Former Southlander Eliot Crowther’s homecoming couldn’t have been better as he pointed to the sky and celebrated victory on the Remarkables at the end of the 2023 SBS Bank Tour of Southland’s fourth stage.

Australian professional Kane Richards (Couplands-Booths Logistics) fought Crowther on the dramatic 6km Remarkables access road climb to Bishops Point on the race’s Queen stage, his runner-up finish earning him the tour leader’s orange jersey.

These days based in Seattle, Crowther (Quality Foods Southland) has returned to Southland over the past couple of years for a race he rates highly.

The peloton makes its way around Lake Wakatipu during stage four. Studio Jubb

“This is, in my opinion, the best amateur race in the world. Where else can you race at this level without being a professional? I’ve been preoccupied with family and some business stuff after the last few years so to dust the wheels off and get in shape again has been fun,” he said.

That fun included a brave breakaway with Richards, Kiaan Watts (PowerNet), and Southland’s Matt Zenovich (Share the Road-Macaulay Ford).

The quartet stole away not long after the stage start in Mossburn and, despite losing Zenovich around the Devil’s Staircase and Watts early in the climb, it proved to be an unlikely but ultimately successful raid.

A highly-rated junior early in his cycling career, Crowther was excited not only to win a stage in his home event, but also advance the cause of his team and general classification rider Boris Clark.

“It’s pretty special. I watched this race a number of times when I was a kid and tried it a number of times when I was younger and went ok but never won a stage. I’ve been away from the bike for 10 years and to come back over the last couple of years and enjoy it, be part of the QFS team and actually come and win a stage is very special,” he said.

“We are in a really good spot because Boris is right where he needs to be and we’re up there in the Teams Classification as well, so it’s good news.”

The peloton crosses the Oreti River near Mossburn at the start of stage four. Studio Jubb

Crowther, who is now tied at the top of the King of the Mountain standings, said he had to take a tactical approach into the climb.

“(Kane’s) obviously a big strong man with a lot more wattage than me on the flat. I felt like if I could be conservative and patient I could perhaps get the best of him towards the end. He’s a really tough guy - I’ve watched him for a while competing overseas and to be in a break with him was really special.”

Richards was pleased to find himself in a group willing to put down a challenge.

“It was a good combination. Kiaan was quite motivated, so was Eliot. It took a while to get Zeno going but once he saw we were going away he started ripping it as well. You sort of become a team in the breakaway and it worked,” he said.

“I knew GC was on the cards, so it just became a time trial for me. It’s definitely up there with the hardest climbs I’ve done in Europe. It’s definitely a highlight of the tour.”

Tomorrow brings another hard climb for the peloton, with a 154km stage starting in Invercargill and ending with the iconic Bluff hilltop finish.

Australian Kane Richards is the tour leader after stage four. Photo: Studio Jubb

Richards was looking forward to the opportunity to defend an 18sec lead over Dan Gardner (PRV-Pista Corsa), with Arthur Meyer (Oxford Edge) third overall at 32sec.

“It’s quite an honour to wear the orange jersey. There’s not too many Aussies who have worn it, or won the tour, so to be in with a chance is pretty cool.”

Canterbury’s Nate Pringle (BJ Carters) was fifth on the stage to take over the lead in the under 23 classification, with Joe Cooper (Central Benchmakers-Willbike) now the leading over 35 rider.

Southland’s Nick Kergozou leads the Sprint Ace classification, with Quality Foods Southland leading the Teams Classification.

Hayden Strong claimed the John Vercoe Memorial Trophy as the first Cycling Southland rider on the stage, adding his name to a trophy which already features his brother and World Tour rider Corbin Strong three times.