Bici Vida hunt down the win with Van Uden

Nov 27th, 09.  New kiwi team Bici Vida with new team members and a brand new kit wanted to make their mark in last night's Taupo street race.  They didn't disappoint.

Bici Vida hunt down Gordon McCauley ©Roadcycling.co.nz

The only thing disappointing about the men's street race was the size of the field.  With over 70 elite men signed up for Saturday's road race, it was surprising only 17 entered Friday's Elite Street Race.

Those who did make the effort gave the large crowd plenty of excitement over the 30min plus three laps around the streets of Taupo.

The fireworks started early with attack after attack on the one minute laps.  Subway Avanti's Gordon McCauley and Bici Vida's Patrick Bevin were the first to create a promising break.

The race then turned into a cat and mouse affair with riders jumping off the front only to be caught just as quickly.  In the first half it looked to be McCauley versus Bici Vida as the NZ Road Champion continuously applied the pressure out front, each time with a different Bici Vida rider.

However, Bici Vida, who had a sizeable team in the race, seemed to be in control sitting on the front of the group setting the speed of the pack.  They chased McCauley down to get their own riders in the front break and held things up when it suited them.

Mike Northey, who was the only KiwiVelo rider and one of the favourites for the race, said it was hard to do anything with Bici Vida controlling things.  He decided to teamed up with the two Subway riders in an attempt to even things out.  Northey was the main aggressor amongst the rest of the non-Subway/Bici Vida peloton having identified this race as a key goal.

Van Uden and England ©RoadCycling.co.nz

After the hard fought sprint Roman Van Uden took the honours over the line by mere centimetres, enough for a Bici Vida victory.

"I was going to put my arms up as I crossed the line, but I didn't know if I had it.  If I did raise my arms I probably wouldn't have," Van Uden told RoadCycling.co.nz.

Van Uden is one of the latest signings to Team Bici Vida, he raced for Land Rover Orbea in the US season where he won the criterium at the Tour of Gila in a field of superstars including Lance Armstrong and George Hincapie.

Hincapie might not be here in Taupo, but he was represented.  His clothing brand, Hincapie Sports is the new sponsor on the shoulders of Bici Vida.

McCauley told us he knew he was never going to win in a sprint therefore he had to work at creating a winning break.  In the end he said he fancied England's chances against Van Uden rather than his chances against Bevin.  

Julian Dean leads Carl Williams around Taupo ©RoadCycling.co.nz

He was happy to be leaving the race with some sizeable prize money after winning sprint laps along route.

Kiwi Tour de France veteran Julian Dean's sprint focus was getting to the start line on time.  He told RoadCycling.co.nz he got caught up in traffic and only just made it.  

Dean stayed safely in the bunch for much of the street race but with two and a half laps to go he put in a thrilling surge in an attempt to get the bunch back up to the leading duo. 

Tomorrow is the 160km Avanti Classic road race where Bici Vida are promising more of the same fireworks.

"We are going to smash it tommorrow," they said.

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