Kiwi Cyclists Prominent in China World Cup Road Race

Waikato cyclists Emma Petersen and Melissa Holt led the New Zealand team with top-10 finishes in the UCI World Cup round on China’s Chongming Island yesterday.

Petersen (Te Awamutu) and Holt (Cambridge) were eighth and ninth respectively in the 138.6km race, won by German star Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (HTC Columbia) who outsprinted the bunch.

It completed a brilliant week for the HTC-Columbia rider who won overall classification in the Tour of Chongming that finished at the weekend.

The New Zealanders got into the break during a difficult day with strong crosswinds and torrential rain throughout, although it ended in a sprint with the last escape caught only 150m from the finish.

Holt and Petersen were in the sprint, recording the same time as the winner to mark an excellent performance in trying conditions.

Olympian Catherine Cheatley was the best of the kiwi team, finishing 12th overall, just 42 seconds behind the winner in the three day Tour of Chongming.

She was 10th in the opening day 72km stage to Chongbei, 18th in the bunch sprint over 80kms to Chingxi and 10th in the final stage of 80kms to Chongming.

Teutenberg claimed victory in a seven woman sprint to win the final stage, and overall classification. Like the general classification race the third stage’s sprint was a tight battle between Teutenberg and the Dutch rider Wild.

Tour of Chongming Overall classification: Ina Tuetenberg (GER) HTC Columbia, 5:40.43, 1; Kirsten Wild (NED) Cervelo, at 4 secs, 2; Rochelle Gilmore (AUS) Australia, at 27 sec, 3. New Zealanders: Catherine Cheatley at 42 secs, 12; Rachel Mercer same time, 24; Emma Petersen same time, 25; Toni Bradshaw same time, 47; Courteney Lowe at 54 secs, 70; Melissa Holt at 1m 34s, 84.

Chongming Island World Cup, 138.6km: Tuetenberg 3:30.17, 1; Wild same time, 2; Gilmore same time, 3. New Zealanders: Petersen same time, 8; Holt same time, 9; Mercer same time, 26; Bradshaw same time 29; Love at 12 secs, 63; Cheatley dnf.