5 Nov 2009

New leader in Tour of Southland

6:23 am on 5 November 2009

A vital break in fierce crosswinds has seen a new leader going into today's sixth stage of road cycling's Tour of Southland.

The Belgium based New Zealand rider Jack Bauer has taken the overall leader's yellow jersey from the United States-based New Zealander Heath Blackgrove who missed the break when the leading group split 25 kilometres from the finish.

The national champion Gordon McCauley won the 102 kilometre fifth stage from Tuatapere to Winton ahead of Tom Findlay in second and Bauer third,

Bauer has a 14 second lead over the Olympic medalist Marc Ryan with another United States-based New Zealander Jeremy Vennell third ,19 seconds back and Blackgrove now fourth at 26 seconds.

The 133 kilometre sixth stage is from Lumsden to the Crown Range near Queenstown.