Super solo effort produces stage win

• Published date: 04 November 2021
• Publication title: Southland Express

The Mike Greer Homes-Circuit Asphalt rider, broke away with more than half of the 142km stage from Riverton to Te Anau still remaining and managed to hold off the chasing pack comfortably into the lakefront finish.

“It was a long day. It was a bit windy to start with and we knew the cross winds were going to be along the coast,” Pithie, who started the day almost seven minutes behind tour leader Michael Vink, said.

“It was actually pretty calm for the first 25km and I thought the initial break was just going to go away but on one of the climbs, one of the Black Spoke boys put it in the gutter and it split the peloton. We rode up to the break away and no-one was really working so I decided I’d give it a nudge and try and get a gap over Blackmount.”

Pithie led by as much as six minutes as he headed over the Blackmount hill climb and went on to a 1min 20sec win from Campbell Stewart and Sam Ritchie.

“They all kind of sat up and it ended up being a long day out front by myself. I knew it was meant to be tailwind through to the lake so I knew I was a shot, but it was a tough day and I’m really happy to take the win.”

Winning a stage on New Zealand’s most prestigious bike race was a special achievement, Pithie said.

“It means a lot. It’s my fifth time doing the tour and I’ve never really come close to winning a stage. This year I knew I could be in with a shout because I’ve been in good form after coming back from Europe a few months ago. I was really happy to take this one today.”

Vink (Transport Engineering Southland-Talley’s) had a relaxed finish protected by his team-mates in the main bunch and retained the yellow jersey heading into yesterday’s 108km stage from Mossburn to...