North Otago cyclist Tim Rush is eager to repay his team-mates in the final round of the national cycling series in the Selwyn District tomorrow.
Rush leads the elite men’s standings, thanks to the efforts of his team-mates, and is keen to return the favour, while women’s leader Sharlotte Lucas is posed to defend the series title she won last year.
"I really hope the wind is blowing to make it a hard gritty race," Rush said.
"My Mike Greer team-mates have been doing a wind dance all week. As a team we are in a position that we can afford to throw everything at this race, and I’ll be more on domestic duties, helping our powerhouses like Sam [Horgan], Ben [Johnstone] and Dan [Barry] make the top selection through the gravel sections."
Rush leads team-mate and last year’s elite men’s series winner Horgan by 23 points.
"I will try my best to pay back my team-mates for what they have done for me over the series this year," Rush said, adding he is aware that if Horgan was to win, he has to finish in the top 14 to keep his series lead.
"I’d just better make sure I’m not dropped."
In the women’s series, Lucas made it two wins in a row in the last round to take the series lead off Michaela Kerr.
