Apr 17th, 10.

Dan Waluzewski takes the victory to make three titles in Wellington ©RoadCycling.co.nz

Waluszewski finished his successful comeback season taking the Wellington Centre 120km Road Race Championships today.

He has previously raced with two of New Zealand's top teams but the almost 24 year old put his cycling to the side for two years while he was at police training college.

Today's title completes a remarkable Wellington region trifecta.  Proving his versatility, Waluszewski also won the Wellington 40km time trial title last week, and the criterium title earlier in the season.

"This race was a focus since I had the criterium and the time trial title and I just wanted to make the triple. It was a personal goal of mine," Waluszewski told RoadCycling.co.nz after the race.

During the race a number of breaks started but the small peloton always managed to drag the leaders back on the three 40km laps of the flat Whitemans Valley course.

"In the race there probably were only five contenders who could have won today.  I knew it was going to be a sprint with one lap to go, so I tried to save my legs, and it worked out," he said.

Peter Latham and Dan Walusewski working together mid race ©RoadCycling.co.nz

As the peloton came around the final corner and lined up for the sprint, Peter Latham (Bissell Pro Cycling) took position on the front of the peloton and gave a fast leadout for Waluszewski.

Latham, a visitor at these championships, is in Wellington until Saturday when he returns to the US for a busy few weeks buildup before he rides the Amgen Tour of California.

"I had a word to Peter Latham, and asked him to lead it out so we could get some decent speed and stop guys getting away. And it worked out perfectly," Waluszewski said.

"He knew what to do, and I just had to take care of the rest."

Waluszewski is now hanging up his bike for awhile with this being his last race of the summer season. He is now resetting his 2010 goals on a bigger prize, the New Zealand Criterium title held later in the year.   

It's unlikely Waluszewski will get a lead out from Latham in that race - Latham is the defending criterium champion.

"It's definitely a big goal of mine, the NZ Crit Champs," Walusewski said.

Walusewski races for the 1st season team Mico All About Plumbing Cycling Team and was getting support on the road from team manager Stephen Elden today.

Elden was happy his new recruit was able to complete his year with this win.

"It was great to see Dan take it out. It was one of his targets for the year. He set it down, and he wanted to take it, so I'm really happy for him, and happy to have him back training and racing. And of course, happy to have him in our colours," said Elden.

Wellington Centre Champs

Masters 3,4 and 5 on course with Jonathan Hales leading the bunch ©RoadCycling.co.nz

Depending on the grade, racing distances ranged from one to three laps of a 25km or 40km circuit over the Whitemans Valley Course.  

Different grades tried different tactics as the riders made their way around the valley floor.

In the Masters 3,4,5 race (raced together) the peloton took a fairly leisurely ride, with all riders targeting, and achieving, a glamour sprint at the end.

On the other hand, in the Senior Women's category the pace was kept high by Emma Crum and Tracey Best, both from Team Cyclosport. The two riders eventually dropped the remainder of their group and team time trialled to the finish, with Crum taking the line honours on the slightly uphill finish.

Provisional Results

• Senior – Emma Crum (1), Tracey Best (2)
• U15 - TBA
• U19 - TBA 
• Master 1 – Sherilyn Gray (1)
• Master 2 – Tania Larkin (1)
• Master 3 - TBA
• Master 5 – Jackie Drury (1)

• Open Men – Dan Waluszewski (1), Brent Backhouse (2), Craig Lawn (3)
• U15 - Ollie Jones (1), Jed McDermott (2), Ari Evans (3)
• U17 - Vaughn Pretorious (1), Charles Salmon (2), Angus Swartz (3)
• U19 - Finlay Brazier (1), Keegan McCauley (2), Luke McDermott (3)
• U23 – Daniel Parkinson (1), Nick Phillips (2)
• Master 1 – Steve Pyne (1), Darren Gordon (2), Blair Leslie (3)
• Master 2 - TBA
• Master 3 – Richard Sutton (1), Peter Mitchell (2)
• Master 4 – Kevin McCormack (1), David Robertson (2), Malcolm Allan (3)
• Master 5 - TBA
• Master 6 – John Chesmar (1), Rex Dowding (2), Douglas Bevege (3)

Thanks to Vaughn Pretorious for the U15, U17, and U19 results.