November 04, 2017 (Invercargill, New Zealand) – Canadian James Piccoli (Kia Motors – Ascot Park Hotel), 26, has become the fourth foreign winner in 61 years of the SBS Bank Tour of Southland, New Zealand’s premier cycling race. He races for the Elevate KHS Pro Cycling Team.

Piccoli won Stage 4 up Bluff Hill, telling the National Post it was “probably the steepest hill” he had ever raced up. The Montreal native claimed the Tour leader’s yellow jersey on Stage 5 from Invercargill to Gore. In a daring attack, Piccoli chased down a breakaway group of six riders to finish fifth on the stage.

Piccoli, riding for Kia Motors-Ascot Park Hotel, maintained his overall lead of 35 seconds following a second-place finish in the 13km Stage 6 individual time trial in Winton to claim the GC victory.

Results

Stage 1 – Oct. 30 – Invercargill to Lumsden – 170km
1. Michael Torckler (Blindz Direct) 4:07:00
2. Roman Van Uden (Powernet)
3. James Piccoli (Kia Motors – Ascot Park Hotel)
4. Cyrus Monk* (Kia Motors – Ascot Park Hotel)
5. Nick Kergozou* (Placemakers)

Stage 2 – Oct. 31 – Riverton to Te Anau Lake – 150km
1. Taylor Gunman (Kia Motors – Ascot Park Hotel) 3:44:00
2. Kane Richards* (ITM)
3. Nick Kergozou* (Placemakers)
4. Alexander Ray (Wheelworks Handcrafted Wheels)
5. Joel Yates* (Team Skoda Racing)

19. James Piccoli (Kia Motors – Ascot Park Hotel)

Stage 3 – Nov. 1 – Mossburn to Coronet Peak – 138km
1. Michael Torckler (Blindz Direct) 3:44:04
2. James Piccoli (Kia Motors – Ascot Park Hotel) 00:32
3. Michael Vink (Mike Greer Homes) 00:37
4. Raphael Freienstein (Aardvark Excavators Ltd) 01:36
5. Lionel Mawditt* (Team Skoda Racing) 01:50

Stage 4 – Nov. 2 – Invercargill to Bluff Hill – 148km
1. James Piccoli (Kia Motors – Ascot Park Hotel) 3:25:40
2. Michael Torckler (Blindz Direct) 00:08
3. Lionel Mawditt* (Team Skoda Racing) 00:19
4. Michael Vink (Mike Greer Homes) 00:24
5. Raphael Freienstein (Aardvark Excavators Ltd) 00:28

Stage 5 – Nov. 2 – Invercargill to Gore – 151km
1. Brad Evans (Powernet) 3:15:13
2. James Fouche* (Creation Signs L&M Group Ricoh)
3. Logan Griffin (Tank Guy / Bikebox)
4. Michael Vink (Mike Greer Homes)
5. James Piccoli (Kia Motors – Ascot Park Hotel)

Stage 6 – Nov. 3 – Winton (ITT) – 13km
1. Michael Vink (Mike Greer Homes) 16:31
2. James Piccoli (Kia Motors – Ascot Park Hotel) 00:03
3. Paul Odlin (O35) (Powernet) 00:11
4. Morgan Smith (Aardvark Excavators Ltd) 00:26
5. James Fouche* (Creation Signs L&M Group Ricoh) 00:30

Stage 7 – Nov. 4 – Winton to Invercargill – 77km
1. Raphael Freienstein (Aardvark Excavators Ltd) 1:36:55
2. Brad Evans (Powernet)
3. Alexander Ray (Wheelworks Handcrafted Wheels)
4. Logan Griffin (Tank Guy / Bikebox) 00:35
5. Paul Odlin (O35) (Powernet) 00:35

14. James Piccoli (Kia Motors – Ascot Park Hotel) 00:44

Final GC

1. James Piccoli (Kia Motors – Ascot Park Hotel) 20:15:15
2. Michael Vink (Mike Greer Homes) 00:35
3. Michael Torckler (Blindz Direct) 01:10
4. Raphael Freienstein (Aardvark Excavators Ltd) 02:10
5. Brad Evans (Powernet) 03:21
6. Alex West* (Team Skoda Racing) 04:10
7. Taylor Gunman (Kia Motors – Ascot Park Hotel) 04:35
8. James Fouche* (Creation Signs L&M Group Ricoh) 04:42
9. Sam Mobberley* (ITM) 05:25
10. Ryan Christensen* (Kia Motors – Ascot Park Hotel) 06:30