New Zealand cyclist Glen Chadwick continued a dream year on the road by winning the gruelling Tour of Mexico today.
The narrow, gutsy win hands Chadwick his second tour crown for his US-based Team Type 1, having won the Tour of Arkansas in May.
The Taranaki-born rider took possession of the yellow jersey on the second day of the eight-stage tour and clung to it despite the margin being close throughout.
He achieved his goal today of finishing safely in the leading group in the short 52.9km final stage from Toluca to Zona Metropolitana.
It left Chadwick just two seconds ahead of the man who had tracked him all tour, Mexican crowd favourite Arquimedes Lam.
The New Zealander’s overall time was 23 hours 44 minutes 08 seconds for the 1206km journey, heading home a 140-strong field.
The key to victory was strong showings in the tough stages through the middle of the tour which ranged from 150km to 230km.
Chadwick praised the work of his teammates, saying they had given him a “dream ride” over the week-long tour.
The 31-year-old, who was 82nd in the Beijing Olympics road race, bounced back superbly after suffering from ill-health earlier in the year.
A bout with Epstein-Barr virus sidelined him in February following the Tour of Langkawi in Malaysia.
The life-threatening spinal virus even infected his daughter, forcing her to be hospitalised as well.
Chadwick, riding in support of teammate Julian Dean, finished 82nd in the Olympics road race last Saturday.
NZPA
