Alex Ray out sprints world class field

Dec 6th, 09. New team Bici Vida didn't feature on yesterday's podium but they proved they're still the team to beat when Alex Ray won today's criterium at the Festival of Cycling.

Alex Ray Bici Vida victorious in the criterium. 

© RoadCycling.co.nz

19 year old Ray won ahead of a top New Zealand field at Day 2 of the Armstrong Motor Group Festival of Cycling.

Today's race featured Olympians Marc Ryan and Robin Reid, Track World Gold Medalist Tom Scully, Tour of Southland winner Heath Blackgrove, former World Champion Hayden Godfrey and yesterday's Avanti Long Bay's Classic winner Jack Bauer, amongst others.

The pace was on straight from the gun for the 40min + 2 lap criterium along Christchurch's cafe strip. 

With an expectant crowd looking for action, the local team Benchmark Homes ensured it stayed up the front with James McCoy and Daniel Barry creating early breaks to make the favourites work hard.

Also up the front was Team Bici Vida who, until yesterday, had been on the podium in all their major races. Team member Patrick Bevan, who wasn't racing this weekend due to illness, told RoadCycling.co.nz before the race his pick for the win was teammate Roman Van Uden. 

He said Van Uden is incredibly good at finding gaps where there are none, and pulling through for the win.  That was exactly what he did last weekend to win the criterium at the Taupo Cycle Challenge weekend. 

Roman Van Uden did feature today, finishing in the top 10, but it was his teammate Ray who earned the victory.

"Alex is just so fast.  When he gets in front he's hard to catch and his small frame means you can't get a slipsteam off him," Van Uden said to RoadCycling.co.nz after the race. 

Ray is not only small but he has a low racing style similar to that of the top sprinter in the pro-tour this season - Mark Cavendish, making him even harder to catch.

Hayden Godfrey, current NZ Club Road Champion and former Omnium World Champion, said after the race he had underestimated the Auckland youngster.  He let him through in front of him in the final lap thinking Ray could do some work and he would catch him to take the win. 

After a perfect race from his Subway Avanti teammates, Godfrey was disappointed his miscalculation meant he couldn't deliver the win for the team.

Celebrations on the podium © RoadCycling.co.nz

"It was a different weekend for us.  We had to come into it with a little bit of a different frame of mind. We are not on our home territory and today quite a few of us are sick so we had to take a different approach, a little less aggressive, and just take the opportunities when they came - and they came," Williams said. 

"Roman rode really well, Tom, Taylor all the guys rode a great race."

Ray also acknowledged he wasn't able to do too much work out front today and was sitting back waiting for an opening.

"I was pretty sick yesterday so the plan was to help the guys and try and hang in there. I was going crap at the beginning but managed to get there in the end," he said.

"One of the Subway riders got away down the back, no one was on them, so I jumped up to them, and managed to get around the corner first, and went for it."

Godfrey held on for 2nd with his Subway Avanti teammate Michael Vink 3rd.

Other articles on the Armstrong Motor Group Festival of Cycling, Christchurch 5-6 December.

• Alex Ray out sprints world class field
• Aussie wins Festival of Cycling Criterium
• Favourites win Long Bays Classic
• Long Bays Classic Results
• Bici Vida ready for the Festival
• Festival fever for Subway Avanti's fastman
• Another team joins the revolution
• Rider list for Elite criterium
• Rider list for Elite Road Race
• Track stars sign for Festival of Cycling
• Team Carbon Zero gear up for debut
• Home advantage for Benchmark Homes Team
• Bauer keen on Festival of Cycling criterium
• Southland winner heads to Festival of Cycling