlier the young New Zealand quartet finished fourth in the Team Pursuit, edged by Germany in the bronze ride.
Photo: Ally Wollaston wins the Grand Prix du Morbihan Feminin.