Kim Gatso and Logan Currie won the time trial titles

Ella Willey and Guy Yarrell star in Under-23 time trial races in Timaru

Kim Katso and Logan Currie took time trial victories at the New Zealand National Road Championships in Timaru on Thursday, with both 22-year-olds making their elite division debuts at the event.

Currie was edged out by two-time champion Aaron Gade (Burgos-PH) in the elite men's 37km time trial, although the young Lotto-Destiny cyclist won the under-23 title in 2023 in a remarkable event. It was faster than the time Kate set to take the elite victory.

In the 24.1km elite women's time trial there was no way around EF Education-Cannondale's new signing Katso, who took a stunning victory to claim the jersey that the now-retired Georgia Williams has rarely relinquished over the past six years. .

“The initial plan should not be too conservative,” Gatso said in a team news release. “I wanted to go as hard as I could and then go as hard as I could on the final climb and bring everything I had to the finish. “It was a pretty hot day and of course pretty brutal, but everything went to plan so I was really excited.”

Gatso finished two minutes ahead of her nearest competitor Mikayla Harvey (UAE Team ADQ) in 34:17, with Kate McCarthy 3:20 behind in third.

Margins were tight in the men's elite category, with Currie's time of 48:10 putting him 15 seconds ahead of Kate, 21-year-old Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race winner Lawrence Bithy (Groupama-FTJ) in 1:03. while securing the last spot on the podium.

For Currie, a two-time under-23 time trial champion, it was a step into elite status in familiar territory, having grown up on the roads of the Timaru region on the coast of New Zealand's South Island.

“I've been training a lot at the course. I've been here four times to test the bike,” Currie said in a Cycling New Zealand press release. “It was great to have a solid outing and I was able to get the national jersey, so I'm really excited.”

Ella Wiley (Liv AlUla Jayco) took the under-23 women's time trial in 35:35, very close to the time of 21-year-old elite winner Katso. Guy Yarrell (Oxford Edge) finished seven seconds ahead of Lucas Murphy in the under-23 men's time trial. In the U19 men's category, Reef Roberts took the fastest 24.1km and in the U19 women's category, Kirsty Watts won the title over 14.8km.

The New Zealand Championships continue on Friday with the Women's U23 and Elite Road Race and the Men's U19 Road Race. Later on Saturday, the U19 girls will compete before the U23s and the elite men will complete the competition.