Tour of Wellington

New Zealand, January 11-15, 2000

Stage 3 - January 13, Masterton - Rimutakas, 157 km

Stage 3 was the stage that most people have been waiting for in the Fuji Xerox Tour of Wellington. It involved riding a total of 157 kms around the sunny Wairarapa, a region 120 kms North of Wellington, with a mountaintop finish at the top of the Rimutakas.

Many riders tried to break away during the stage including Graeme Miller, Glen Mitchell, Robin Reid and others, but the Fuji Xerox boys did a great job controlling the race, hoping that Brendon Vesty would do the business up the hill. A nasty crash after 27 kms put five riders out of the tour including two riders in the top four on GC - Australians Chris White and John Barry. All riders where taken to the hospital and later discharged.

The end of the stage, a 9 kilometre hill climb up the Rimutakas was one of the most exciting in the 11th year tour history. A total of nine motorcycles with television cameras on them and a helicopter surrounded the leading riders all the way to the top. Brendon Vesty (Fuji Xerox) won the stage with a great ride up the tortuous hill, and now leads the tour by 13 seconds from Bryce Shapley (Trust House)

Results:

1. Brendon Vesty (NZ) Fuji Xerox 	3.55.48
2. Bryce Shapley (NZ) Trust House 	   0.13
3. Bart Hikson (Aus) Caravello 	   	   0.44
4. Warren Clark (NZ) Fuji Xerox	   	   1.25
5. Geoff Burndred (NZ) Powerbar 	   1.44

General classification after Stage 3

1. Brendon Vesty (NZ) Fuji Xerox	7.10.05
2. Bryce Shapley (NZ) Trust House 	   0.13
3. Bart Hikson (Aus) Caravello 		   0.44
4. Graeme Miller (NZ) Avanti Team 	   1.23
5. Warren Clark (NZ) Fulton Hogan	   1.25 

KOM

1. Brendon Vesty (NZ) Fuji Xerox
2. Bryce Shapley (NZ) Trust House 
3. Jeremy Yates (NZ) Giant Team

Sprints

1. Matt Yates (NZ) Avanti Team 
2. Tim Carswell (NZ) Fuji Xerox-NZ Track Team
3. Brendon Cameron (NZ) Fuji Xerox-NZ Track Team

Teams

1. Fuji Xerox
2. Caravello - Australia
3. Trust House