• Josh Burnett holds orange jersey despite challenging rain-soaked Southland stage.
  • Liam Walsh secures first solo stage win amidst PowerNet’s successful tour performance.
  • Final day features a time trial and 77km stage to Invercargill.

Josh Burnett remains the man to beat as he retained the leader’s orange jersey heading into the final day of the Tour of Southland. The penultimate stage, marked by relentless rain, tested the endurance of the peloton over a gruelling 151km route from Invercargill to Gore.

Australian cyclist Liam Walsh (PowerNet) claimed his maiden Southland stage victory with a late solo breakaway. Hamish Keast (Transport Engineering Southland-Deep South) earned Most Combative honours, finishing second, while Japan’s Elya Hashimoto rounded out the podium.

Reflecting on his triumph, Walsh said, “Today was very different, but I’ve performed well in the wet before. Southland has been incredible, and winning here is really special.” His victory added to a strong tour for the PowerNet team, who now lead the team classification.

Burnett and his Creation Signs-MitoQ-NZ Cycling Project team worked tirelessly to manage a threatening 16-rider breakaway that at one stage held a seven-minute lead. With careful coordination, they kept the gap under control. “It’s one to tick off for us,” Burnett said. “My teammates carried the workload today, and I owe them a lot.”

Burnett is aiming for his second Tour of Southland title after his 2022 victory ended a 28-year drought for local riders. Community support has grown around him throughout the race. “It’s special to see the signs and schoolkids cheering, even if I can’t always respond,” he noted.

The tour’s final day begins with a 13km time trial in Winton, followed by a 77km stage to Invercargill. Burnett holds a 1min 41sec lead over Matthew Wilson (Advanced Personnel Cycling Team) and 2min 52sec over Samuel Jenner (Central Benchmakers-Willbike). Despite his previous success in the time trial, Burnett remains cautious. “We’ll focus on one stage at a time,” he said.

Other category leaders include Declan Trezise (under 23), Luke Macpherson (over 35), and Bailey O’Donnell (Sprint Ace), while Burnett also leads the King of the Mountain standings.

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