Whyman Doubles Up as Tour of Sāmoa Racing Concludes on Savai’i

Cliff Hughes (left), David Whyman (centre), Chris Dunn (right). ScottieT Photography

The Tour of Sāmoa served up a spectacular double-header on Thursday, with Stage 6 from Asau to Taga and Stage 7 from Taga back to Salelologa completing the riders’ circuit of Savai’i. By the end of the day it was New Zealander David Whyman who emerged as the man of the moment, claiming victories in both stages to underline his growing strength late in the tour.


Stage 6 opened with a punishing climb straight out of Asau, testing tired legs under the already-rising sun. Whyman rose to the challenge, driving clear on the undulating roads to Taga and holding his advantage to secure the win. In the women’s race, Pamela McCauley produced her best ride of the tour, powering over the climbs to take the stage win ahead of pink jersey leader Lillian Gray.


The afternoon brought Stage 7, a flat and fast run into Salelologa, the final competitive test of this year’s tour. The men’s race saw relentless aggression from veteran Gordon McCauley, who launched multiple attacks in a bid to unseat the yellow jersey contenders. His efforts whittled down the bunch but set the stage for a decisive sprint. At the line, Whyman timed his effort perfectly to edge out overall leader Cliff Hughes, with Chris Dunn taking third.


The women’s race unfolded differently. Rather than coming down to a sprint, Lillian Gray seized the opportunity to reaffirm her dominance, going clear on the run-in to Salelologa and taking the win — her fourth stage victory of the tour.


With competitive racing now complete, Hughes retains the men’s yellow jersey, Gray remains comfortably in pink, and local star Hastings Salanoa continues to wear the red jersey as leading Samoan rider. The peloton now enjoys a well-earned rest day at Amoa Resort, where riders will recover in their own ways — some with coffee rides, others with a full circumnavigation of Savai’i, and many simply with a chance to put their feet up.


On Saturday, the tour will close with its ceremonial finale: two neutralised stages back to Apia, including the “victory ride” through the capital. The jerseys are now secured, but the memories of a dramatic week of racing will linger long after the peloton crosses the line for the final time.