JLT Condor's Chris Lawless takes Britain's first road win of 2016

Chris Lawless, who joined JLT Condor over the winter, gets his, and Britain's, first professional win of the season in the New Zealand Cycle Classic

Chris Lawless
(Image credit: Andy Jones)

It'll be a quiz question at the end of the year, so remember this statistic: Chris Lawless is the first Brit to register a win on the road this season, coming first in stage one of the New Zealand Cycle Classic.

While the Tour Down Under is getting most of the Antipodean cycling attention, British teams JLT Condor and One Pro Cycling are in the land of the long white cloud for the five-stage UCI 2.2 race.

JLT Condor's Lawless somewhat upset the apple cart in Masterton on stage one, beating the resident Kiwis and a couple of Australians to the line to mark the perfect start to his time with the team.

Lawless joined Condor from Team Wiggins at the end of 2015, having won the Grand Prix of Wales and competed at both the London and Ghent Six Days on the track.

One's Dion Smith, a new signing from the Hincapie Racing Team, finished fourth on the stage, continuing his strong start to the season - having finished second in the New Zealand National Championships road race.

Steve Lampier (JLT Condor) was the next highest Brit after Lawless, finishing in 12th position.

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Stuart Clarke is a News Associates trained journalist who has worked for the likes of the British Olympic Associate, British Rowing and the England and Wales Cricket Board, and of course Cycling Weekly. His work at Cycling Weekly has focused upon professional racing, following the World Tour races and its characters.