Dan Gardner climbs to Bluff Hill stage win and lead in the SBS Bank Tour of Southland

A second quality climbing performance in as many days has helped Dan Gardner into both a stage win and the tour lead on the 2023 SBS Bank Tour of Southland.

The New Zealand-based Englishman, who finished third on yesterday’s Remarkables stage, backed that up with an outstanding ascent of the iconic Bluff Hill at the end of the fifth stage today.

Gardner (PRV-Pista Corsa) leads overall by 35sec from Arthur Meyer (Oxford Edge), with Joe Cooper (Central Benchmakers-Willbike) in third place at 43sec and the leading over 35 rider.

“It’s a complete bonus,” Gardner said.

Caption: Dan Gardner wins. Photo: Cycling Southland

“I love the Tour of Southland. It’s what I’ve been looking forward to all year. It’s very special to be in New Zealand and wearing the leader’s jersey and just being welcomed by everyone.”

As he crossed the finish line at the end of the 154km stage from Invercargill through eastern and southern Southland to a misty Motupōhue stage finish, Gardner pointed to the heavens to acknowledge his late father, the man who got him excited about cycling and cheered him on during many climbs earlier in his career.

“It means a lot to me because I’m a long way from home. I come from London in the UK and I moved over here two years ago. Everyone knows Bluff and it feels like a welcoming - you come up that climb and everyone is shouting you on. It feels quite emotional, it feels like I’m really starting to belong in New Zealand and that means a lot.”

Caption: New tour leader Dan Gardner. Photo: Cycling Southland

Earlier in the day, the powerful trio of Ollie Jones (PowerNet), Ben Oliver (Creation Signs-MitoQ) and Frenchman Leo-Paul Jamin were able to break away and put a fright into the peloton.

With intermittent rain falling for the first time this week, the riders got a small taste of what Southland tours can provide, but there wasn’t enough wind to really challenge the riders and they had to create their own challenges by charging their way through the stage.

“There were three pretty threatening riders up the road, but there was enough firepower and enough cohesion amongst the other teams to bring it within reach,” Gardner said.

“My bunch of 18 and 19-year-olds just got on the front and rode their hearts out into the bottom of Bluff. We came in close to the break and then it was just up to me to ride as hard as I could around that steep corner on Bluff. I couldn’t be happier.”

Caption: Stage five from Invercargill to Bluff. Photo: Cycling Southland

Gardner’s team delivered him to the bottom of the climb just 25sec behind the leaders and from there he went to work.

“Mentally, it’s nice to have people right in front of you to just to keep tabs on how you are doing. I knew I felt good. We reeled them in halfway through and then it was just a matter of getting in my own head and getting as much power out as I possible could by stamping on the pedals,” he said.

“I knew as soon as I sat down I’d lose speed so it was a matter of staying out of the saddle and embracing the burn for as long as possible.”

Gardner has plenty of faith in his young team of Cambridge and Auckland-based riders to help him defend the orange jersey over the final two days of the tour, including tomorrow’s tough 151km stage from Invercargill to Gore.

“These are guys who are going to be winning stages on this tour in years to come so this is a great opportunity for them and I know they can do it,” he said.

Today saw a shakeup of the jerseys, with Camden Feint (Oxford Edge) taking over the under 23 lead after Nate Pringle was involved in a crash early in the stage.

Ollie Jones was rewarded for his efforts in the break with the Most Combative jersey, while Max Campbell (C Brown Builders-Olphert Contracting) won back the King of the Mountains jersey he lost yesterday and Nick Kergozou (Transport Engineering Southland-Deep South) retained the Sprint Ace jersey.

Hayden Strong (Japanese team-Daiken Ray White), who finished third behind Gardner and Craig Oliver (Transport Engineering Southland-Deep South) on the stage, won the Kini Trophy as the first Cycling Southland rider across the line.