Burnett wins third SBS Bank Tour of Southland title

24/1/2025 - Josh Burnett has become just the sixth rider to win three or more SBS Bank Tour of Southland titles after surviving a frenetic final day today.

Burnett (PowerNet) started the day with a 19sec lead over Cambridge’s Matthew Wilson (Advanced Personnel Cycling Team), but an outstanding individual time trial by Wilson in the morning saw him take the stage victory and cut the lead to just 10sec heading into the final 77km stage from Winton to Invercargill.

The fast and furious stage was lashed by wind and rain throughout, with Wilson making a bold attack on the penultimate lap of the tour’s Waikiwi circuit finish before the two frontrunners finished safely in the bunch to repeat the one-two finish they recorded in 2024.

The final stage was won by Southland’s Nick Kergozou, the second time he has won the finale.