Kim Cadzow won the national time trial title by over two minutes Photo: David Collins
Two former under-23 champions, Kim Cadzow and Logan Currie, stepped up to claim the elite time trial honours on the opening day of the Elite Road National Championships in Timaru.
The 23-year-olds kept some petrol in the tank for the tough climb at the finish to snare their respective elite titles, with both taking the national jersey back to their new professional teams.
Cadzow, from Wanaka, moves to WorldTour team EF Education while Currie joins the powerful Belgium-based team of Lotto-Dstny.
Renowned for both her climbing and time trial abilities, Cadzow was the strongest over the 24km event winning in 34 minutes 17seconds more than two minutes ahead of UAE Team ADQ professional Mikayla Harvey with Hamilton's Kate McCarthy a further 1min18s behind in third.
"I was pretty happy with the ride today. I had a good plan with my coach to go really hard on the way out but keen something in the tank for that brutal finish," said Cadzow.
"The key was sticking to the strategy and keeping it calm. The climb is brutal with a three minute all-out effort. It is a wall you hit on the bike so you must push as hard as you can up it."
Cadzow lines up for the road race tomorrow, and then heads to Europe next week to join her new team, ahead of her first race, a six-day tour starting on March 1.
Logan Currie on his way to the men's elite national time trial title. Photo: David Collins
Logan Currie, who grew up in the region used that knowledge to good effect.
The two-time national under-23 time trial champion, and last year's road race winner, used his knowledge to good effort to win the 37km event in 48 minutes 10 seconds finishing 15 seconds ahead of 2021 time trial winner Aaron Gate.
Laurence Pithie of Christchurch was a minute back.
Currie knew the course well.
"I did a lot of training on the course. I've been down here four times to test the bike," said Currie.
"It was good to put in a solid ride that I am happy with and managed to snag the national jersey with it, so I am absolutely stoked."
After Saturday's road race Currie will head to Europe before flying out to Rwanda for his first race with the new team, before returning for the European season.