Torckler, Boyd Take Cycling Victories in Taupo Race

PureBlack Racing’s Michael Torckler handled the tough conditions best in a solo win at the Contact Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge on Saturday.

Strong winds made for a tough 160km race, with over half of the field being dropped in the first 10km.

Torckler was involved in the decisive break that caught early leaders Sam Horgan (Subway Pro Cycling) and Mike Northey (PureBlack Racing) at 60 km mark.

The 11-man break including Torckler’s teammates Alex Ray and Taylor Gunman, and Subway Pro Cycling’s Nick Lovegrove and Horgan established a five minute lead.

Torckler made a break with 80kms still remaining in a gutsy move before Wellington’s Joseph Cooper bridged to the leader. However Torckler attacked again up the tough Hautepe Hill with Cooper unable to respond.

“It was a really strong headwind and they guys weren’t that motivated to work together, so I attacked on the climb with 80 kms to go,” said Torckler. “After I attacked again up Hautepe, the wind was blowing me around a wee bit when I was solo. It was worst in the last three kms.”

Torckler crossed the line over two and a half minutes ahead of PureBlack Racing teammate Mike Northey with Cooper third.

Torckler has recovered well from a serious crash at the beginning of the year, adding the Taupo victory to his win in the K2 Cycle Challenge last month. He is looking ahead to the RaboDirect Elite Road National Championships in Christchurch next month and an international season with Pure Black Racing.

Meanwhile Waiuku’s Kaytee Boyd flew in to Taupo after competing in the Oceania Track Championships in Invercargill to win the elite women’s race.

The BikeNZ pursuit specialist made the decisive move on the Hatepe Hill when she broke clear in a bunch including Sonia Waddell (Cambridge), Mel Burke (Auckland), Emma Crum (Auckland), Keri-Ann Torckler (New Plymouth), and Rita Trotman (Christchurch).

They established a 50 second lead with Boyd showing the benefits of her track strength and speed to out-sprint her rivals for victory over Waddell and Burke. It marked a successful week for Waddell, the former Olympic rower, who won the international regional para-cycling pursuit title with visually-impaired fellow world champion partner Jayne Parsons at Invercargill this week.

RESULTS:
Elite Men, 160km: Michael Torckler (PureBlack Racing) 3.48.53, 1; Mike Northey (PureBlack Racing) 3.51.18, 2; Joseph Cooper (Wellington) 3.51.23, 3.
Elite Women, 100km: Kaytee Boyd (Waiuku) 3.04.38, 1; Sonia Waddell (Cambridge) 3.04.39, 2; Melanie Burke (Auckland) ST, 3.