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EsCiclismo.com · Road Racing · 01/14/2024
Aaron Gade (Team New Zealand) took the final victory in the New Zealand Classic, a UCI 2.2 category race. With this victory, Kate entered the event's history books and became only the fourth cyclist to win the title more than once.
Kate was patient on today's stage on a circuit run through the streets of Wellington city centre. Braving strong winds and cheered on by a cheering crowd, Kate won the fifth and final stage in a thrilling final run. Thomas Sexton (St George's Continental) was second and Bailey O'Donnell (Oxford Edge) third.
The cyclist described today's race as very eventful. “It was a very busy day… I wanted one of my team-mates to win in this last stage and in the last corners I had Kian (Watts) on my wheel. He was shouting at me to let go! I turned around and saw that he wasn't “I picked up the pace. I knew I had to, because who else would pass me by,” Kate explained.
Cade, a multiple Commonwealth Games gold medalist and reigning world track champion, was named a finalist for the Hallberg Prize this week, receiving the yellow jersey from race director Jorge Sandoval to cap off a week of absolute dominance. It was his fourth stage win at this year's event, racing in the black and white colors of the New Zealand national team. His teammate Kian Watts won the second stage at Martinborough.
Despite the consistency of the New Zealand national team at the event, the best team in the qualifiers went to the Australian Bridgelane team.
Whanganui rider Finnegan Murphy (Southern Cross) held his own today to retain the top junior jersey; Australian Liam White (CCACHE x PAR KUP) retained the mountain jersey and Craig Oliver (MitoQ New Zealand Cycle Project) who continued to lead today's lap was awarded the warrior prize.
Bailey O'Donnell, who won all three intermediate sprints today, retained the sprint ace jersey.
After the race, Kate thanked the crowds who lined Lambton Quay in Wellington. “It was incredible out there today… I honestly want to give Wellington a big round of applause for being there,” he enthused.
George Sandoval, director of the New Zealand Classic, noted that Kate became only the fourth person in the history of the race to win more than once. Brian Fowler held Sandoval's winning streak from 1989 to 1992; Rick Reed did it in 1994 and 1996, and Hayden Roulston did it in 2006 and 2007. Kate had previously won the round in 2019.
New Zealand Classic Qualifiers 2024 – Stage 5
Classification of Phase 5:
1. Aaron Gade (NZL/New Zealand Sel.) – 1:08:17
2. Tom Sexton (NZL/St George) – mt
3. Bailey O'Donnell (NZL/Oxford Edge Cycling) – mt
4. Elliott Schultz (AUS/BridgeLane) – mt
5. Bentley Niquet-Olden (AUS/Ccacha x Par Kp) – mt
6. Kurt Ether (AUS/Ccacha x Par Kp) – mt
7. Daigi Makozaki (JPN/Kinan Racing) – mt
8. Ollie Jones (NZL/Southern Cross Racing) – mt
9. Logan Currie (NZL/New Zealand Sel.) – mt
10. Kian Watts (NZL/New Zealand Cell) at 0:04
Final General Classification:
1. Aaron Gade (NZL/New Zealand Cell) at 313:26:11
2. Elliot Schultz (AUS/BridgeLane) at 0:33
3. Ollie Jones (NZL/Southern Cross Racing) in 0:37
4. Logan Currie (NZL/New Zealand Cell) at 0:38
5. Alastair Christie-Johnston (AUS/Ccacha x Par Kp) at 0:49
6. Boris Clarke (NZL/St George) at 0:50
7. Josh Burnett (NZL/MitoQ-NZ Cycling Programme) at 0:50
8. Finnegan Murphy (NZL/Southern Cross Racing) at 0:50
9. Drew Morey (AUS/ Kinan Racing) at 1:01
10. Cameron Beaumont (NZL/Ibuilt Racing) at 1:02
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