Dean the greatest NZ rider now - Tabak

Cycling legend Tino Tabak says Julian Dean is now the greatest New Zealand rider after notching three podium finishes in the 2010 Tour de France which ended this morning (NZT).

Tabak, now 64, finished 18th in the 1972 Tour de France, which remains the best overall placing by a New Zealander.

The second best is by Harry Watson, 28th in 1928, followed by Hayden Roulston who came 79th last year.

But Tabak feels these pale in comparison with Dean's podiums this year including a third in the 20th and final stage which ended in Paris this morning (NZT).

"My reaction to Dean's performance this year? I'm speechless," Tabak told NZPA.

"I said it before and say it again -- he is the only, underline that, professional cyclist we got.

"He has pushed me off my place and has become the best in New Zealand cycling history.

"I sent him a text two weeks ago saying `I look up to you -- you are my champion'," Tabak said.

Prior to this year, Eric McKenzie who completed four tours in the early 1980s and Roulston last year were the only New Zealanders to have claimed individual podium finishes on a stage, both with thirds.

Chris Jenner remains the only New Zealander to have a stage win on the tour -- in 2001 as part of the Credit Agricole outfit who won a team time trial.

Dean finished his sixth tour in style, third behind British sprint king Mark Cavendish and Italian Alessandro Petacchi.

He held off renowned sprinters such as Norwegian Thor Hushovd and Australian Brett Lancaster to grab third.

It was tough tour for Dean, who crashed on the second stage but courageously finished second on the fourth stage two days later behind Petacchi, despite still feeling the effects of his fall.

A few days later, he was head butted by Australian rider Mark Renshaw in the sprint finish on the 11th stage and then escaped injury when he was tackled off his bike by an over-zealous policeman who mistook him for an errant spectator as he warmed up for the 16th stage last Wednesday.

His second podium finish came on stage 18 two days ago, when he was gunned down by Cavendish.

Dean, 157th overall, finished 14th in the sprint classification.

He said it had been satisfying to get the results after being given the chance by his Garmin team to contest the stage finishes after his team's main sprinter, American Tyler Farrar, had to withdraw from the tour with a broken wrist.

"The door opened me and it was up to me to capitalise on my opportunities -- it was nice to get the chance and to get the results I did was really good," Dean, whose primary job had been to lead Farrar out for sprint finishes, told Radio Sport.

"Overall it has been tough with the bad crash in first week but as race went on, things came around and I finished with some good results in the last week."

Dean said at 35, he didn't know how much longer he would be able to take on a race as gruelling as the 3500km tour.

"It is an enormous achievement to finish the tour and nothing can compare with riding into Paris for the finish."

Stephen Swart, another familiar with the rigours of the tour after competing in 1987, 1994 and 1995, said Dean had been "fantastic" this year.

"Obviously Julian is in really good condition. It was good to see him have the motivation after three weeks to still and try and fight for the win on the last day.

"He has basically set a new bench mark for New Zealand cyclists."

- NZPA