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| Meshy Holt aces top field for 3rd TT title |
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Holt powers to triple time trial victory ©RoadCycling.co.nz
It is the third year in a row Holt has won this title. However, she said today's win was her best.
"I am happy to win, because the field is the strongest it has ever been and it's an honour to be on the podium," Holt told RoadCycling.co.nz.
"I was pretty happy to be on there. I've been riding well and it's nice to know that if you do the hard work, it pays off."
Holt, the 2009 Road and Time Trial Champion, had been focused on her defence of the time trial title and had been working with David Bowden on her aerodynamic position.
"On a flat course like this you need to be on the fastest position you possibly can be. And I think I was there. Yes, the aerodymanics worked out absolutely. David did a good job of getting me into a fast position, and it was crucial today."
Holt said on the way out she felt comfortable riding into the wind but on the way back, while hitting a speed of 60km/h, she said she ran out of gears and her cadence, or leg revolutions per minute, was therefore too high.
"You can't push the best power at that speed, you are going so fast you just have to keep the momentum going. Coming back was the hardest, for me. I just ran out of gears at the end there."
Meshy Holt flanked by Shanks and Villumsen ©RoadCycling.co.nz
The Athens Olympian is hopeful her performance will give her a good chance of selection for the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi later in the year.
"I really hope so. Today was not my best performance yet. I think there's still more left in the tank."
Shanks honours HoltSecond placed Alison Shanks paid respects to Holt's great ride today.
"It was a fantastic ride by Meshy, she smacked a whole minute into us, so I was never going to catch her," she said. "But you have to be happy with second."
Shanks said today's flat course meant the race was all about keeping concentration high and keeping the power output up.
"So much is about keeping the mind focused for the whole race," said Shanks who noted the wind was a factor with gaps in the hedges buffetting her and the other women with crosswinds.
"On the way out it was a slog, 53x19. On the way back, especially into the final straight, I was pushing the 53x12."
Shanks isn't racing Sunday's road race, the 3km pursuit specialist said today's 25km was long enough. "No way I am doing 180km," she said.
Holt on the benefit of being an IronwomanHolt, the former European-based professional, has been mixing cycling with triathlon in recent years, competing in the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii last year and winning the Taupo Half Ironman a couple of weeks ago.
Holt said her involvement in Ironman racing has been a real benefit for her performance in time trials.
"After all that is what the Ironman is on the bike – it's an individual time trial. The other thing is that the cross training with the swimming and running keeps me fresh and also gives me really good fitness."
Double defence for HoltHolt also starts tomorrow's road race circuit as the defending champion. Although the time trial was her focus, with it now out of the way she is ready to concentrate on the road race. "Have you seen the hill? It's ridiculous! I have got no idea what is going to happen tomorrow. I just don't know," said Holt who hasn't ridden the course and in particular the climb up Dyers Pass Road.
"I drove it in the car and they do say that it's worse in the car than on the bike, so I am going with that and hope that it's significantly better than in the car," she said. After eight times up the climb tomorrow she'll know for herself how hard it is.
"It's going to be a real race of attrition. I will hang in there as long as possible and then we will see what the options are on that last lap," Holt said.
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