Cycling: Determined quartet disrupt air of predictability

The air of predictably hovering over the Tour of New Zealand women's cycling race was disrupted by a quartet of determined riders today who notched career firsts today.

Australian Irene Digenis (Prime Estate) and New Zealanders Yvette Hill-Willis (Litespeed), Gayle Brownlee and Sia Svendsen (both Handy Rentals) broke out of the main bunch about 30 kilometres into the 87km third stage from Palmerston North to Ashhurst and back.

The four, with Melbourne's Digenis calling most of the shots, worked together to build up a lead of up to just over minute for the rest of the trip while the top contenders contented themselves with riding to a tempo to conserve energy for the afternoon's all-important time trial.

The main body of the race energised five kilometres from the finish, with tour leader Shelley Evans' United States team leading the push. With 500 metres to go there were 54 chasers threatening to swallow up the breakaways.

But Digenis, Hill-Willis, Brownlee and Svendsen had enough left in their tanks to take out the stage in close order, with Digenis clocking two hours 21 minutes and 29 seconds.

Evans, a strong finisher who had won the first two stages, was fifth, mere hundredths of a second behind Svendsen, who remarkably was riding her first true stage race after recently competing in the South Island's Coast to Coast multisport race.

For Digenis, 28, it was her first stage win in an International Cycling Federation sanctioned race while Hill-Willis and Brownlee similarly scored their first career podiums.

All four were rapt to have been rewarded so, although to an extent, they were let loose by the leading teams as none were a factor for overall honours.

There was no change in the top 10 general classification placings with Evans retaining the yellow jersey after this stage.

"The girls were absolutely amazing working together," Brownlee said. "We had no idea where the peloton was and we just said go and we just nailed it." Digenis said they was a lot of mutual encouragement and no slacking off.

"If I knew how close the bunch was I would have pushed the girls a little harder," added former triathlete Digenis, who has been road racing for just two years.

Hill-Willis who attacked first at the 25km mark thought she was going to be fried when no one joined her.

"I was on my own for a couple of minutes and then looked behind to see the other three coming up and when they joined me I said to nail it for five minutes and then settle down," she said.

A former national squad member in 2008, Hill-Willis just wanted to race today.

"I was keen to have a go and attacked. I haven't been getting results for over a year and I have been training so hard and I'm stoked to be rewarded today."