Tour of Southland - 2.5

New Zealand, November 1-6, 2004

Images by Barry Harcourt/The Southland Times

John Lieswyn (The Southland Times) drives the pack on the final stage.
American Bill Stolte (Hilo Decorating) climbs out of a ditch after being forced off in the crosswind.
Alex Harcourt of Perth is in no doubt who he supports, his dad Steve riding for Sycamore Print.
Greg Henderson (The Southland Times) takes the final stage of the Tour of Southland from Hayden Roulston and Scott Guyton.
Winners of the teams classification - (L to R) Southland Times' members Greg Henderson, Peter Latham, John Lieswyn, Glen Mitchell and Scott Guyton.
All the winners - (L to R) sprints winner Curtis Gunn, mountains winner Gordon McCauley, overall winner John Lieswyn, and U23 winner Peter Latham.
American John Lieswyn, a deserving winner of the 2004 Tour of Southland. And Cyclingnews diarist!

Images by Barry Harcourt/The Southland Times

Three hard men - (L to R) Lieswyn, Roulston, Henderson at the start of Stage 9 of the Tour of Southland.
Tour director Bruce Ross and the police officer in charge of the race, Sargeant Keiran O'Regan, prepare for the final stage.
Peter Latham (Rabobank) has the Tour of Southland strung out as they leave Fiordland on stage 9.
Hayden Roulston (Zookeepers Cafe) asks the riders for more commitment on stage 9 from Te Anau to Lumsden.
Gordon McCauley (Zookeepers) wins his second stage of the Tour of Southland from Glen Mitchell (Southland Times).
John Lieswyn (The Southland Times) prepares to start the final stage of the Tour of Southland.

Images by Barry Harcourt/The Southland Times

The Tour of Southland passes the Aparima river on stage 8.
American Charles Coyle leads the Tour of Southland field on stage 8.
New Zealand road champion Heath Blackgrove (Zookeepers) and American Matt Dubberly (SIT Zero Fees) ride in the breakaway with Greg Henderson.
Tour of Southland yellow jersey John Lieswyn piles on the pressure on the Blackmount climb during the 8th stage of the tour.
Greg Henderson (Southland Times) wins stage 8 of the Tour of Southland. Henderson was not popular with his breakaway companions when he took the stage.
Greg Henderson has his folks pet Millie waiting to greet him at TeAnau.
An unhappy Heath Blackgrove is interviewed by the press after a long breakaway on stage 8. Blackgrove was unhappy that Southland Times rider Greg Henderson won the stage without contributing to the breakaway.

Images by Barry Harcourt/The Southland Times

Race director Bruce Ross gets his teeth into running the Tour of Southland.
Police Sargeant Keiran O'Regan lays down the law at the start of stage 7 of the Tour of Southland.
Japanese Commissaire Masato Enoki keeps a close watch behind during stage 7 of the Tour of Southland.
Children in the town of Gore cheer on the Tour of Southland.
American Bill Stolte (Hilo Decorating) recovers after hitting a parked car on Stage 7 of the Tour of Southland.
Hayden Roulston (Zookeepers Cafe) and Fraser McMaster (Meadow Fresh) during their breakaway on stage 7 of the Tour of Southland.
James Elvery (SIT - zero fees) Jeremy Vennell (Calder Stewart) and Peter Latham (Rabobank) during the final break on the 7th stage of the Tour of Southland.
Robin Reid (Meadowfresh) wins stage 7 of the Tour of Southland from Heath Blackgrove (Zookeepers) and Glen Mitchell ( Southland Times), Aaron Strong (Hot Cycles) and Perer Latham (Rabobank)

Images by Barry Harcourt/The Southland Times

Former Australian road champion Paul Millar (Sycamore Print) shows his skills on an ordinary bicycle as the time trial gets underway.
Heath Blackgrove - the NZ time trial champion was beaten by his under 23 counterpart Peter Latham.
Glen Mitchell (Southland Times) during the time trial stage of the Tour of Southland.
Peter Latham (Rabobank) on the way to first place in the time trial stage from Balfour to Riversdale that he won easily.

Images by Barry Harcourt/The Southland Times

The Tour of Southland's Japanese chief commissaire, Masato Enoki, is a firm, but popular figure on the race.
Ryan Russell (Rabobank, 17) and James Elvery (S.I.T. Zero Fees) have trouble untangling their bikes after falling on stage 5 of the Tour of Southland.
Bill Stolte (Hilo Decorating) of the USA leads Geoff Burndred, Scott Guyton and Heath Blackgrove.
Hayden Roulston (Zookeepers Cafe) piles on the pressure as the Tour of Southland heads towards Queenstown.
Vintage steam train The Kingston Flyer meets the Tour of Southland as it makes its way to Queenstown on stage 5.
Meadow Fresh rider Robin Reid has no time to admire the Remarkable Ranges as he attempts a break.
American John Lieswyn (The Southland Times) leads former Australian road champion Paul Millar of Western Australia, Scott Guyton and Hayden Roulston.
Aaron Strong (Hot Cycles) leads Glen Mitchell (Southland Times) and Heath Blackgrove (Zookeepers) as they climb towards the stage 5 finish on the Crown Terrace.
Glen Mitchell (The Southland Times) leads Heath Blackgrove (L) and John Lieswyn towards the hilltop finish on the Crown Terrace. Mitchell beat Blackgrove by 3 seconds.
Glen Mitchell (The Southland Times) wins stage 5 of the Tour of Southland ahead of Heath Blackgrove and Aaron Strong.

Images by Barry Harcourt/The Southland Times

American John Lieswyn (The Southland Times) in the tour leader's yellow jersey sits protected by his team-mates Glen Mitchell and Greg Henderson (L) and Scott Guyton on the stage from Tuatapere to Winton.
Steve Harcourt of Perth (Sycamore Print) makes an attempt to get away and catch the Gordon McCauley break alone on stage 4 of the Tour of Southland.
Gordon McCauley (Zookeepers Cafe) wins stage 4 of the Tour of southland from Tuatapere to Winton.
The Southland Times team controls the pack during the fourth stage of the Tour of Southland.

Images by Barry Harcourt/The Southland Times

Tour leader Glen Mitchell (The Southland Times) punctures
The Tour of Southland field with Fiordland ahead
West Australia's Hilton McMurdo puts his legs up after a hard ride from Invercargill to Tuatapere on stage 3 of the Tour of Southland.

Images by Cyclingnews

Three cheers for the Tour of Southland!
The Tour of Southland peloton head towards the tortuous climb of Bluff Hill.
Hilton McMurdo (Sycamore Print) leads The Southland Times' John Lieswyn, who placed fourth on the stage.
Glen Mitchell (The Southland Times) en route to a stage win, with Heath Blackgrove (Zookeepers Cafe) and Aaron Strong (Hot Cycles) in tow.

Images by Cyclingnews

In good time - The Southland Times team of Scott Guyton, John Lieswyn, Glen Mitchell, Greg Henderson and Tim Gudsell win the opening stage of the Tour of Southland.
In stark contrast, Team Ultimo didn't have the best of days, finishing second last 3'57 behind The Southland Times quintet.