Defending champion Sam Horgan out sprinted national triathlon

Cyclists from Australia, Canada, Germany Britain, and all over New Zealand, faced off in a gruelling 100-kilometre race from Christchurch to Akaroa on Saturday, but it was one of Christchurch's own who took the top spot.

Michael Vink, 21, was first to cross the finishline in a time of 2hr 31min.

Vink, a talented road racing and track cyclist, leaves for Belgium tomorrow for an overseas campaign with the BikeNZ men's track squad.

On the road, Vink has won the national under-23 time trial three times in the past four years and has been the under-20 road champion twice. He won the elite road race outright in 2012 and was runner-up in the under-23 category earlier this month and seventh overall in a quality field.

It was the second time Vink has won the Le Race - he also won in 2010.

James Early, who finished second, gave Vink a good run for his money. "At the bottom of the Hill Top climb things split up," Vink said.

"I rode quite hard and James and I got away and then I attacked over the top. I was going for the KOM [King of the Mountain] points but that's also the place I normally feel the best as I know there's a big downhill to recover afterwards."

Vink was pleased with the win but said the racing he would face in Europe, including the under-23 Tour of Flanders in two weeks, would be "very different".

"It's a flat race with lots of cobbles and it is certainly different to Le Race. But good form is good form and I'm really happy I'm in good shape."

Early said the racing was fast from the start, but once Vink applied the pressure in the last quarterhe couldn't match his climbing speed.

"He was strong and when he went I just couldn't stay with him, it was an impressive ride," Earl said.

Defending champion Sam Horgan out sprinted national triathlon representative Tom Davison to claim third with 16-year-old Daniel Whitehouse finishing fifth.

Sharlotte Lucas won the women's event in 3hr 2min, over four minutes clear of Laura Fairweather from Southland.

Fairweather won gold on the track and smashed the world record in the tandem pursuit as a pilot for Phillipa Grey at the London Paralympics, but said the hills "got to her" in the end.