Watts goes back-to-back at the SBS Bank Tour of Southland

3/11/2026 - History has repeated on the shores of Lake Te Anau as Tauranga’s Kiaan Watts galloped his way to a bunch sprint victory on day three of the SBS Bank Tour of Southland.

Riding in his eighth edition of the Southland tour, the PowerNet rider defended the stage title he won in January’s rescheduled race, continuing a good form line which included a third place finish in Monday’s street race.

Southlander Jeremy Presbury (Creation Signs-Whoosh-NZ Cycling Project) was second on the stage, time bonuses helping him rein in Cameron Jones and claim the general classification lead by just 1sec.

Presbury, 31, once shifted from Invercargill to Cambridge to chase Olympic glory as a track sprinter.

More than a decade on he finds himself not just a stage winner, but also wearing the tour leader’s livery in the road event every young Southland cyclist grows up dreaming about.

“It’s even more special,” Presbury said of the orange jersey.