Jason Christie of Avanti, is the 2016 New Zealand Road Race Champion.
In Napier, where there were blustry conditions for this 180km race, two groups were off the front early and soon had a lead of 1.40.
The lead group extended to twelve riders who were twenty seconds ahead of a group of five riders and a lead of 2.15 over the peloton.
Robin Reid and Luke McDermott broke out of a group of sixteen and got clear as the riders started on seven 11km laps around Napier Hill.
Greg Henderson led the chase to the front two and before the start of the next lap the two escapers has been caught by a front group which had a lead of 1.20.
The breakaway group started to fracture and George Bennett, Hamish Schreurs and Dion Smith were on the front in a three man break, some 1.43 ahead with five laps to go.
Jason Christie bridged to the front three with Reid and Oram chasing and then took over the lead.
He was ahead going into the final lap and still clear with four kilometres to go.
Christie managed to increase his lead to sixteen seconds ahead of four riders and stayed clear to take the win ahead of James Oram and Hamish Schruers, followed by Dion Smith.