Bevin wins the tour in the best possible way

Apr 26th, 10.  Going into the final stage criterium of the Cherry Blossom Classic, Kiwi Patrick Bevin held the GC lead by 1m12s.  He not only kept the lead - he won the race!

Bevin started and finished the tour victorious ©Pat Malach, Oregon Cycling Action

He opened the US four stage tour with a win, and closed it with a win.  If there was any doubt 18 year old Bevin has a huge future in cycling, then this tour will have settled things.

"Won the crit for good measure!!" Bevin told RoadCycling.co.nz

The final stage 60min criterium was on a fast, flat rectangular course.  With no real climb or dips, and nice wide roads, the course was expected to be an all out drag race, perfect for fastman Bevin who New Zealand knows is awfully hard to beat when it comes down to those final metres.  

However, this tour proved Bevin isn't just a fastman in the sprint.  His win on Stage 1 was his first solo victory after he shook off his breakaway companion and soloed for 30km to the line.  Incredibly the chasing peloton only caught up 20sec over the last 30km lap!

Stage 2 was a course for the pure climbers.  Both Bevin and Rubicon Orbea teammate Mike Northey described it as a relentless day of 8000 ft of climbing.

Fortunately, Bevin came prepared with his climbing legs.  

He broke free with one rider and together they smashed the rest of the field.  At the end of Stage 2 Bevin was 1m50s clear of his nearest rival on the General Classification.

Today's double stage started with a 13km time trial with an out and back false flat route. Bevin, who was expecting to be suffering after his climbing efforts, finished 4th and kept a 1m12 lead going into the final criterium.

With Northey out of the race due to a crash on Stage 2, and Roman Van Uden not racing this tour due to injury, Bevin didn't have a lot of options for support.  He only had two teammates, including US based Kiwi Aaron Tuckerman, but by the looks of the results, it was all he needed.

"For three guys the team rode amazingly well!!" Bevin said.

This isn't the first time the Cherry Blossom Classic in Oregon has had a Kiwi on the podium.  Last year Van Uden won the criterium and Jeremy Vennell (Bissell Pro Cycling) finished 2nd overall.

Next up for Bevin and the Rubicon Orbea team is the Tour of the Gila where Bevin will race alongside (in front of) Lance Armstrong, 20 years his senior.

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