Gough goes good in NZ Champion skinsuit

Aug 6th, 11. NZ TT Champion Westley Gough said he was ready to deliver a top result and that is what he did in the opening stage TT at the Tour of Elk Grove, USA.

Gough's time of 8m28s placed him 3rd, 2sec behind Karl Menzies (United Healthcare) and 2nd placed Tom Zirbel (Jamis Sutter Home).

With no time trial races on the NZ summer racing calendar, today was the first time Gough (Subway Pro Cycling) has raced in the black and white NZ Champion skinsuit after winning the title back in January.

In the lead up to today's race he said he was expecting to put on a good performance, one which he hoped would get him a top result.

By the time the 23 year old was midway around the 7.2km course, the leader of the competition was Rory Sutherland of United Healthcare. By fractions of a second, Gough nudged him out of the race hotseat.

Unfortunately, Gough did not get to sit there for too long as Zirbel, the 2008 and 2009 winner of this stage, took the lead a few riders later. In the end it was the last rider on the course who ended up with the fastest time, Menzies from Australia.

Gough wanted to do the NZ champion skinsuit proud - and he did with this podium performance.

Last year's time trial winner at this event, Peter Latham (was Bissell, now Subway) is currently racing in Europe and therefore not able to defend his title.

Jeremy Vennell (Bissell Pro Cycling), the 2009 NZ TT Champion, placed another Kiwi in the Top 10 with his 10th place.

Today's women's time trial was won by Canadian Anne Samblonius, from team NOW and Novartis for MS Cycling. NZ's Rushlee Buchanan (Colavita) placed 10th and Jo Kiesanowski (Tibco) 12th.

The Tour of Elk Grove, in the greater Chicago area, continues tomorrow with a 156km road race and finishes with a circuit race the following day.

Results

• Men's results - opens to offiical event website
• Women's results - opens to offiical event website