GWALOOP: NZ's longest one day cycle challenge (204km)

Jeremy Vennell (with his parents as crew) and Allan Black (Allan’s wife, Mariana, and Colin Cameron crewed for him) made Ramblers proud.

Jeremy finished in first place overall 5:47:55:09
Allan finished first in the 55+ age group 6:42:50:16
Allan's time was slightly down on his last year’s effort due to a strong head wind over the last 40kms or so. Gisborne used 'special tactics' to try and upset Jeremy’s race plan, but he just bided his time and struck when when he sensed a weakness in the opposition.
The special tactics involved using strong man Peter Murphy on a fully kitted out time trial bike comlete with disc wheel for part of the race. For the first 20km or so going around the Patutahi loop they were sitting on 60kph. This REALLY strung the bunch out - they were fair 'smokin' on the Poverty Bay flats leading up to the Wharerata hills! At one point Allan said the pace backed off a bit - he looked down at his speedo and saw that they had only backed off to 52kph

Read both of there full stories under the results section (Ed)