Coming off a month of big miles in the legs and a recent 4th at Taupo Napier I ventured down to the City of Dreams, Invercargill. This year’s Yunca Junior Tour of Southland was a lot like last years, windy. But for most of the racing the weather held off and we got good, summer like conditions. I even got sunburnt which is unheard of in Invercargill! I won this tour last year in the under 17 age group and hoped to step up and win in my first year as an under 19.
Friday
Prologue: This was quite a fun stage in that the course was three laps of the Teratonga race track just south of Invercargill. The 7.8km prologue TT was run in dry but windy conditions which meant the twists and turns of the race track provided head winds, tail winds and a cross wind. It was a solid hit out and I came in 5th, 8seconds down on the U19 yellow jersey of local lad Dillon Bennett.
Saturday
Stage 1, 80km: This stage suited me with its false flats and cross winds and after the small first circuit the stage continued through and did a larger loop which included a nice piece of false flat and a strong right to left wind, which was an ideal launching pad for a break to get away. I put the hammer down and the peloton split up and a lead group of six formed including the yellow. Having the afternoons 80km stage in mind I started to work the other guys, putting in a few attacks and stringing them out in the gutter! After hitting the front a bit soon coming into the sprint I just lead it out and cruised in a comfortable fifth looking forward to creating carnage that afternoon.
Stage 2, 80km: With the yellow jersey still on the back of the local boy, Bennett, and me sitting 8seconds back in fourth overall, I needed to make my move! This stage began from the famous Tuatapere, sited close to the southern coast and known for its atrocious weather. The weather was miraculously alright apart from a nasty crosswind which favoured me. The stage began and 10km’s out of town we hit the first section of cross wind . I thought I would give it a nudge sitting hard on the centreline driving the pace up to the 50’s and gradually squeezing the acid on to hurt the others. This proved to have worked 15km’s later when , after the intermediate sprint, I put in a strong attack and threw it in the gutter. When I saw the group had split I peeled off and started to lap it out with the 4 others who had made the junction. This refined group included the yellow jersey again! The group worked well at the start of the second lap and the gap starting increasing back to the main peloton with time check from the commasaire like 2 minutes 40.... 3minutes 30... With the yellow still in tow I thought I would use the little climb to see if I could shake him. We hit the climb and I took the front gradually increasing the pace and putting pressure on the yellow. I looked around and saw a face of pain which spurred me on to increase the pace even more. This was too much for him and he blew up big time (very happy!!) but there was still three guys left in the break with me so I got back to work .After the second intermediate sprint I put it in the gutter once more with about 10km to go and managed to drop another guy so that left the 3 of us battling it out in the wind. As we approached the finish we got a time check that was quite satisfying, 7minutes 45... Over the yellow who had regained with the main peloton. I smacked it up the finishing straight which led the other two to settle for the minor placings. This stage win put me in yellow with a 1 second lead over fellow breakaway companion Scott Creighton from Hamilton. With Bennett coming in 8 minutes later (happy face!).
Sunday
Stage 3, 30 minute crit: This was the only staged that rained at this year’s tour. The tight inner city criterium mixed with the wet equalled a perfect place to get time back on the second placed Creighton who was hot on my heels 1 second behind. After about 5 laps or so I launched of the front of the peloton to chase down the two who were in the early break. I caught them after a lap or two and began working hard, dropping one of the original escapees. I came into the first corner and my bike slid out from underneath me but I regained control and looked down to discover a rear puncture. After creeping to the finish with a flat tyre I got a wheel and rejoined in the break. We continued to work well and put a tidy 30seconds over the bunch which put me in yellow by 31 seconds. Stoked.
Stage 4, 80Km: This was the final stage of this year’s Yunca Junior Tour of Southland and a stage where I had a jersey to defend. I stayed close to the front and out of trouble rolling through and keeping the pace up. A break went early which lasted 60km so I was relieved when that got pulled in 20km’s from the line. A few late attacks from Creighton had me on my toes but proved to be unsuccessful as I retained the yellow and won the tour!!
This was an awesome Tour which I will be back at next year, trying to win, and make it 3 in a row. I would just like to thank my parents for the plane ticket and all their support. Ollie, Brenda, Dan, Tony and Andy at THE HUB Hastings and Raisey’s Nutrition for their huge support!
Cheers
Fraser Gough
