Bevin's Taupo feat boost for new team

Photo: John Cowpland

You bewdy: Patrick Bevin crosses the line ahead of Jeremy Yates to win the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge yesterday.

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One of the newest and most exciting additions to the New Zealand cycling scene in years, team Bici Vida, had cause for celebration yesterday when one of its riders, Patrick Bevin, won the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge.

Bevin, from Taupo, outsprinted former world junior champion Jeremy Yates and Waikato rider Eric Drower to win the 160km men's race. In the women's race, Cambridge's Melissa Holt continued a comeback to cycling by beating Wanganui's Cath Cheatley.

Bici Vida had earlier caught the eye of one of cycling's true legends. George Hincapie, a multiple stage winner on the Tour de France, and probably best remembered as the only man to ride with Lance Armstrong in all seven of his tour victories. He has decided to back the fledgling Kiwi team, founded earlier this year by Carl Williams, a former Olympic and professional America's Cup sailor who has made the transition to cycling.

Last month Bici Vida entered the Tour of Southland, which on paper seemed a bold move, but to everyone's astonishment, including Williams', they finished second overall in the team category, and the performance was enough to convince Hincapie that Williams was on to something.

Williams said Bici Vida are wearing Hincapie's new clothing line, as well as using Hincapie's extensive contacts as Williams goes about establishing his own cycling brand.

"We have big plans and this is an important step on the way to what we hope will be bigger things," Williams said, adding the pair made contact through their Olympic connection. Williams sailed in Beijing, Hincapie cycled.

"With the interest in Bici Vida shown by George and [his brother] Richard to date, I think we can be very positive about the potential opportunities that may result. A greater awareness and knowledge of New Zealand cyclists and cycling in general will be a part of this."