Invercargill physiotherapist Gabby Vermunt claimed the biggest win of her career when she won the national women's club road title near Nelson yesterday.
Vermunt, who broke away with Nelson's Karen Fulton for 90km, cleared out on the final lap to claim the title, upsetting the favourites including time trial winner Bronwen Frazer, of Star and Garter Tasman, and defending champion Serena Sheridan, of Ramblers.
It proved a master stroke for Vermunt, who went into the 128km race wanting to get a break on the greyhounds in the pack.
"I wanted to get away and I knew Karen would want to be in a break," she said.
Fulton finished nearly one minute behind in second, with her Star and Garter Tasman club-mate Lana King sprinting clear of the pack to claim third.
• Wakatipu rider Sophie Williamson won the under-17 time trial earlier in the week.
She pipped Cycling Otago's Alysha Keith by 13 seconds.
Keith also got herself into a prime position during Thursday's road race.
She was in a leading bunch of about 10 riders but crashed after she rode over some stock effluent on a downhill section of the course.
Williamson was also involved in the accident.
Both riders were not badly hurt and got back on their bikes to finish the race.
Otago's Alex McGregor finished second in the under-23 time trial in 52min 24sec.
