Former BMC rider Tim Roe won the opening stage but Robert Jon McCarthy took his first classification jersey since he began his comeback to racing.
Recently back in the pro bunch having been away, and also having switched his allegiance from Australia to Ireland, Robert Jon McCarthy has taken his first classification leaders jersey of the year.
The Cork-born fastman, now riding for JLT-Condor, took the lead in the sprints competition of the New Zealand Classic (UCI 2.2) stage race, based around Masterton on the north island.
The Rás stage winner and former Australian road and track international took maximum bonus sprint points on Sunday’s lumpy opening stage of 121km from Masterton to Castleton.
The racing split several times in windy and very wet conditions, with the crosswinds doing a lot of damage.
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The wind and a course hugging the coast in parts made for a very tough opening stage in New Zealand.
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But the field regrouped just before the final climb and descent into the finish, with a testing wind-battered concluding 5km along the coast testing the riders all the way.
The stage was won by former BMC rider Tim Roe (IsoWhey Sports) from McCarthy’s team mate Alex Frame five seconds back after three hours of racing.
McCarthy came home halfway down the field in 56th place, just over six minutes after the winner as the final climb shredded the pack.
And while Monday’s stage 2 finishes with a 10km ascent of Admiral Hill, the final three stages are expected to suit the sprinters meaning McCarthy will hope to be in the mix.
Robert McCarthy has a new jersey for stage two of the #NZCC17.
Our new signing leads the sprint competition. ?✅ pic.twitter.com/13ZYCeat50— JLT Condor (@teamjltcondor) January 22, 2017
The 22-year-old’s family is originally from the Fermoy area in Co Cork but emigrated to Australia when he was a child, though not before he won four Irish youth titles at U12 and U14 level.
He continued racing in youth events in Australia and went on to become national junior road race champion there and ride for Australia at junior and U23 level, including at the World Road Championships.
McCarthy went on to ride for An Post-Chainreaction in 2014 and won the opening stage of the Rás.
He then transferred to another Continental-level team, SEG Racing, for 2015 but stepped away from cycling mid season only to make a comeback in recent months and declare for Ireland.
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