bicycle.net -- World Road Championships 2009 :: cycling news, product reviews, original essays, podcasts & video

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., October 1, 2009 – Peter Latham of the BISSELL Pro Cycling Team took the win on Sunday at the RaboPlus National Criterium Championship to claim the title of New Zealand’s criterium champion. The day got off to a quick start with an early attack from N.Z. Road Champion, Gord McCauley. Numerous other attacks were chased down by a motivated and attentive field. Latham had support from his BISSELL teammate, Omer Kem, and Te Awamutu club team-mates who did the lion’s share of the work chasing down the breaks.

The day’s aggressive racing gradually diminished the field, and in the final seconds came down to a 15-man, bunch sprint to the finish. Latham was the strongest across the line and powered past second-place finisher, Patrick Bevin, and third place, Mike Northey.

Latham said that his motivation for a big result was a combination of the chance to wear the N.Z. criterium champion’s jersey in his upcoming season with BISSELL and putting on a strong performance for family and friends. Next, he is off to the National Track Training Center in Invercargill and will then join his BISSELL teammates to race the upcoming Sun Tour in Australia and the Tour of Southland in New Zealand.