North Otago's Tim Rush has won the overall men's title in the national cycling series.
However, it was Michael Vink who won the day following a brutal round of racing in the final round of the series near Christchurch on Sunday.
Rush was just beaten to the line in an exciting final sprint by Vink, who won the 155km elite men's race in 3hr 49min. Sam Horgan finished third.
Rush, who finished the series with a lead of 25 points from Horgan, put in a valiant final effort.
``I gave it a nudge at the end. Mike [Vink] and Sam [Horgan] were super strong,'' Rush said.
``I couldn't quite get round Vink but it's good that he's in our team next week for [the Tour of ] Southland.
``I'm just honoured to be in such a strong team, and for them to back me throughout the series I'm just so grateful and I owe them a lot.''
Michaela Kerr just got past Sharlotte Lucas in the closing metres in a bunch sprint featuring eight women to win the 116km women's race in 3hr 21min.
Lucas just stayed clear of Kerr in the points standings to win the senior women's series for the third year in a row, while Kerr was a dominant winner of the under 19 series.
Double Olympic medallist Hayden Roulston will retire following the Tour of Southland which gets under way in Invercargill on October 30.
The 35-year-old won silver and bronze on the track at the Beijing Games in 2008.
The four-time New Zealand road racing champion rode in the Tour de France in 2009 and has collected six professional wins on the road.
