27 May 2009

Henderson finishes Catalunya Tour with a win

7:25 am on 27 May 2009

The New Zealand cyclist Greg Henderson has won the final stage of the Tour of Catalunya.

Henderson, who rides for the American Columbia-Highroad team, took home the sprint victory on Barcelona's famed Formula One circuit to claim the final stage in what has been quite a successful tour for him after he also finished third in the opening and sixth stages.

Henderson says he didn't know what the last kilometre was like but it turned out the finish was perfect for him, a downhill and then a flat sprint, just like he would do on the track.

He says on Saturday he hit the front way too early, but hit it perfectly in Sunday's win and was lucky enough to hold everybody off.

Spaniard Alejandro Valverde won the tour, while another New Zealander, Hayden Roulston, finished eighth in the sprint classification.