Aaron Gate followed up Burgos BH's road season with an impressive performance at the New Zealand Classic. The sea racer achieved his third sprint victory in the fourth stage of the race and remains a leader thanks to the bonus. On this occasion he unexpectedly fell in the final to his teammate and national team member George Jackson. Kate maintained her sprint and was able to take another win in the yellow jersey.
Two purple runners were again the protagonists of the race on this new day heading to Carterton. Jackson tested it early in the experiment, entering a small gap that didn't go very far. Kate was always at the front of the peloton, controlling the race directly and looking for a sprint decision. Although it wasn't his goal, he added another win and moved up to second place overall by 24 seconds.
Aaron Gate: “It was a bittersweet win. We wanted to get George ready for the sprint and unfortunately he fell. I was lucky to be able to turn off the curve when I tried to throw it. No one else was able to get close, so luckily it was an extra win for the boys. George will rest and if he recovers tomorrow I also hope to get a chance to win on stage.
The race concludes this Sunday with a fast lap through the streets of New Zealand's capital, Wellington. Runners will do about thirty laps of an urban route at just 1.6 kilometers per hour. The first part of the race consists of up to three bonus sprints in which Kate must be careful to protect the lead. After that, Jackson will try to fight for a stage win in his hometown.
“Typical beer advocate. Future teen idol. Unapologetic tv practitioner. Music trailblazer.”
More Stories
Australia and New Zealand 2023 stadiums receive sustainable construction certification
New Zealand is revolutionizing gymnasts' equipment
Canoeing queen Carrington wants to add to New Zealand's record at the Paris Games