Leaving 8:00am from outside Rebel Sport Heretaunga Street Hastings
Short Ride : Bridge Pa , Raukawa Rd, Valley Road return 50km
Long Ride : Bridge Pa, Torrins Hill, Whakapirau, Return via Paki Paki, Middle 75?
Friday, March 30, 2012
Saturday Racing: 31st March 2012
Circuit: Tuki Valley Circuit (A-F)
G grade Circuit: 3x School Block
Venue: Haumoana School
Race start time: 2pm
Race Starter: David Barclay
Emergency Phone: 027 426 6895
G grade Circuit: 3x School Block
Venue: Haumoana School
Race start time: 2pm
Race Starter: David Barclay
Emergency Phone: 027 426 6895
Found: Helmet, Gloves & Glasses
Left under a picnic table at the Bridge Pa School on Saturday 24th March, these can now be located in the MacKenzie van. To arrange collection, please contact Helen ramblersgirl@gmail.com
Also one bright orange, long-sleeve cycling jacket, size small. This was found a few weeks ago by Hilary Green, but is now also in the MacKenzie van.
Unless claimed, these items will join other lost property in Ramblers Van/Trailer. If you have lost gloves, bottles or other items, remember to check the bin in the trailer.
Also one bright orange, long-sleeve cycling jacket, size small. This was found a few weeks ago by Hilary Green, but is now also in the MacKenzie van.
Unless claimed, these items will join other lost property in Ramblers Van/Trailer. If you have lost gloves, bottles or other items, remember to check the bin in the trailer.
Thursday Night Rides Extended for One Month
Each Thursday in April there will be a 15km time trial on Swamp Road, starting at the earlier time of 5:30pm. This is to assist our riders preparing for the ITT in the Club Road Nationals.
RCC Club Winter Dinner
Yes, after a short hiatus, the Club Winter Dinner is back.
When: Saturday 21st July, 2012
Where: War Memorial Hall, Marine Parade, Napier
Time: from 6pm for drinks (buy your own at the bar) - 7pm buffet dinner ($40 per head)
Guest Speaker: Gordon MacAuley
Please contact mark.pauline@vodafone.co.nz to confirm your booking and arrangement payment.
Thank you to Pauline and Mark for organising this.
When: Saturday 21st July, 2012
Where: War Memorial Hall, Marine Parade, Napier
Time: from 6pm for drinks (buy your own at the bar) - 7pm buffet dinner ($40 per head)
Guest Speaker: Gordon MacAuley
Please contact mark.pauline@vodafone.co.nz to confirm your booking and arrangement payment.
Thank you to Pauline and Mark for organising this.
Italian Road Cycling Tour
Karl Woolcott has organised an Italian road cycling tour for September 2012. He's looking for an additional 2-4 cyclists to join the small group. Fantastic itinerary which includes a 90km or 130km Gran Fondo (Italian fun ride similar to our Tour of the Bay) and pasta party.
There is a choice of two rides daily.
14 days - starting in Tuscany on the 1st of September and finishing in Lake Como. Rides vary from flat / scenic to some of the Giro's toughest climbs. Fully guided, rental bikes available and supported by a mini-van for those days when you're rather rest.
There is a choice of two rides daily.
14 days - starting in Tuscany on the 1st of September and finishing in Lake Como. Rides vary from flat / scenic to some of the Giro's toughest climbs. Fully guided, rental bikes available and supported by a mini-van for those days when you're rather rest.
Ash & Hannah in Belgium
RCC members are really enjoying reading the exploits of Hannah van Kampen and Ashliegh Neave. Watch this blog for updates and posts from them of their cycling advetures in Belgium and Holland.
A Reminder for Nationals Time Trial Riders
For the ITT you will need to comply with current UCI regulations regarding ITT bikes.
To assist with this, bikes will measured and scrutinised on the 21st April at the Coronation Park Time Trial.
This will not effect riding on the day, but will enable riders participating in the Nationals event to modify their bikes or purcahse equipment if necessary.
To see the current TT regulations in a diagram format, copy and paste this link.
http://www.facebook.com/ramblerscycling/posts/290316754369914?ref=notif¬if_t=share_wall_create
To assist with this, bikes will measured and scrutinised on the 21st April at the Coronation Park Time Trial.
This will not effect riding on the day, but will enable riders participating in the Nationals event to modify their bikes or purcahse equipment if necessary.
To see the current TT regulations in a diagram format, copy and paste this link.
http://www.facebook.com/ramblerscycling/posts/290316754369914?ref=notif¬if_t=share_wall_create
WBOP Club Championship: 22nd April
Ramblers are invited to participate in the WBOP road race.
$10 entry for U19, 17, 15, $20 entry for all other grades.
Registration from 9am at the AV Event Centre, racing starts from 10am
Course description available here http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/39119006
Enquiries and entries to secretary@taupocyclingclub.org.nz
$10 entry for U19, 17, 15, $20 entry for all other grades.
Registration from 9am at the AV Event Centre, racing starts from 10am
Course description available here http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/39119006
Enquiries and entries to secretary@taupocyclingclub.org.nz
Nationals 2012: Call for drivers and mechanics
The Ramblers Cycling Club is looking for Drivers & Vehicles to help with the up coming Club Nationals on Fri 4th-Sun 6th May at Matapiro Hall.
Some of you receiving this e-mail may have already offered to help - thank you!
We are looking for volunteers to be either Drivers or Mechanics (ie: able to change a wheel).
This is a great chance to give something back to the club & show the rest of the country what a great club Ramblers is.
You also get a fantastic view of some top level racing.
If you are able to help on one or more days, please reply to Brett Hooker bretthooker@me.com and let him know:
- whether you prefer to be a driver or a mechanic
- which day/s you are available
- your T-shirt size
- your cell phone number
If you are able to use your own private vehicle (petrol vouchers will be provided for private vehicles)
Races start at 9am & we will probably need helpers there an hour before this.
It is a full day commitment & lunch will be provided.
Some of you receiving this e-mail may have already offered to help - thank you!
We are looking for volunteers to be either Drivers or Mechanics (ie: able to change a wheel).
This is a great chance to give something back to the club & show the rest of the country what a great club Ramblers is.
You also get a fantastic view of some top level racing.
If you are able to help on one or more days, please reply to Brett Hooker bretthooker@me.com and let him know:
- whether you prefer to be a driver or a mechanic
- which day/s you are available
- your T-shirt size
- your cell phone number
If you are able to use your own private vehicle (petrol vouchers will be provided for private vehicles)
Races start at 9am & we will probably need helpers there an hour before this.
It is a full day commitment & lunch will be provided.
SportHB Workshops
Building Better Boards: Thursday 29th May, Napier
Sports Strapping: Monday 2nd April, Hastings Plus Rehab $20
Sports Strapping: Wednesday 4th April, Taradale Plus Rehab $20
Marketing: Wednesday 4th April, Pettigrew Green Arena, Taradale
The Secret to Sponsorship: Monday 4th May Hastings, Red Cross $120
Sustainable Funding: Tuesday 5th May, Hastings Red Cross $120
Sports Strapping: Monday 2nd April, Hastings Plus Rehab $20
Sports Strapping: Wednesday 4th April, Taradale Plus Rehab $20
Marketing: Wednesday 4th April, Pettigrew Green Arena, Taradale
The Secret to Sponsorship: Monday 4th May Hastings, Red Cross $120
Sustainable Funding: Tuesday 5th May, Hastings Red Cross $120
Taradale Hill, Puketapu Road
Napier City Council is currently rebuilding part of Puketapu Road. Works started in January and are scheduled for completion June 2012.
In a week or so, NCC contractors (Higgins) will be resealing the top section above the cemetery entrance.
Once the remainder of the retaining walls are built and new stormwater pipes placed the bottom section will be resealed.
There is going to be a bit of disturbance to the road surface while the works are in progress and the roadie-cyclists in the council are suggesting cyclists choose another route especially when the surface is being prepped and is not the best to ride on.
At the end of the project there will be a dedicated cycle lane and footpath for pedestrians.
In a week or so, NCC contractors (Higgins) will be resealing the top section above the cemetery entrance.
Once the remainder of the retaining walls are built and new stormwater pipes placed the bottom section will be resealed.
There is going to be a bit of disturbance to the road surface while the works are in progress and the roadie-cyclists in the council are suggesting cyclists choose another route especially when the surface is being prepped and is not the best to ride on.
At the end of the project there will be a dedicated cycle lane and footpath for pedestrians.
Pukeora 4 Hour Relay
This event on 10th June just south of Waipukurau is low key, fun, with great tracks and an ideal race for people who haven’t raced before. The tracks are intermediate and totally rideable. You can do the race in teams of 2 or 3. If you’re super keen, you can go solo.
The aim of the game is to fit in as many of the approx 8km laps as possible in 4 hours.
If you have any questions about the relay, or if you’re interested in becoming a ‘spot prize’ sponsor, then please get in touch with Event Organiser, Emma Buttle 0277 788 916 emmabuttle@hotmail.com
The aim of the game is to fit in as many of the approx 8km laps as possible in 4 hours.
If you have any questions about the relay, or if you’re interested in becoming a ‘spot prize’ sponsor, then please get in touch with Event Organiser, Emma Buttle 0277 788 916 emmabuttle@hotmail.com
Upcoming Events
7th - 9th April: TeA Junior Tour, Te Awamutu
14th - 15th April: CRI Junior and Women’s Tour
14th - 21st April: Tour of New Zealand, Cape Reinga to Wellington OR Bluff to Wellington
7th – 9th April: Kiwivelo/Gib Te Awamutu 3 Day Tour (TeA)
14th – 15th April: CRI Junior Tour, Rotorua
21st April: Country Road Manawatu Cycle Classic
21st April: West Coast North Island Championships, Manawatu
22nd April: WBOP Club Championship Road Race, Taupo
3rd-6th May: RaboDirect Club Road National Championship, Hastings
20th May: Laskey Cycles Manfield 6 hour challenge
August: Reiker 2 Day Tour, Timaru
22nd – 23rd September: R & R Sport Tour, Otago
30th September: Novice Tour of Manawatu
5th – 7th October: Yunca Junior Tour, Invercargill
14th October: Tour of the Bay, Hastings
14th - 15th April: CRI Junior and Women’s Tour
14th - 21st April: Tour of New Zealand, Cape Reinga to Wellington OR Bluff to Wellington
7th – 9th April: Kiwivelo/Gib Te Awamutu 3 Day Tour (TeA)
14th – 15th April: CRI Junior Tour, Rotorua
21st April: Country Road Manawatu Cycle Classic
21st April: West Coast North Island Championships, Manawatu
22nd April: WBOP Club Championship Road Race, Taupo
3rd-6th May: RaboDirect Club Road National Championship, Hastings
20th May: Laskey Cycles Manfield 6 hour challenge
August: Reiker 2 Day Tour, Timaru
22nd – 23rd September: R & R Sport Tour, Otago
30th September: Novice Tour of Manawatu
5th – 7th October: Yunca Junior Tour, Invercargill
14th October: Tour of the Bay, Hastings
Cycle pathway meeting for advocates of the pathway in Taradale
Must be my advocacy day! I have just found out there is a public meeting regarding the Taipo pathway on Monday 2nd April at 5.30pm at Taradale Town Hall, opposite McDonalds, that you might like to attend.
What’s this about you ask?
You may not be aware but this is a wide green belt that runs off Church Road at the creek from St Mary’s at Mission, essentially in Taradale, following a stream and comes out onto Neeve Road. I often ride this in urban winter training rides, when it’s not daylight saving/running out of time or too muddy to head out to our dedicated mountain bike tracks – it’s a great off road area in a wide green belt. Currently I ride this just on grass or on a worn down narrow track on my MTB. Lovely area and again off the road riding – brilliant no cars!
The Napier City Council wants to put a cycle pathway around here and some of the residents think that ‘ratbags’ will hang around and it won’t be safe for them living next to it. NOTE: Its public council land and we can ride this currently – the local residents just don’t want to council to put in dedicated pathway and to share this with us on a pathway. Yes the council is supporting/providing a cycling initiative!
I’m not one to consider myself a ‘ratbag who hangs out on pathways’ but rather someone who enjoys riding around cities on off road pathways. I consider this to be the best type of safe corridor for a bike rider whether a primary/ intermediate/secondary school pupil, commuter cyclist or recreational rider, regardless of age. I also believe that getting people active creates a healthier community. I am one who will always stop and help others in my community when riding a bike and don’t think I am a threat to anyone. I think it’s time for those of us who enjoy riding and see the benefits for the community for such facilities, to voice their opinion.
Can you help? YES PLEASE!
I am strongly encouraging you all individually to attend this meeting to give your feedback and support on this matter. Reassure the community that we are not ‘ratbags’ but great members of the community. Too often it’s the voices of a few ‘Grumpy Old Men’ that get heard, it’s often a few who perceive dangers, that are not realistic who only get heard! Wouldn’t it be great if more positive voices got heard! What a great facility for those of us who live in Taradale this would be. For the elderly and young parents/children in Taradale – for everyone to share! If these residents can get a partition saying they don’t want it why can’t we make our voices heard to show we think, as a greater community it’s another great facility.
If lots of us actual cyclists/recreational riders/commuters provide feedback we may have another fantastic cycling pathway link in our community. If you cannot attend maybe you would like to email your support for this pathway tol Napier City Council. Yes, Napier City Council wants to put in a shared bike track – lets support them! Please email yvonnem@napier.govt.nz
Put out the great word on why we love to cycle, why it’s so good for us and our community! Thanks in advance!
Cheers Vicki
What’s this about you ask?
You may not be aware but this is a wide green belt that runs off Church Road at the creek from St Mary’s at Mission, essentially in Taradale, following a stream and comes out onto Neeve Road. I often ride this in urban winter training rides, when it’s not daylight saving/running out of time or too muddy to head out to our dedicated mountain bike tracks – it’s a great off road area in a wide green belt. Currently I ride this just on grass or on a worn down narrow track on my MTB. Lovely area and again off the road riding – brilliant no cars!
The Napier City Council wants to put a cycle pathway around here and some of the residents think that ‘ratbags’ will hang around and it won’t be safe for them living next to it. NOTE: Its public council land and we can ride this currently – the local residents just don’t want to council to put in dedicated pathway and to share this with us on a pathway. Yes the council is supporting/providing a cycling initiative!
I’m not one to consider myself a ‘ratbag who hangs out on pathways’ but rather someone who enjoys riding around cities on off road pathways. I consider this to be the best type of safe corridor for a bike rider whether a primary/ intermediate/secondary school pupil, commuter cyclist or recreational rider, regardless of age. I also believe that getting people active creates a healthier community. I am one who will always stop and help others in my community when riding a bike and don’t think I am a threat to anyone. I think it’s time for those of us who enjoy riding and see the benefits for the community for such facilities, to voice their opinion.
Can you help? YES PLEASE!
I am strongly encouraging you all individually to attend this meeting to give your feedback and support on this matter. Reassure the community that we are not ‘ratbags’ but great members of the community. Too often it’s the voices of a few ‘Grumpy Old Men’ that get heard, it’s often a few who perceive dangers, that are not realistic who only get heard! Wouldn’t it be great if more positive voices got heard! What a great facility for those of us who live in Taradale this would be. For the elderly and young parents/children in Taradale – for everyone to share! If these residents can get a partition saying they don’t want it why can’t we make our voices heard to show we think, as a greater community it’s another great facility.
If lots of us actual cyclists/recreational riders/commuters provide feedback we may have another fantastic cycling pathway link in our community. If you cannot attend maybe you would like to email your support for this pathway tol Napier City Council. Yes, Napier City Council wants to put in a shared bike track – lets support them! Please email yvonnem@napier.govt.nz
Put out the great word on why we love to cycle, why it’s so good for us and our community! Thanks in advance!
Cheers Vicki
The Country Road Manawatu Cycle Classic 21 April 2012-
http://www.eventsmanawatu.co.nz/
This year’s event is shaping up to be the best yet; event organisers Events Manawatu and Destination Manawatu have come up with a modified course and new innovations.
Event Director Selwyn Brown says” The day promises to be a real celebration of cycling in the Manawatu along with a Country Fare taking place in the Square, with food stalls, a live band playing all afternoon and prize giving with fabulous prises starting at the earlier time of 4.30pm.
Highlights of the day include:
1. An Elite race starting at 10.30am with and amazing prize pool of training grants, including:
• $4,000 for the first rider home
• $1000, $500, $400,5th-7th $300, 8th – 10th $250 1st under 23 rider $200 Under 19 riders $300, $200, $100.
• 4 King of the Mountain stages which are worth $300, $200, $100 with the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.points being awarded at each Hill climb. The overall King of the Mountains picks up another $500.
2. The new time for aged based recreational rider category will see the winner from the Solo men’s and women’s recreational field winning a trip of a lifetime to the Pacific Resort in the Cook Islands. This could end up being a young person or like last year John Black a 60+ year Vet from Wanganui.
3. All Solo riders in the 160km event will also be automatically apart of Bike NZ’s Summer series of Cycling with associated Bike NZ prizes.
4. A new category will see an 80 km women’s recreational stage starting from Apiti at 8.30am.
5. We are also Staging the West Coast North Island Club Championships within the event will mean Open, Under 23,and under19 men will take part in the Country Road Manawatu Classic Ride Elite race at the new time of 10 30am.
6. Open Boys and Girls under 15’s will start from the Feilding Transition at 9.00am. Open under 17 Boys and Girls will start from Kimbolton, with the open women and other women’s grades starting from Apiti at 8.30am
7. Another new feature of the event, the recreational women will start from Apiti at 8.30am.
8. So if you are thinking of having a great weekend in Palmerston North also consider staying at Event Headquarters on Friday night the Kingsgate Hotel (06-356 8059) which is also offering the following
• A shared twin room and breakfast for $99.00.GSt Inc.
• A $19.95 pasta meal on the Friday night in Zoe’s restaurant.
• And exclusively for those staying at the Kingsgate Hotel, 3 spot prizes including a free night’s accommodation within the Millennium Hotel group...
This year’s event is shaping up to be the best yet; event organisers Events Manawatu and Destination Manawatu have come up with a modified course and new innovations.
Event Director Selwyn Brown says” The day promises to be a real celebration of cycling in the Manawatu along with a Country Fare taking place in the Square, with food stalls, a live band playing all afternoon and prize giving with fabulous prises starting at the earlier time of 4.30pm.
Highlights of the day include:
1. An Elite race starting at 10.30am with and amazing prize pool of training grants, including:
• $4,000 for the first rider home
• $1000, $500, $400,5th-7th $300, 8th – 10th $250 1st under 23 rider $200 Under 19 riders $300, $200, $100.
• 4 King of the Mountain stages which are worth $300, $200, $100 with the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.points being awarded at each Hill climb. The overall King of the Mountains picks up another $500.
2. The new time for aged based recreational rider category will see the winner from the Solo men’s and women’s recreational field winning a trip of a lifetime to the Pacific Resort in the Cook Islands. This could end up being a young person or like last year John Black a 60+ year Vet from Wanganui.
3. All Solo riders in the 160km event will also be automatically apart of Bike NZ’s Summer series of Cycling with associated Bike NZ prizes.
4. A new category will see an 80 km women’s recreational stage starting from Apiti at 8.30am.
5. We are also Staging the West Coast North Island Club Championships within the event will mean Open, Under 23,and under19 men will take part in the Country Road Manawatu Classic Ride Elite race at the new time of 10 30am.
6. Open Boys and Girls under 15’s will start from the Feilding Transition at 9.00am. Open under 17 Boys and Girls will start from Kimbolton, with the open women and other women’s grades starting from Apiti at 8.30am
7. Another new feature of the event, the recreational women will start from Apiti at 8.30am.
8. So if you are thinking of having a great weekend in Palmerston North also consider staying at Event Headquarters on Friday night the Kingsgate Hotel (06-356 8059) which is also offering the following
• A shared twin room and breakfast for $99.00.GSt Inc.
• A $19.95 pasta meal on the Friday night in Zoe’s restaurant.
• And exclusively for those staying at the Kingsgate Hotel, 3 spot prizes including a free night’s accommodation within the Millennium Hotel group...
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Gent- Wevelghem, just casually.. (Ash and Hannahs Weekly)
We have been here for 3 weeks and already have a dutch boy changing our punctures (of which there are many, silly shells and sand!) and cleaning our bikes, so as we are nice NZ girls we thought we would make him one of Ashleigh’s amazing cheese cakes; however making a cake when all the ingredients are in Dutch is not easy, and we ended up with an amazing looking yoghurt cake. It turns out quark is not cream cheese, and yoghurt and caramel chocolate do not go well together. At all. Although we did save ourselves by naming him “Hemi” and claiming he was a traditional Maori dish. (Sorry team).
Amsterdam. What to say about Amsterdam! Let’s just say it lived up to its reputation, the lights were red and the weed not hard to come by. Hash Pop for a Euro anyone? We spent the day exploring and avoiding the inappropriate souvenirs in the touristy shops.. Cough reproductive organ shaped salt and pepper shakers were particularly plentiful cough. We found a steak house! Mmmm STEAK! We are having big meat cravings!! Please send a cow. Aside from that we admired the architecture, canals, street entertainers, train station, shopping, BAKERIES, and took an abundance of photos.
Training went well for the week and we even got some skin out, taking off legwarmers just the once. Hannah learnt how to use a Garmin to save us getting lost again, but she was a little bit shit at it, and we got to go in a circle instead of where we wanted to go, but thats ok. She tried and we love her anyway.
We did get to go climbing too, which was exciting! We covered an unbelievable 50m of elevation in the 60km we rode along the coast. God Bless the sand dunes. It did turn out to be good training for the weekend however. On Friday we found out we were going to Belgium for the weekend, just casually. To Belgium. For the Weekend. We left on Saturday with the team. In a team bus, Just casually. We arrived at our 135euro per night accommodation Saturday evening. Just casually. Which the team paid for, of course. Sunday we drove to the Start and the mechanic prepped our bikes, Just casually. He did spend a while frowning at Ashleigh’s Bike, but we concluded he was just bewildered that anyone could have legs that short since he didn’t report any problems. The Team manager signed us in and collected our numbers for us. Just casually. And the souigner prepped our legs before the race. And made up our bottles for us. Just casually.
We lined up with 197 riders, just casually. And then the race began. That’s where the just causally stopped, for a while. The first 30km were good. We were big and brave and scary and sat in the peloton and didn’t see the back of the bunch. Until it strung out into single file through a series of corners in a village, and then turned into a rough cross wind. We both found ourselves with a face full of gutter and it was all over red rover. The rest of the women in our bunch didn’t seem to find much point in chasing so we had a crack on our own and came to within 50m of the convoy for about 6km. But it was never going to happen and we let the bus catch us again once we were spent. We didn’t hang out with them for long though, we soon hit the climbs and were away once more. We rode the final 30km after the hills in a group of 4. Just casually. We crossed the line and rode between the parked team buses of Liquigas, Rabobank, Saxobank, Sky pro Cycling, Garmin, Vacansoleil, Omega Pharma-Quick step.. just casually. Didn’t manage to marry any of them yet though. Showering after a race in Belgium is quite an experience. Let’s just say no one particularly has any concerns about being naked in public and naked communal showers are just as common as sliced bread. Just casually.
That’s our super exciting week, so much to take in. (or avoid taking in!)
We hope its stopped raining there.
Shorty and Fatty lum lum.
P.S if anyone knows how to deal with addictions to baked goods, Hannah needs your help.
Amsterdam. What to say about Amsterdam! Let’s just say it lived up to its reputation, the lights were red and the weed not hard to come by. Hash Pop for a Euro anyone? We spent the day exploring and avoiding the inappropriate souvenirs in the touristy shops.. Cough reproductive organ shaped salt and pepper shakers were particularly plentiful cough. We found a steak house! Mmmm STEAK! We are having big meat cravings!! Please send a cow. Aside from that we admired the architecture, canals, street entertainers, train station, shopping, BAKERIES, and took an abundance of photos.
Training went well for the week and we even got some skin out, taking off legwarmers just the once. Hannah learnt how to use a Garmin to save us getting lost again, but she was a little bit shit at it, and we got to go in a circle instead of where we wanted to go, but thats ok. She tried and we love her anyway.
We did get to go climbing too, which was exciting! We covered an unbelievable 50m of elevation in the 60km we rode along the coast. God Bless the sand dunes. It did turn out to be good training for the weekend however. On Friday we found out we were going to Belgium for the weekend, just casually. To Belgium. For the Weekend. We left on Saturday with the team. In a team bus, Just casually. We arrived at our 135euro per night accommodation Saturday evening. Just casually. Which the team paid for, of course. Sunday we drove to the Start and the mechanic prepped our bikes, Just casually. He did spend a while frowning at Ashleigh’s Bike, but we concluded he was just bewildered that anyone could have legs that short since he didn’t report any problems. The Team manager signed us in and collected our numbers for us. Just casually. And the souigner prepped our legs before the race. And made up our bottles for us. Just casually.
We lined up with 197 riders, just casually. And then the race began. That’s where the just causally stopped, for a while. The first 30km were good. We were big and brave and scary and sat in the peloton and didn’t see the back of the bunch. Until it strung out into single file through a series of corners in a village, and then turned into a rough cross wind. We both found ourselves with a face full of gutter and it was all over red rover. The rest of the women in our bunch didn’t seem to find much point in chasing so we had a crack on our own and came to within 50m of the convoy for about 6km. But it was never going to happen and we let the bus catch us again once we were spent. We didn’t hang out with them for long though, we soon hit the climbs and were away once more. We rode the final 30km after the hills in a group of 4. Just casually. We crossed the line and rode between the parked team buses of Liquigas, Rabobank, Saxobank, Sky pro Cycling, Garmin, Vacansoleil, Omega Pharma-Quick step.. just casually. Didn’t manage to marry any of them yet though. Showering after a race in Belgium is quite an experience. Let’s just say no one particularly has any concerns about being naked in public and naked communal showers are just as common as sliced bread. Just casually.
That’s our super exciting week, so much to take in. (or avoid taking in!)
We hope its stopped raining there.
Shorty and Fatty lum lum.
P.S if anyone knows how to deal with addictions to baked goods, Hannah needs your help.
Friday, March 23, 2012
UCI Track World Championships LIVE on SKY Sport
SKY Sport is proud to be screening LIVE coverage of the UCI Track Cycling World Championships from April 4th-8th from Melbourne’s Hisense Arena adding to SKY Sports already strong 2012 Cycling portfolio.
Because of cycling’s huge viewer appeal especially in an Olympic year, and to enable Kiwis around the country to support their New Zealand Track Cycling Team, SKY Sport has committed to screening all five days of action LIVE, covering both the afternoon and evening sessions with selected Highlights.
New Zealand has named its largest team ever for the championships, with a 20-strong squad to compete in all four disciplines for the first time – men’s and women’s endurance and sprint events.
The BikeNZ team will be the largest of any teams at the event and go in with three riders ranked No 1 on the World Cup rankings – Alison Shanks (individual pursuit), Peter Latham (individual pursuit) and Simon van Velthooven (1000m time trial), while the women’s team pursuit is ranked second and the men’s team pursuit third.
The team are hoping to match or better their record of four medals at the championships, achieved in 2010 and 2011. New Zealand’s last world championship Rainbow jersey winner was Alison Shanks (individual pursuit) in 2009.
Broadcast Details
Day 1 Session 1 Wednesday April 4 4.50pm SKY Sport 3 LIVE
Day 1 Session 2 Wednesday April 4 8.50pm SKY Sport 3 LIVE
Day 2 Session 1 Thursday April 5 3.30pm SKY Sport 3 LIVE
Day 2 Session 2 Thursday April 5 8.50pm SKY Sport 3 LIVE
Day 3 Session 1 Friday April 6 2.50pm SKY Sport 3 LIVE
Day 3 Session 2 Friday April 6 8.50pm SKY Sport 3 LIVE
Day 4 Session 1 Saturday April 7 2.50pm SKY Sport 3 LIVE
Day 4 Session 2 Saturday April 7 8.50pm SKY Sport 3 LIVE
Day 5 Session 1 Sunday April 8 4.20pm SKY Sport 3 LIVE
Day 5 Session 1 Sunday April 8 9pm SKY Sport 3 LIVE
Coverage also includes regular highlights each day on SKY Sport Highlights (SKY Channel 033).
For more information please contact:
Kim Taylor
SKY Publicist – Sport
Ian Hepenstall
Media Liaison, BikeNZ High Performance
Sports Media NZ Ltd
Because of cycling’s huge viewer appeal especially in an Olympic year, and to enable Kiwis around the country to support their New Zealand Track Cycling Team, SKY Sport has committed to screening all five days of action LIVE, covering both the afternoon and evening sessions with selected Highlights.
New Zealand has named its largest team ever for the championships, with a 20-strong squad to compete in all four disciplines for the first time – men’s and women’s endurance and sprint events.
The BikeNZ team will be the largest of any teams at the event and go in with three riders ranked No 1 on the World Cup rankings – Alison Shanks (individual pursuit), Peter Latham (individual pursuit) and Simon van Velthooven (1000m time trial), while the women’s team pursuit is ranked second and the men’s team pursuit third.
The team are hoping to match or better their record of four medals at the championships, achieved in 2010 and 2011. New Zealand’s last world championship Rainbow jersey winner was Alison Shanks (individual pursuit) in 2009.
Broadcast Details
Day 1 Session 1 Wednesday April 4 4.50pm SKY Sport 3 LIVE
Day 1 Session 2 Wednesday April 4 8.50pm SKY Sport 3 LIVE
Day 2 Session 1 Thursday April 5 3.30pm SKY Sport 3 LIVE
Day 2 Session 2 Thursday April 5 8.50pm SKY Sport 3 LIVE
Day 3 Session 1 Friday April 6 2.50pm SKY Sport 3 LIVE
Day 3 Session 2 Friday April 6 8.50pm SKY Sport 3 LIVE
Day 4 Session 1 Saturday April 7 2.50pm SKY Sport 3 LIVE
Day 4 Session 2 Saturday April 7 8.50pm SKY Sport 3 LIVE
Day 5 Session 1 Sunday April 8 4.20pm SKY Sport 3 LIVE
Day 5 Session 1 Sunday April 8 9pm SKY Sport 3 LIVE
Coverage also includes regular highlights each day on SKY Sport Highlights (SKY Channel 033).
For more information please contact:
Kim Taylor
SKY Publicist – Sport
Ian Hepenstall
Media Liaison, BikeNZ High Performance
Sports Media NZ Ltd
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
CHB Junior Tour
Last week-end, 124 junior cyclists gathered in Waipukurau for the Ultimo CHB 2 Day Junior Tour. Many of these young riders are training for the TeA and CRI Junior Tours next month, followed by the NZ Club Road Nationals in May.
Three HB cyclists had podium finishes. Phoebe Treseder won the U17 girls race after dominating the grueling uphill prologue.
Damien Lysaght was third in the very competitive U17 boys. Sam Thorpe-Loversuch was third in the U15 boys.
Regan Gough was leading the U17 yr boys and was unlucky to have a mechanical failure, and a crash, costing him the tour leader’s jersey. However, he still managed to retain his King of the Mountain jersey.
Other riders featuring in the “Top 10” were; U13 Mitchell Heney, U15 Bradley Christison, U17 Will Green, U19 Logan Bean, U19 Holly Atkins and Amanda Jamieson 4th GC U17 Girls.
.
Congratulations to all of you, and special thanks to your dedicated support crews.
Three HB cyclists had podium finishes. Phoebe Treseder won the U17 girls race after dominating the grueling uphill prologue.
Damien Lysaght was third in the very competitive U17 boys. Sam Thorpe-Loversuch was third in the U15 boys.
Regan Gough was leading the U17 yr boys and was unlucky to have a mechanical failure, and a crash, costing him the tour leader’s jersey. However, he still managed to retain his King of the Mountain jersey.
Other riders featuring in the “Top 10” were; U13 Mitchell Heney, U15 Bradley Christison, U17 Will Green, U19 Logan Bean, U19 Holly Atkins and Amanda Jamieson 4th GC U17 Girls.
.
Congratulations to all of you, and special thanks to your dedicated support crews.
BikeNZ names Westley in largest team for track cycling world championships
New Zealand will send their largest team ever to next month’s UCI World Track Cycling Championships in Melbourne.
The team, announced today by BikeNZ, will comprise 20 riders, likely to be the biggest team of any country to contest the five-day event at the Hisense Arena on 4-8 April.
It is the first time that New Zealand has fielded riders to contest all four categories – male and female endurance and sprint.
The team, currently training at the Invercargill Velodrome, are keen to build on their strong medal winning performances over the last three years. Since 2009 BikeNZ has won 11 medals at the world championships, the same number earned over the previous 38 years.
While the team is focussed firmly on success in Melbourne, they have a weather-eye on July’s London Olympics and beyond.
“The size of the team is largely because of their performances in the World Cups and the Oceania Championships where we have qualified a record number of spots,” said BikeNZ High Performance Director Mark Elliott.
“Because the championships are in such close proximity to us, then it was an ideal opportunity to ensure we filled all of the places that we had qualified in, and in that respect we have the chance to look a little to the future with some of the selections. For a number of riders, these world championships are their pinnacle event.
“The world championships are always a decisive target for our riders and we want to come home with world class performances. The world championships are ideally placed for us to target as our first peak of the year, and then re-set for London. Our coaches had always set these world championships as an important litmus test of our progress towards the London Olympics.
“Some of our riders are still gunning for qualification for London, so they will be all guns blazing.
“And we are also competing in some of the traditional world championship events that are not part of the Olympic programme.”
There are no major surprises in the team, although the championships will clearly still provide a competitive environment towards Olympic selection. There are five team pursuiters named for Melbourne, not including the leading rider Jesse Sergent who is unavailable with commitments to his professional road team.
The newcomers into the men’s team include Christchurch teenager Alex Frame, who won two medals in last year’s junior world championships in Moscow, and big Southland sprinter Matt Archibald who was blooded in the World Cup this year.
The strong women’s endurance team will be out to build on the strong performances from the current World Cup season.
There’s excitement about the rapid development of the women’s sprint combination of former Cantabrian Natasha Hansen, now based in Invercargill, and Dunedin’s Katie Schofield who are pushing for Olympic qualification off these World Championships.
The team will leave for Melbourne next week.
The team is: Female endurance: Rushlee Buchanan (Te Awamutu), Gemma Dudley (Levin), Lauren Ellis (Hinds), Jo Kiesanowski (Christchurch), Jaime Nielsen (Hamilton), Alison Shanks (Dunedin).
Male endurance: Shane Archbold (Timaru), Sam Bewley (Rotorua), Alex Frame (Christchurch), Aaron Gate (Auckland), Westley Gough (Waipukurau), Peter Latham (Te Awamutu), Marc Ryan (Timaru).
Male sprint: Matt Archibald (Invercargill), Eddie Dawkins (Invercargill), Ethan Mitchell (Auckland), Simon Van Velthooven (Palmerston North), Sam Webster (Auckland).
Female sprint: Natasha Hansen (Invercargill), Katie Schofield (Dunedin).
Key staff: Tim Carswell (male endurance coach), Dayle Cheatley (female endurance coach), Justin Grace (male sprint coach), Stu MacDonald (female sprint coach), Stephen Connell (Team Manager).
For further information contact:
IAN HEPENSTALL
Media Liaison, BikeNZ High Performance
Sports Media NZ Ltd
The team, announced today by BikeNZ, will comprise 20 riders, likely to be the biggest team of any country to contest the five-day event at the Hisense Arena on 4-8 April.
It is the first time that New Zealand has fielded riders to contest all four categories – male and female endurance and sprint.
The team, currently training at the Invercargill Velodrome, are keen to build on their strong medal winning performances over the last three years. Since 2009 BikeNZ has won 11 medals at the world championships, the same number earned over the previous 38 years.
While the team is focussed firmly on success in Melbourne, they have a weather-eye on July’s London Olympics and beyond.
“The size of the team is largely because of their performances in the World Cups and the Oceania Championships where we have qualified a record number of spots,” said BikeNZ High Performance Director Mark Elliott.
“Because the championships are in such close proximity to us, then it was an ideal opportunity to ensure we filled all of the places that we had qualified in, and in that respect we have the chance to look a little to the future with some of the selections. For a number of riders, these world championships are their pinnacle event.
“The world championships are always a decisive target for our riders and we want to come home with world class performances. The world championships are ideally placed for us to target as our first peak of the year, and then re-set for London. Our coaches had always set these world championships as an important litmus test of our progress towards the London Olympics.
“Some of our riders are still gunning for qualification for London, so they will be all guns blazing.
“And we are also competing in some of the traditional world championship events that are not part of the Olympic programme.”
There are no major surprises in the team, although the championships will clearly still provide a competitive environment towards Olympic selection. There are five team pursuiters named for Melbourne, not including the leading rider Jesse Sergent who is unavailable with commitments to his professional road team.
The newcomers into the men’s team include Christchurch teenager Alex Frame, who won two medals in last year’s junior world championships in Moscow, and big Southland sprinter Matt Archibald who was blooded in the World Cup this year.
The strong women’s endurance team will be out to build on the strong performances from the current World Cup season.
There’s excitement about the rapid development of the women’s sprint combination of former Cantabrian Natasha Hansen, now based in Invercargill, and Dunedin’s Katie Schofield who are pushing for Olympic qualification off these World Championships.
The team will leave for Melbourne next week.
The team is: Female endurance: Rushlee Buchanan (Te Awamutu), Gemma Dudley (Levin), Lauren Ellis (Hinds), Jo Kiesanowski (Christchurch), Jaime Nielsen (Hamilton), Alison Shanks (Dunedin).
Male endurance: Shane Archbold (Timaru), Sam Bewley (Rotorua), Alex Frame (Christchurch), Aaron Gate (Auckland), Westley Gough (Waipukurau), Peter Latham (Te Awamutu), Marc Ryan (Timaru).
Male sprint: Matt Archibald (Invercargill), Eddie Dawkins (Invercargill), Ethan Mitchell (Auckland), Simon Van Velthooven (Palmerston North), Sam Webster (Auckland).
Female sprint: Natasha Hansen (Invercargill), Katie Schofield (Dunedin).
Key staff: Tim Carswell (male endurance coach), Dayle Cheatley (female endurance coach), Justin Grace (male sprint coach), Stu MacDonald (female sprint coach), Stephen Connell (Team Manager).
For further information contact:
IAN HEPENSTALL
Media Liaison, BikeNZ High Performance
Sports Media NZ Ltd
Saturday Racing: 24th March
Circuit: Valley-Raukawa Circuit
Venue: Bridge Pa School
Race start time: 2pm
Race Starter: Hamish Goodwin
Emergency Race Day Phone: 027 426 6895
Venue: Bridge Pa School
Race start time: 2pm
Race Starter: Hamish Goodwin
Emergency Race Day Phone: 027 426 6895
Introduction to Cyclocross: 25th March
Where: Roys Hill Reserve, Highway 50
When: Between 11am and 2pm
Here’s your chance to try out cyclocross. Carl Paton will be meeting at EIT from 9:30am to lead a ride to Roys Hill and direct a skills and training session so don't miss out on this be there sharp to join the team on the ride to the venue.CXHB are then hosting a kids event and a family/recreational ride around the lower slopes of the park as part of the official opening of the park by Hastings District Council.
You can practice on the course from 11am, and the kids event will start at noon.
There is no entry fee – just bring some energy and any bike that can handle riding off-road.
For more information, please contact Gemma gnewland@hotmail.com or Andrew blackpeloton@gmail.com
There will also be other events and activities including a bouncy castle, a sausage sizzle, face painting, train rides and an aerial display by HB Radio Flyers.
When: Between 11am and 2pm
Here’s your chance to try out cyclocross. Carl Paton will be meeting at EIT from 9:30am to lead a ride to Roys Hill and direct a skills and training session so don't miss out on this be there sharp to join the team on the ride to the venue.CXHB are then hosting a kids event and a family/recreational ride around the lower slopes of the park as part of the official opening of the park by Hastings District Council.
You can practice on the course from 11am, and the kids event will start at noon.
There is no entry fee – just bring some energy and any bike that can handle riding off-road.
For more information, please contact Gemma gnewland@hotmail.com or Andrew blackpeloton@gmail.com
There will also be other events and activities including a bouncy castle, a sausage sizzle, face painting, train rides and an aerial display by HB Radio Flyers.
Tandem Tour: 24th – 25th March
All the best to Ramblers and visitors participating in this tour – if you have any queries about this please contact Pauline Summers mark.pauline@vodafone.co.nz
Congratulations to our 2012 ITT Club Champions
While the road race results are still being finalised, we are able to announce and congratulate our Time Trial Club Champions:
U15 Boys: Sam Thorpe-Loversuch
U17 Girls: Phoebe Treseder
U17 Boys: Regan Gough
U19 Men: James Lochhead
U19 Women: Holly Atkins
Senior Men: Dean Hepburn
Senior Women: Kerri anne Torkler
M1 Men: Doug McIntosh
M1 Women: Emma Mason-Smith
M2 Men: Peter Murphy
M3 Men: Andrew Townsend
M4 Men: Bret Harte
M4 Women: Ingrid Perols
M5 Men: Ian Seddon
M6 Men: Allan Black
M6 Women: Rosemary Weskett
M7 Men: Bruce Strachan
M8 Men: Dave Marett
U15 Boys: Sam Thorpe-Loversuch
U17 Girls: Phoebe Treseder
U17 Boys: Regan Gough
U19 Men: James Lochhead
U19 Women: Holly Atkins
Senior Men: Dean Hepburn
Senior Women: Kerri anne Torkler
M1 Men: Doug McIntosh
M1 Women: Emma Mason-Smith
M2 Men: Peter Murphy
M3 Men: Andrew Townsend
M4 Men: Bret Harte
M4 Women: Ingrid Perols
M5 Men: Ian Seddon
M6 Men: Allan Black
M6 Women: Rosemary Weskett
M7 Men: Bruce Strachan
M8 Men: Dave Marett
CHB Junior Tour
Last week-end, 124 junior cyclists gathered in Waipukurau for the Ultimo CHB 2 Day Junior Tour. Many of these young riders are training for the TeA and CRI Junior Tours next month, followed by the NZ Club Road Nationals in May.
Three HB cyclists had podium finishes. Phoebe Treseder won the U17 girls race after dominating the grueling uphill prologue.
Damien Lysaght was third in the very competitive U17 boys. Sam Thorpe-Loversuch was third in the U15 boys.
Regan Gough was leading the U17 yr boys and was unlucky to have a mechanical failure, and a crash, costing him the tour leader’s jersey. However, he still managed to retain his King of the Mountain jersey.
Other riders featuring in the “Top 10” were; U13 Mitchell Heney, U15 Bradley Christison, U17 Will Green, U19 Logan Bean, U19 Holly Atkins and Amanda Jamieson 4th GC U17 Girls
Congratulations to all of you, and special thanks to your dedicated support crews.
Three HB cyclists had podium finishes. Phoebe Treseder won the U17 girls race after dominating the grueling uphill prologue.
Damien Lysaght was third in the very competitive U17 boys. Sam Thorpe-Loversuch was third in the U15 boys.
Regan Gough was leading the U17 yr boys and was unlucky to have a mechanical failure, and a crash, costing him the tour leader’s jersey. However, he still managed to retain his King of the Mountain jersey.
Other riders featuring in the “Top 10” were; U13 Mitchell Heney, U15 Bradley Christison, U17 Will Green, U19 Logan Bean, U19 Holly Atkins and Amanda Jamieson 4th GC U17 Girls
Congratulations to all of you, and special thanks to your dedicated support crews.
NZ Code for Cyclists
From 25th March 2012, two of the Give Way rules will change. How confident are you about these new rules? Copy and paste the following link to take the 5min and identify which of the vehicles will have to give way from 25 March.
http://www.giveway.co.nz/
http://www.giveway.co.nz/
How to Contact Ramblers Committee
If you have any specific issues, suggestions or general comments to make, your first port of call is to email info@ramblers.co.nz Ramblers administration will forward your email to the appropriate person.
The committee do not respond to matters raised on social media sites.
The committee do not respond to matters raised on social media sites.
Request for Old Tyres
The Children’s Co-ordinator at the Pettigrew Green Arena in Taradale is looking for about 20 old thin bike tyres for the Kindy Gym programme. The tyres are used to help the children learn about spacial awareness.
If you have some worn tyres that you are happy to recycle in this way, please bring them to Bridge Pa on Saturday and leave them with Deb at the sign-in table.
If you have some worn tyres that you are happy to recycle in this way, please bring them to Bridge Pa on Saturday and leave them with Deb at the sign-in table.
BikeNZ Membership Review
To capitalise on the significant growth of New Zealand cycling, BikeNZ wish to ensure that all types of cyclists, no matter what type of bike or where you ride, gain value by becoming members of BikeNZ. This will increase BikeNZ’s revenue base and their ability to sustainably invest in on-going cycling development and to provide all of the products and services cyclists need. To achieve this, BikeNZ is reviewing the current membership model.
To see their proposed membership model, go to http://sitedesq.imgstg.com/clubscripts/linkCampaign.cfm?key=a7cb7a83-56d4-4dfc-911f-c58a12edc208
They are keen to hear your feedback and suggestions, so email your ideas or queries to mailto:info@bikenz.org.nz
To see their proposed membership model, go to http://sitedesq.imgstg.com/clubscripts/linkCampaign.cfm?key=a7cb7a83-56d4-4dfc-911f-c58a12edc208
They are keen to hear your feedback and suggestions, so email your ideas or queries to mailto:info@bikenz.org.nz
Not a Ramblers Member? Then You will be Racing as a Visitor!
From March 1st, any member who has NOT completed the 2012 membership renewal process is required to pay the visitors fee of $10 per Saturday race.
The quickest way to ensure your membership is processed is to renew online through BikeNZ (contact info@ramblers.co.nz for your login details). Alternately, you can download a membership form from the club website and post your completed forms with payment to PO Box 8548, Havelock North 4157. If you hand your forms or payment to a committee member or other club official, there may be delays in processing.
CHB members: Please note that you are required to complete a Ramblers membership form even if you are eligible for the 2012 fees waiver because we still need your current contact and licence details.
The quickest way to ensure your membership is processed is to renew online through BikeNZ (contact info@ramblers.co.nz for your login details). Alternately, you can download a membership form from the club website and post your completed forms with payment to PO Box 8548, Havelock North 4157. If you hand your forms or payment to a committee member or other club official, there may be delays in processing.
CHB members: Please note that you are required to complete a Ramblers membership form even if you are eligible for the 2012 fees waiver because we still need your current contact and licence details.
Can you Help Nicolas?
Rambler Nicolas Monroy is interested in doing the Rotorua Flyer on 31st March but has no means of transport to get there. If you have room for him and his bike, he would pay his share of petrol and other costs.
If you can help Nicolas, please phone/text him 0211444276 or email nikolas_mz@hotmail.com
If you can help Nicolas, please phone/text him 0211444276 or email nikolas_mz@hotmail.com
Sports Injury Management Workshop
Sport HB and Plus Rehab are delivering a sports injury workshop which is ideal for players, coaches and managers of all sporting codes.
The workshop will be delivered on Monday 2nd April (6-8pm) at PlusRehab in Hastings, and then offered again on Wednesday 4th April (6-8pm) at PlusRehab in Taradale.
Cost: $20.00 - Payment is required with your booking as numbers are limited.
To register or for more information please contact: Amanda Feast, phone: 845 9336 ext 712 or email amandaf@sporthb.net.nz
The workshop will be delivered on Monday 2nd April (6-8pm) at PlusRehab in Hastings, and then offered again on Wednesday 4th April (6-8pm) at PlusRehab in Taradale.
Cost: $20.00 - Payment is required with your booking as numbers are limited.
To register or for more information please contact: Amanda Feast, phone: 845 9336 ext 712 or email amandaf@sporthb.net.nz
Womans Bike Maintenance Course
Vicki Butterworth (BikeNZ Regional Development Coordinator), in conjunction with AvantiPlus Taradale, is again offering a special bike maintenance course – just for women. It does not matter what type or style of bike you have, you are sure to get value from this evening. These workshops are a great way to increase understanding of how your bicycle works and to gain confidence with carrying out basic maintenance.
Topics covered will include puncture repair, wheel removal, cleaning & lubrication, instruction on chain repair and replacement, basic gear tuning, brake pad replacement and brake adjustment.
DATE: Thursday 12 April, 6 pm
WHERE: AvantiPlus Pedal Power Taradale, 340 Gloucester Street, Taradale, Napier.
COST: Gold coin only – to cover tea/coffee
There is a maximum of 20 per course, so RSVP now: 8449771 or pedalpower@clear.net.nz
Topics covered will include puncture repair, wheel removal, cleaning & lubrication, instruction on chain repair and replacement, basic gear tuning, brake pad replacement and brake adjustment.
DATE: Thursday 12 April, 6 pm
WHERE: AvantiPlus Pedal Power Taradale, 340 Gloucester Street, Taradale, Napier.
COST: Gold coin only – to cover tea/coffee
There is a maximum of 20 per course, so RSVP now: 8449771 or pedalpower@clear.net.nz
The Country Road Manawatu Cycle Classic 21 April
This is the second year of the event and will include this year an 80km women’s recreational field starting from Apiti at 8.30am.
The 160km Men’s Elite race will start from Palmerston North at 10.30am and has cash prizes. Training grants of $12,500 are also up for grabs.
There is also an innovative new age based handicap prize where recreational riders time will have a formula applied to see who rides the course the fastest. A trip for 2 to Raratonga is the winners prize in this category.
For more details go to http://www.eventsmanawatu.co.nz/
The 160km Men’s Elite race will start from Palmerston North at 10.30am and has cash prizes. Training grants of $12,500 are also up for grabs.
There is also an innovative new age based handicap prize where recreational riders time will have a formula applied to see who rides the course the fastest. A trip for 2 to Raratonga is the winners prize in this category.
For more details go to http://www.eventsmanawatu.co.nz/
Upcoming Events
24th March: WPOB Time Trial Championships, Te Aroha
24th March: Grape Ride, Malborough
24th – 25th March: Tandem Tour, Pukehamoamoa/Crownthorpe
25th March: Intro to CXHB, Hastings
7th-9th April: TeA Junior Tour, Te Awamutu
14th-15th April: CRI Junior and Women’s Tour
14th-21st April: Tour of New Zealand, Cape Reinga to Wellington OR Bluff to Wellington
21st April: Country Road Manawatu Cycle Classic
3rd-6th May: RaboDirect Club Road National Championship, CHB & Hastings
20th May: Laskey Cycles Manfield 6 hour challenge
24th March: Grape Ride, Malborough
24th – 25th March: Tandem Tour, Pukehamoamoa/Crownthorpe
25th March: Intro to CXHB, Hastings
7th-9th April: TeA Junior Tour, Te Awamutu
14th-15th April: CRI Junior and Women’s Tour
14th-21st April: Tour of New Zealand, Cape Reinga to Wellington OR Bluff to Wellington
21st April: Country Road Manawatu Cycle Classic
3rd-6th May: RaboDirect Club Road National Championship, CHB & Hastings
20th May: Laskey Cycles Manfield 6 hour challenge
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
BikeNZ names team for Junior World Championships in Invercargill
BikeNZ has named a 16-strong team to contest the junior world track cycling championships to be held in New Zealand for the first time.
The team will take on the world’s best under-19 cyclists from more than 20 countries in the championships at the Invercargill Velodrome on 22-26 August.
Six of the team return from last year’s successful group that won a record 10 medals at the world championships in Moscow. Four of those medal winning riders are back in team to compete at Invercargill comprising Waimate’s Dylan Kennett, a double medallist, Wanganui’s Cassie Cameron, Auckland’s Paige Patterson and Alexandra’s Sophie Williamson.
All four won bronze medals with Kennett winning his pair in the omnium and team pursuit, Patterson in the team sprint, Williamson in the points race and Cameron in the scratch race.
BikeNZ High Performance Director Mark Elliott said the championships could prove a watershed event for the sport in this country.
“Our junior programme has been developing well over the past four years and to stage a world championship in this country is a rare and invaluable opportunity,” he said.
“It is an opportunity for us to enter a full line-up of riders which we just can’t afford to do year after year in Europe.
“It is a tremendous chance for this group to put their hands up to be part of our programme looking ahead to the 2016 Olympics and beyond.
“I hope all the other kids around the country who ride bikes will be able to get to Invercargill to catch the bug and to see what is possible.
“And above all I hope that the cycling fraternity throughout the country and the sporting fans in the South Island understand that this is a very special chance to see tomorrow’s cycling stars today.”
The BikeNZ head coach Ross Machejefski believes they have selected a strong team for the championships.
“There’s a good number back from last year and a number who tasted some success, so that will be important,” he said.
“We had an excellent Oceania Championships in Invercargill where these riders really performed well. There’s a lot of hard work to go but they are all fizzing about the chance to compete in a world championships right here on their home turf.
“The velodrome here at Invercargill is like a second home to them all which will be a significant advantage for sure.”
There are several training camps planned while Machejefski is hopeful of potential funding to take the squad to the USA for training and racing during the New Zealand winter.
The team is:
Female endurance: Cassie Cameron (Wanganui), Alysha Keith (Dunedin), Racquel Sheath (Auckland), Sophie Williamson (Alexandra), Georgina Wilson (North Harbour).
Female sprint: Kate Dunlevey (Invercargill), Paige Patterson (Auckland), Victoria Steel (Christchurch).
Male endurance: Liam Aitcheson (Alexandra), Tom Beadle (Invercargill), Tayla Harrison (Christchurch), Dylan Kennett (Waimate), Hayden McCormick (Te Awamutu), Hamish Schreurs (Christchurch).
Men’s sprint: Jeremy Presbury (Invercargill), Zach Williams (Auckland).
Staff: Ross Machejefski (head coach), Mark Lucas (female endurance coach), John Rastrick (sprint coach), John Green (team manager), Lynnette Murphy (track manager).
For further information contact:
IAN HEPENSTALL
Media Liaison, BikeNZ High Performance
Sports Media NZ Ltd
The team will take on the world’s best under-19 cyclists from more than 20 countries in the championships at the Invercargill Velodrome on 22-26 August.
Six of the team return from last year’s successful group that won a record 10 medals at the world championships in Moscow. Four of those medal winning riders are back in team to compete at Invercargill comprising Waimate’s Dylan Kennett, a double medallist, Wanganui’s Cassie Cameron, Auckland’s Paige Patterson and Alexandra’s Sophie Williamson.
All four won bronze medals with Kennett winning his pair in the omnium and team pursuit, Patterson in the team sprint, Williamson in the points race and Cameron in the scratch race.
BikeNZ High Performance Director Mark Elliott said the championships could prove a watershed event for the sport in this country.
“Our junior programme has been developing well over the past four years and to stage a world championship in this country is a rare and invaluable opportunity,” he said.
“It is an opportunity for us to enter a full line-up of riders which we just can’t afford to do year after year in Europe.
“It is a tremendous chance for this group to put their hands up to be part of our programme looking ahead to the 2016 Olympics and beyond.
“I hope all the other kids around the country who ride bikes will be able to get to Invercargill to catch the bug and to see what is possible.
“And above all I hope that the cycling fraternity throughout the country and the sporting fans in the South Island understand that this is a very special chance to see tomorrow’s cycling stars today.”
The BikeNZ head coach Ross Machejefski believes they have selected a strong team for the championships.
“There’s a good number back from last year and a number who tasted some success, so that will be important,” he said.
“We had an excellent Oceania Championships in Invercargill where these riders really performed well. There’s a lot of hard work to go but they are all fizzing about the chance to compete in a world championships right here on their home turf.
“The velodrome here at Invercargill is like a second home to them all which will be a significant advantage for sure.”
There are several training camps planned while Machejefski is hopeful of potential funding to take the squad to the USA for training and racing during the New Zealand winter.
The team is:
Female endurance: Cassie Cameron (Wanganui), Alysha Keith (Dunedin), Racquel Sheath (Auckland), Sophie Williamson (Alexandra), Georgina Wilson (North Harbour).
Female sprint: Kate Dunlevey (Invercargill), Paige Patterson (Auckland), Victoria Steel (Christchurch).
Male endurance: Liam Aitcheson (Alexandra), Tom Beadle (Invercargill), Tayla Harrison (Christchurch), Dylan Kennett (Waimate), Hayden McCormick (Te Awamutu), Hamish Schreurs (Christchurch).
Men’s sprint: Jeremy Presbury (Invercargill), Zach Williams (Auckland).
Staff: Ross Machejefski (head coach), Mark Lucas (female endurance coach), John Rastrick (sprint coach), John Green (team manager), Lynnette Murphy (track manager).
For further information contact:
IAN HEPENSTALL
Media Liaison, BikeNZ High Performance
Sports Media NZ Ltd
Monday, March 19, 2012
BikeNZ embark on Road to Rio campaign
While the focus is firmly fixed on the London Olympics, BikeNZ has begun development for the Olympic Games in 2016.
They have named an eight-strong team in partnership with Pure Black Racing to compete on the roads of Europe, with the aim of the group forming a nucleus working towards the Rio Olympics on both the track and road.
It forms a major part of new partnership for BikeNZ, Pure Black Racing and Avanti who joined forces to create an international road racing development programme.
“This is another important step in forging our partnership” said Greg Cross, Business Director of PureBlack Racing. “A lot of work has gone in since we announced the partnership in January to put this programme together in a relatively short time.”
The BikeNZ track endurance riders included in the group comprise Scott Creighton (Hamilton), Cameron Karwowski (Invercargill) and Pieter Bulling (Invercargill). Christchurch rider Alex Frame, currently involved in the preparation camp for next month’s world championships, will join the group later.
The squad includes two members of the Pure Black Racing development programme in Aucklanders Dion Smith and Taylor Gunman, who rode for the team last year.
BikeNZ will tap into some of the kiwi talent on professional contracts for the Under-23 Nations Cup campaign in the Netherlands and Belgium next month, as well as high ranking UCI races in Germany and Ireland. Dependant on availability from their professional teams and on the specific needs at each race, riders including Patrick Bevin (Taupo), Tour of Southland winner Josh Atkins (Christchurch) and national under-23 champion Michael Vink (Christchurch) have indicated their interest.
The squad will also compete on the track, road and criterium circuit in the United States for sixth weeks in June and July.
“Certainly our High Performance focus is on London but at the same time we have to begin our next cycle towards Rio,” said BikeNZ High Performance Director, Mark Elliott.
“We know from experience that high quality road racing in Europe is a vital part of the development for our track programme.
“Over the past three years we have built up some excellent contacts in Europe and have secured some excellent race starts against the best under-23 riders in the world. That’s the sort of tough racing we need.
“This year we are also delighted to be able to add two of our exciting young road riders in Michael Vink and Patrick Bevin to bolster the campaign for the Nations Cup.
“The overall campaign is also a further opportunity to extend the partnership with Pure Black Racing and incorporate two of the team’s up-and-coming young riders.
“It is an outstanding opportunity for this group and an important first step along the road to Rio.”
The team have excellent credentials. Creighton won a bronze medal at last year junior world track championships with Frame picking up two medals, while Bulling had two fourth placings the previous year. Karwowski was a former world junior team sprint gold medallist and made his UCI World Cup debut in the team pursuit in Beijing earlier this year.
Gunman and Smith are both junior internationals who made their debuts for Pure Black Racing last year.
Gunman is a former podium finisher in the UCI Junior Nations Cup at the Tour de l'Abitibi in Canada before stepping up to the PBR team last year.
Smith, a Massey High School cycling graduate, also impressed at the Tour de l'Abitibi and was the leading New Zealander in the under-19 road race at the world championships in Copenhagen last year.
Their first race in the Nations Cup featuring the world’s best under-23 riders is the Tour of Flanders starting on April 7.
The squad is:
Scott Creighton (Hamilton), Alex Frame (Christchurch), Cameron Karwowski (Invercargill), Pieter Bulling (Invercargill), Taylor Gunman (Auckland), Dion Smith (Auckland).
The European schedule is: April 7: UCI Nations Cup – Tour of Flanders,April 11 UCI Nations Cup – La Cote Picardie, April 14: UCI Nations Cup – ZLM, May 1: UCI 2.1 - Rund um den Finanzplatz Eschborn-Frankfurt, May 20 – 27: UCI 2.2 – An Post RAS, Ireland.
For further information contact:
IAN HEPENSTALL
Media Liaison, BikeNZ High Performance
Sports Media NZ Ltd
They have named an eight-strong team in partnership with Pure Black Racing to compete on the roads of Europe, with the aim of the group forming a nucleus working towards the Rio Olympics on both the track and road.
It forms a major part of new partnership for BikeNZ, Pure Black Racing and Avanti who joined forces to create an international road racing development programme.
“This is another important step in forging our partnership” said Greg Cross, Business Director of PureBlack Racing. “A lot of work has gone in since we announced the partnership in January to put this programme together in a relatively short time.”
The BikeNZ track endurance riders included in the group comprise Scott Creighton (Hamilton), Cameron Karwowski (Invercargill) and Pieter Bulling (Invercargill). Christchurch rider Alex Frame, currently involved in the preparation camp for next month’s world championships, will join the group later.
The squad includes two members of the Pure Black Racing development programme in Aucklanders Dion Smith and Taylor Gunman, who rode for the team last year.
BikeNZ will tap into some of the kiwi talent on professional contracts for the Under-23 Nations Cup campaign in the Netherlands and Belgium next month, as well as high ranking UCI races in Germany and Ireland. Dependant on availability from their professional teams and on the specific needs at each race, riders including Patrick Bevin (Taupo), Tour of Southland winner Josh Atkins (Christchurch) and national under-23 champion Michael Vink (Christchurch) have indicated their interest.
The squad will also compete on the track, road and criterium circuit in the United States for sixth weeks in June and July.
“Certainly our High Performance focus is on London but at the same time we have to begin our next cycle towards Rio,” said BikeNZ High Performance Director, Mark Elliott.
“We know from experience that high quality road racing in Europe is a vital part of the development for our track programme.
“Over the past three years we have built up some excellent contacts in Europe and have secured some excellent race starts against the best under-23 riders in the world. That’s the sort of tough racing we need.
“This year we are also delighted to be able to add two of our exciting young road riders in Michael Vink and Patrick Bevin to bolster the campaign for the Nations Cup.
“The overall campaign is also a further opportunity to extend the partnership with Pure Black Racing and incorporate two of the team’s up-and-coming young riders.
“It is an outstanding opportunity for this group and an important first step along the road to Rio.”
The team have excellent credentials. Creighton won a bronze medal at last year junior world track championships with Frame picking up two medals, while Bulling had two fourth placings the previous year. Karwowski was a former world junior team sprint gold medallist and made his UCI World Cup debut in the team pursuit in Beijing earlier this year.
Gunman and Smith are both junior internationals who made their debuts for Pure Black Racing last year.
Gunman is a former podium finisher in the UCI Junior Nations Cup at the Tour de l'Abitibi in Canada before stepping up to the PBR team last year.
Smith, a Massey High School cycling graduate, also impressed at the Tour de l'Abitibi and was the leading New Zealander in the under-19 road race at the world championships in Copenhagen last year.
Their first race in the Nations Cup featuring the world’s best under-23 riders is the Tour of Flanders starting on April 7.
The squad is:
Scott Creighton (Hamilton), Alex Frame (Christchurch), Cameron Karwowski (Invercargill), Pieter Bulling (Invercargill), Taylor Gunman (Auckland), Dion Smith (Auckland).
The European schedule is: April 7: UCI Nations Cup – Tour of Flanders,April 11 UCI Nations Cup – La Cote Picardie, April 14: UCI Nations Cup – ZLM, May 1: UCI 2.1 - Rund um den Finanzplatz Eschborn-Frankfurt, May 20 – 27: UCI 2.2 – An Post RAS, Ireland.
For further information contact:
IAN HEPENSTALL
Media Liaison, BikeNZ High Performance
Sports Media NZ Ltd
Odlin secures Canterbury double at Oceania road cycling
The Oceania elite men’s cycling road race honours proved a winning double for Canterbury riders.
Christchurch rider Paul Odlin outlasted a classy field over a demanding course near Queenstown to claim the elite men’s title over 153kms today.
His win follows the time trial victory by fellow Canterbury and Subway Pro Cycling teammate Sam Horgan earlier in the championship, where Odlin finished runner-up.
The 33-year-old made his move on the steep climb up Littles Rd on the last of six gruelling laps of a 25km circuit near Lake Hayes-Arrowtown, going clear along with Australian Nick Aitken (Jayco AIS). It proved the winning move as the pair pushed clear from a four-man break that had split the field.
Odlin had too much experience to hold off the young Australian in the final sprint, with Aitken finishing second across the line to take out the Oceania under-23 title.
The Christchurch rider, who won the national time trial in January, said the victory on such a demanding course was somewhat of a surprise.
“I don’t consider myself a hill climber but I had good gearing which made a difference,” Odlin said.
“It is a race that I fought for the win. You can’t get that level of satisfaction in a time trial which is what I am focussing on now. It was tactical and had so many variables. If they fall in your favour it is a bit more fun.
“I gave myself a few options on the last lap and if the break didn’t work on the steep climb, it could have been on the second climb on the course. I had a good feeling about that climb though. I was going up it well.
“I led it out and waited to the last moment. It’s pretty easy to win from there.”
Odlin and Aitken had broken clear after two laps clear at the front with Australians Mark O’Brien and track rider Sean Finning.
Aitken was pleased with his performance.
“I did not quite win the sprint for the overall honours but I won the under-23s so I have to be happy with that,” Aitken said.
“Odlin put some pressure early on the last lap up the climb and split it and we just worked together to the finish and managed to hold them off.
“It opens up a spot for the worlds later in the year and now I just have to focus on getting some more runs on the board.”
Aitken took the honours from fellow Australian Michael Freiberg, the current world omnium champion, with talented South Canterbury rider Jason Christie third.
Earlier Australian Bradley Linfield edged out Christchurch’s Hamish Schreurs in a sprint finish to claim the under-19 title over 102kms of the same circuit.
Linfield said the Australians had come to Queenstown with a big cgroup keen to secure the title and an additional spot for the world championships later in the year.
The strong Australian contingent dominated the championships, winning 22 of the 30 medals.
Results:
Under-19 men 102km: Bradley Linfield (Australia) 1; Hamish Schreurs (NZL, Christchurch) same time, 2; Tom Vessey (NZL, Alexandra) same time, 3.
Under-23, 153km: Nick Aitken (AUS, Jayco-AIS) 3:54.05, 1; Michael Freiberg (AUS, Jayco-AIS) at 4m43s, 2; Jason Christie (NZL, Ashburton) at 8:56, 3.
Elite men, 153km: Paul Odlin (NZL, Subway Pro Cycling) 3:54.05, 1; Mark O’Brien (AUS, Team Budget Forklifts) at 1:08, 2; Sean Finning (AUS, Victorian Institute) at 2:32, 3; Sam Horgan (NZL, Subway Pro Cycling) at 4:43, 4; Joseph Chapman (NZL, L&M Group Racing) at 8:59, 5.
CAPTION: Paul Odlin celebrates victory in the Oceania elite men’s road race near Queenstown today.
Image (Bruce Wilson)
For further information contact: Ian Hepenstall, Media, BikeNZ
Christchurch rider Paul Odlin outlasted a classy field over a demanding course near Queenstown to claim the elite men’s title over 153kms today.
His win follows the time trial victory by fellow Canterbury and Subway Pro Cycling teammate Sam Horgan earlier in the championship, where Odlin finished runner-up.
The 33-year-old made his move on the steep climb up Littles Rd on the last of six gruelling laps of a 25km circuit near Lake Hayes-Arrowtown, going clear along with Australian Nick Aitken (Jayco AIS). It proved the winning move as the pair pushed clear from a four-man break that had split the field.
Odlin had too much experience to hold off the young Australian in the final sprint, with Aitken finishing second across the line to take out the Oceania under-23 title.
The Christchurch rider, who won the national time trial in January, said the victory on such a demanding course was somewhat of a surprise.
“I don’t consider myself a hill climber but I had good gearing which made a difference,” Odlin said.
“It is a race that I fought for the win. You can’t get that level of satisfaction in a time trial which is what I am focussing on now. It was tactical and had so many variables. If they fall in your favour it is a bit more fun.
“I gave myself a few options on the last lap and if the break didn’t work on the steep climb, it could have been on the second climb on the course. I had a good feeling about that climb though. I was going up it well.
“I led it out and waited to the last moment. It’s pretty easy to win from there.”
Odlin and Aitken had broken clear after two laps clear at the front with Australians Mark O’Brien and track rider Sean Finning.
Aitken was pleased with his performance.
“I did not quite win the sprint for the overall honours but I won the under-23s so I have to be happy with that,” Aitken said.
“Odlin put some pressure early on the last lap up the climb and split it and we just worked together to the finish and managed to hold them off.
“It opens up a spot for the worlds later in the year and now I just have to focus on getting some more runs on the board.”
Aitken took the honours from fellow Australian Michael Freiberg, the current world omnium champion, with talented South Canterbury rider Jason Christie third.
Earlier Australian Bradley Linfield edged out Christchurch’s Hamish Schreurs in a sprint finish to claim the under-19 title over 102kms of the same circuit.
Linfield said the Australians had come to Queenstown with a big cgroup keen to secure the title and an additional spot for the world championships later in the year.
The strong Australian contingent dominated the championships, winning 22 of the 30 medals.
Results:
Under-19 men 102km: Bradley Linfield (Australia) 1; Hamish Schreurs (NZL, Christchurch) same time, 2; Tom Vessey (NZL, Alexandra) same time, 3.
Under-23, 153km: Nick Aitken (AUS, Jayco-AIS) 3:54.05, 1; Michael Freiberg (AUS, Jayco-AIS) at 4m43s, 2; Jason Christie (NZL, Ashburton) at 8:56, 3.
Elite men, 153km: Paul Odlin (NZL, Subway Pro Cycling) 3:54.05, 1; Mark O’Brien (AUS, Team Budget Forklifts) at 1:08, 2; Sean Finning (AUS, Victorian Institute) at 2:32, 3; Sam Horgan (NZL, Subway Pro Cycling) at 4:43, 4; Joseph Chapman (NZL, L&M Group Racing) at 8:59, 5.
CAPTION: Paul Odlin celebrates victory in the Oceania elite men’s road race near Queenstown today.
Image (Bruce Wilson)
For further information contact: Ian Hepenstall, Media, BikeNZ
Australian women prevail in sprint finishes at Oceania cycling
Sprint finishes decided both women’s honours in the UCI Oceania road cycling championships near Queenstown today.
Australians prevailed in both the junior and elite women’s titles raced in ideal conditions around a challenging circuit near Arrowtown.
Canberra mountain biker Gracie Elvin prevailed in the sprint finish from her Australian Institute teammate and GreenEdge professional Shara Gillow with fellow UCI professional Rachel Naylan third to complete the Australian clean sweep.
The best of the kiwis was teenager Georgia Williams (Auckland) who enjoyed an outstanding introduction to the elite ranks to finish fifth just behind the leading four who sprinted across the line at the end of the 102km race. She was fourth in Friday’s time trial.
Williams proved she is an exciting prospect for the future after finishing sixth in the time trial at the world championships last year before a serious injury after a crash while well positioned in the road race in Copenhagen.
Earlier Queensland’s Emily Roper outsprinted New Zealand’s Sophie Williamson and South Australia’s Jessica Mundy to claim the iunder-19 honours.
Southland’s Gabrielle Vermunt took up the challenge on the first of four 25km laps, taking in the major climb up McIntyre’s Hill near Arrowtown, as she opened up a 1 minute 30 second lead. Australian Bridie O’Donnell, the Fasa Bortolo professional based in Italy, took up the chase, catching Vermunt before riding solo in a break for 30kms.
The peloton brought things back with a bunch of 11 riders together at the start of the final lap. There were multiple attacks on the final climb up McIntyre’s Hill with Elvin given the perfect lead-out by teammate Gillow in the sprint to claim the honours 2:12.39.
“Queenstown put on a beautiful day for us and it’s very picturesque around here,” said Elvin. “The race was pretty hard. There were some tough hills for us. There were a couple of times they turned into walls.
“There were a lot of attacks we had to cover but everyone was playing cat and mouse a bit today. We tried to keep the bunch moving and keep in control and keep everyone interested. There were a couple of times the group sat up but we had to keep driving to bring the break back.
“I haven’t been able to do many bunch sprints in the last few months so I was a bit nervous coming into that. My teammate Shara (Gillow) set it up and I was able to position myself well and it worked out.”
Elvin will head to Europe with the Jayco AIS team where they will be based in Belgium as a lead-up before selection for the London Olympics and world championships.
The under-19 race over three laps of the same course gradually whittled down to a select group of five to contest the final lap.
Williamson, from nearby Alexandra, was the sole kiwi and got somewhat worked over by the four Australians with Roper able to edge her in the sprint finish, winning in 2:19.39.
“It was pretty tough. It broke up a bit which was good so it didn’t come into a big bunch sprint,” said Roper.
“We worked on her (Williamson) a bit as three of us Aussies ride together regularly.”
It proved a good weekend for Roper who finished second in the time trial yesterday.
“It’s been pretty good and I haven’t competed in a time trial before. This is a selection race for worlds so hopefully I’ve done enough.”
Tomorrow features with men’s road races with the under-19 race over four laps (102km) from 9.30am and the elite and under-23 over six laps (153kms) from 1pm.
Results:
Oceania road cycling championships, under-19 women, 76.5km: Emily Roper (Queensland, AUS) 2:12.39, 1; Sophie Williamson (NZL) same time, 2; Jessica Mundy (South Australia, AUS) same time, 3.
Elite women, 102km: Gracie Elivn (Jayco AIS, AUS) 3:06.45, 1; Shara Gillow (GreenEdge AIS, AUS) same time, 2; Rachel Neylan (Abus Nutrixxion, AUS) same time, 3; Myfanwy Galloway (Dream Team, AUS) same time, 4; Georgia Williams (NZL) at 2 seconds, 5.
CAPTION: Australia’s Emily Roper climbs up McIntyre’s Hill from Lake Hayes on her way to victory in the UCI Oceania road cycling championships near Queenstown today. (Image by Bruce Wilson)
For further information contact:
IAN HEPENSTALL
Media Liaison, BikeNZ High Performance
Sports Media NZ Ltd
Australians prevailed in both the junior and elite women’s titles raced in ideal conditions around a challenging circuit near Arrowtown.
Canberra mountain biker Gracie Elvin prevailed in the sprint finish from her Australian Institute teammate and GreenEdge professional Shara Gillow with fellow UCI professional Rachel Naylan third to complete the Australian clean sweep.
The best of the kiwis was teenager Georgia Williams (Auckland) who enjoyed an outstanding introduction to the elite ranks to finish fifth just behind the leading four who sprinted across the line at the end of the 102km race. She was fourth in Friday’s time trial.
Williams proved she is an exciting prospect for the future after finishing sixth in the time trial at the world championships last year before a serious injury after a crash while well positioned in the road race in Copenhagen.
Earlier Queensland’s Emily Roper outsprinted New Zealand’s Sophie Williamson and South Australia’s Jessica Mundy to claim the iunder-19 honours.
Southland’s Gabrielle Vermunt took up the challenge on the first of four 25km laps, taking in the major climb up McIntyre’s Hill near Arrowtown, as she opened up a 1 minute 30 second lead. Australian Bridie O’Donnell, the Fasa Bortolo professional based in Italy, took up the chase, catching Vermunt before riding solo in a break for 30kms.
The peloton brought things back with a bunch of 11 riders together at the start of the final lap. There were multiple attacks on the final climb up McIntyre’s Hill with Elvin given the perfect lead-out by teammate Gillow in the sprint to claim the honours 2:12.39.
“Queenstown put on a beautiful day for us and it’s very picturesque around here,” said Elvin. “The race was pretty hard. There were some tough hills for us. There were a couple of times they turned into walls.
“There were a lot of attacks we had to cover but everyone was playing cat and mouse a bit today. We tried to keep the bunch moving and keep in control and keep everyone interested. There were a couple of times the group sat up but we had to keep driving to bring the break back.
“I haven’t been able to do many bunch sprints in the last few months so I was a bit nervous coming into that. My teammate Shara (Gillow) set it up and I was able to position myself well and it worked out.”
Elvin will head to Europe with the Jayco AIS team where they will be based in Belgium as a lead-up before selection for the London Olympics and world championships.
The under-19 race over three laps of the same course gradually whittled down to a select group of five to contest the final lap.
Williamson, from nearby Alexandra, was the sole kiwi and got somewhat worked over by the four Australians with Roper able to edge her in the sprint finish, winning in 2:19.39.
“It was pretty tough. It broke up a bit which was good so it didn’t come into a big bunch sprint,” said Roper.
“We worked on her (Williamson) a bit as three of us Aussies ride together regularly.”
It proved a good weekend for Roper who finished second in the time trial yesterday.
“It’s been pretty good and I haven’t competed in a time trial before. This is a selection race for worlds so hopefully I’ve done enough.”
Tomorrow features with men’s road races with the under-19 race over four laps (102km) from 9.30am and the elite and under-23 over six laps (153kms) from 1pm.
Results:
Oceania road cycling championships, under-19 women, 76.5km: Emily Roper (Queensland, AUS) 2:12.39, 1; Sophie Williamson (NZL) same time, 2; Jessica Mundy (South Australia, AUS) same time, 3.
Elite women, 102km: Gracie Elivn (Jayco AIS, AUS) 3:06.45, 1; Shara Gillow (GreenEdge AIS, AUS) same time, 2; Rachel Neylan (Abus Nutrixxion, AUS) same time, 3; Myfanwy Galloway (Dream Team, AUS) same time, 4; Georgia Williams (NZL) at 2 seconds, 5.
CAPTION: Australia’s Emily Roper climbs up McIntyre’s Hill from Lake Hayes on her way to victory in the UCI Oceania road cycling championships near Queenstown today. (Image by Bruce Wilson)
For further information contact:
IAN HEPENSTALL
Media Liaison, BikeNZ High Performance
Sports Media NZ Ltd
A race full of wind, A face full of gutter, A chamois full of shit and A pocket full of sunshine.
So, we have been here another week, oh how time flies when the windmills are so rapidly turning.
We learnt that most places here will only employ either Dutch or Polish people, turns out Ashleigh isn’t particularly good at pretending to be Polish. But it was worth a shot. We are still jobless, but we have some “spectacular ideas”. Any donations would be welcome.
Monday was horrendous. We went for a base ride that consisted of more wind than Glengary has hills, much moaning about the wind, much cold, much moaning about the cold, a lot of hunger since we went through several muesli bars and bananas in the first hour, and much moaning about the hunger. But we did finish with much sugary tea, which made everything better after we had had a litre each. Ashleigh is still struggling with a milk addiction, while Hannah has had to resort to a 1:1 Cookie to Core exercise ratio.
Training for the rest of the week was good though, with some hard efforts proving to be worthwhile once the gun went off racing over the weekend. On Saturday we trucked down to Strijen for our first experience at a National race for any women not on professional contract. We went with a team car, and had a mechanic and everything! It was super exciting!
With 151 riders on roads barely 2 meters wide, this is where the chamois shit happened. The 3 crashes in the first 10km were good for the nerves; it was enough for Hannah to seek the safety and warmth found inside the car. Ashleigh lost her nerves a bit too, and decided the safest place to ride 78 of the 88km, was TT styles in the gutter behind the front peloton. After an average little more than 40 for the first two hours (Could we have a gender check at the front of the peloton please?) She rode home the last 10km with a group just off the back of the race. Only 78 girls finished the race.
It all turned out ok though because I’ve got a pocket, got a pocket full of sunshine. The adventure and the experience are keeping us in good spirits as we continue to learn and discover life in the Northern Hemisphere.
We better go; we have run out of cookies and milk. We will have to wait until it warms up and we stop wearing about 6 layers to find out if we have actually gotten really fat, we live in hope that it’s just the clothes.
Ashleigh and Hannah
We learnt that most places here will only employ either Dutch or Polish people, turns out Ashleigh isn’t particularly good at pretending to be Polish. But it was worth a shot. We are still jobless, but we have some “spectacular ideas”. Any donations would be welcome.
Monday was horrendous. We went for a base ride that consisted of more wind than Glengary has hills, much moaning about the wind, much cold, much moaning about the cold, a lot of hunger since we went through several muesli bars and bananas in the first hour, and much moaning about the hunger. But we did finish with much sugary tea, which made everything better after we had had a litre each. Ashleigh is still struggling with a milk addiction, while Hannah has had to resort to a 1:1 Cookie to Core exercise ratio.
Training for the rest of the week was good though, with some hard efforts proving to be worthwhile once the gun went off racing over the weekend. On Saturday we trucked down to Strijen for our first experience at a National race for any women not on professional contract. We went with a team car, and had a mechanic and everything! It was super exciting!
With 151 riders on roads barely 2 meters wide, this is where the chamois shit happened. The 3 crashes in the first 10km were good for the nerves; it was enough for Hannah to seek the safety and warmth found inside the car. Ashleigh lost her nerves a bit too, and decided the safest place to ride 78 of the 88km, was TT styles in the gutter behind the front peloton. After an average little more than 40 for the first two hours (Could we have a gender check at the front of the peloton please?) She rode home the last 10km with a group just off the back of the race. Only 78 girls finished the race.
It all turned out ok though because I’ve got a pocket, got a pocket full of sunshine. The adventure and the experience are keeping us in good spirits as we continue to learn and discover life in the Northern Hemisphere.
We raced again on Sunday. It was a toasty 6 degrees, pouring with rain and by the end we were muddier than after cyclo-cross in Eskdale. Ashleigh pulled the pin after 50ks and was found sulking in the van wet and cold and a little bit sick. Hannah decided that fighting it out for a spot in the echelon was easier than a face full of gutter and toughed it out to finish third. She came home with next week’s coffee shop funds.
We better go; we have run out of cookies and milk. We will have to wait until it warms up and we stop wearing about 6 layers to find out if we have actually gotten really fat, we live in hope that it’s just the clothes.
Ashleigh and Hannah
Friday, March 16, 2012
Ride to the 100km Flyer
Nicolas Monroy working at Revolution Bikes is looking for a lift to the Rotorua Flyer, Happy to help out with fuel etc.
Give him a call on 021 1444276 if you can help.
Give him a call on 021 1444276 if you can help.
Hastings Sunday Ride 19th March
Leaving 8:00am from outside Rebel Sport Heretaunga Street Hastings
Swamp Road, Dartmoor Road to end of Seal return via Apley, Puketapu, Meannee (90km)
Short Ride - Swamp, Apley and Return via Puketapu, Meannee (65km)
Swamp Road, Dartmoor Road to end of Seal return via Apley, Puketapu, Meannee (90km)
Short Ride - Swamp, Apley and Return via Puketapu, Meannee (65km)
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Australians cross the Tasman in force for Oceania Road Cycling
With Olympic qualifying points up for grabs for the women, Australia will send some strong representation for this weekend’s Oceania Road Cycling Championships near Queenstown.
With virtually all of New Zealand’s leading riders away on professional duties overseas or preparing on the track for the upcoming world championships, a smaller kiwi contingent face a strong challenge from the Australians in the elite ranks.
There are 12 Australians and two riders from Guam in the 21-strong elite men’s entries and six from across the Tasman and one from Guam in the 17 riders in the elite women’s racing.
The Olympic points qualification for the men’s road race is now complete but the women remains open. Accordingly Australia is represented by strong candidates including GreenEdge professional Shara Gillow, Canberra’s Myfanwy Galloway, who rides for the Faren Honda UCI team this year with Commonwealth champion Nicole Cooke and Rachel Neylan, a European based professional. Both Neylan and Gillow were prominent in the recent UCI New Zealand Cycle Tour.
The new domestic women’s team Soul Star Racing will make their racing debut at the championship led by former New Zealand senior women’s road race champion Gabrielle Vermunt.
There’s a battle of the trade teams in the elite men’s competition with a strong contingent from New Zealand’s Subway Pro Cycling led by Paul Odlin and Sam Horgan, who were first and second respectively in the time trial at January’s national championships.
They face a battle against UCI Pro Continental team Team Budget Forklifts, who have already won two races this year and are led by the talented Shaun McCarthy.
There are strong numbers in the under-23 and under-19 fields where South Canterbury’s Jason Christie, runner-up in the time trial at the national championships, is likely to feature prominently. Christie was sixth in the under-23 time trial at the world championships last year. He will face a tough challenge from current Omnium world champion Michael Freiberg (Jayco-AIS) and Campbell Flakemore (Genesys Wealth Advisors) who won the opening time trial of the NZ Cycle Classic earlier this year.
Sophie Williamson, from nearby Alexandra, will lead the way in the junior women’s ranks after her top-10 finish at the world championships.
The championships begin with the time trials on Friday with the under-19 women (76.5km) and elite women (102km) road races on Saturday and the under-19 (102km) and both Under-23 and elite men(153km) races on Sunday.
The course is a 25km circuit that starts and finishes at the Nugget Point Resort at Arthurs Point incorporating some challenging climbs near Arrowtown.
For further information contact:
IAN HEPENSTALL
Media Liaison, BikeNZ High Performance
Sports Media NZ Ltd
With virtually all of New Zealand’s leading riders away on professional duties overseas or preparing on the track for the upcoming world championships, a smaller kiwi contingent face a strong challenge from the Australians in the elite ranks.
There are 12 Australians and two riders from Guam in the 21-strong elite men’s entries and six from across the Tasman and one from Guam in the 17 riders in the elite women’s racing.
The Olympic points qualification for the men’s road race is now complete but the women remains open. Accordingly Australia is represented by strong candidates including GreenEdge professional Shara Gillow, Canberra’s Myfanwy Galloway, who rides for the Faren Honda UCI team this year with Commonwealth champion Nicole Cooke and Rachel Neylan, a European based professional. Both Neylan and Gillow were prominent in the recent UCI New Zealand Cycle Tour.
The new domestic women’s team Soul Star Racing will make their racing debut at the championship led by former New Zealand senior women’s road race champion Gabrielle Vermunt.
There’s a battle of the trade teams in the elite men’s competition with a strong contingent from New Zealand’s Subway Pro Cycling led by Paul Odlin and Sam Horgan, who were first and second respectively in the time trial at January’s national championships.
They face a battle against UCI Pro Continental team Team Budget Forklifts, who have already won two races this year and are led by the talented Shaun McCarthy.
There are strong numbers in the under-23 and under-19 fields where South Canterbury’s Jason Christie, runner-up in the time trial at the national championships, is likely to feature prominently. Christie was sixth in the under-23 time trial at the world championships last year. He will face a tough challenge from current Omnium world champion Michael Freiberg (Jayco-AIS) and Campbell Flakemore (Genesys Wealth Advisors) who won the opening time trial of the NZ Cycle Classic earlier this year.
Sophie Williamson, from nearby Alexandra, will lead the way in the junior women’s ranks after her top-10 finish at the world championships.
The championships begin with the time trials on Friday with the under-19 women (76.5km) and elite women (102km) road races on Saturday and the under-19 (102km) and both Under-23 and elite men(153km) races on Sunday.
The course is a 25km circuit that starts and finishes at the Nugget Point Resort at Arthurs Point incorporating some challenging climbs near Arrowtown.
For further information contact:
IAN HEPENSTALL
Media Liaison, BikeNZ High Performance
Sports Media NZ Ltd
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Hate the cold, HATE the wind, Love the flowers
Hi ya Ramblers!
The flight here was a long one, but it gave us a chance to nearly succeed in the challenge of eating our airfare worth of free snacks.
It's cold here. We have seen the mercury reach 10 degrees just once while we have been here. At first we wondered if perhaps we looked foreign since so many people were looking at us, but then we figured it must be because we are rolling round in about 6 layers, winter gloves, beanies, possum socks and booties... but... at least as the weather gets warmer, we will get thinner.
On Tuesday we went to this far away kingdom, it was a magical land. The Dutch call it a "Flower Show". Ashleigh took nearly 200 photos, that's how amazing it was. We got laughed at for being so amazed, Ashleigh reckons it was a similar feeling to the drugs they give you when you break your collarbone. They also gave us some herring with onions to try... ewwwww!! Our reactions to that drew even more laughter at our expense; at least Ashleigh doesn't know they are laughing since everyone is so high up.
Training here has been windy and cold. We are both under the illusion that when it gets warm the wind will go away. But the number of windmills reminds us that this is just a dream. We have been training with nice Dutch boys, they took us up the biggest climb they have in the North, a staggering 50m elevation... of sand. They also took us up "The other climb" but we didn't actually know it was the hill until we asked where it was and they said we had been over it already. Oh.
Today we had our first race, yay! We started behind the boys but were allowed to ride with them if they caught us, or we caught them. It was a pleasant 100km around a 4km circuit. Joy. It went well though and we came home with flowers and enough prize money to enjoy the luxury of a cafe next training ride. Cough Ashleigh won cough.
We are training hard all week, and enjoying the flowers as they begin to come up. We race again Wednesday and then again on the weekend.
Keep training hard B grade, are you missing us yet?
Het heir neit warm, maar de bloemen zijn mooi.
Bannana and Ashwee
Dairy of a Rookie (Ash and Hannah)
So Hannah and I have just completed the UCI Women's Tour of New Zealand, this is our interpretation of racing with multiple National Champions from around the globe, 6 World Champions, An Olympic Champion and some erratic Italians. We have kept this short since energy is of the essence...
Day one: 7.6km Individual Time Trial
Tips - Know the course, it helps you to have a faster time when you don't turn the wrong way
-If you are first rider to start the TT you will be winning the tour when you finish, if somewhat briefly. So claim the hot seat as quick as you can for all the glory.
Trips -Know how to get to the course venue for the stage
-Know how to get back to where you are staying after the stage, if you don't know at least have snacks. Whining does not make the rain stop, or your stomach full.
Day two: 135km road race (plus 15km neutral)
Tips -Note that neutral will be excluded from total race distance, and will be at random speeds selected by the weight of the drivers' foot, roughly between 45 (downhill) and 55km/h (uphill)
- When you puncture, don't do it after you have been dropped and there are no service vehicles. A 2.5km walk will do nothing for your GC time.
-Eat
Trips -Stay away from the Italians in the neutral, you are not safe there.
-Riding 80kms by yourself is not worth it when the Broom wagon is just 5mins behind you motor-pacing the other dropped riders home.
Day three: 127km (plus 15km neutral)
Tips -When Ashleigh tells you to move up in the peloton, do it. Or you will get pushed and have no choice but to find a gap.
-Note that neutral will be excluded from total race distance, and will be at random speeds selected by the weight of the drivers foot, roughly between 30 (downhill) and 20km/h (uphill). It will at least make Judith Arndt laugh.
-when rolling with an international group of riders into a crosswind, expect to see your speedo at 50+km/h, don't expect to keep your breakfast down.
-Eat
Trips - Stay away from the Italians descending, particularly near sharp rock face, you are not safe there
-Asking a Chinese girl if she wants a bottle in a Chinese accent when she doesn't understand you will not help, it will only offend people.
- Do not joke with the Italians, it will not help, it will only offend people.
Day four: 111km (including a 6km neutral)
Tips - The Chinese lead out train can be taken singlehandley if you have had 4 serves of pasta for dinner the night before, and have only regained contact with the bunch 3km before the sprint, there is a narrow gap between the riders and the cones, and you are in severe crosswinds.
-Learning the Macarena makes for a good mental race prep, and lifts your spirits in a way only rivalled by I'll tell you want I want what I really really want so tell me what you want, what you really really want I'll tell you what I want what I really really want.
Trips -Stay away from the Italians in the echelon, you are not safe there
-If your balls are too high, you won't be able to see them, no matter how tough they are, but at least you'll know that they are there on your top tube.
Day five: 119km (including 6km neutral)
Tips -When a team mate goes up the road, blocking the USA train perfectly makes you look like a seasoned pro.
-The convoy is your friend.
-Accepting a sticky bottle up a climb is acceptable only if you drink from it, even if it is just a sip and then you throw it away.
Trips -Times attacking off the front cancel out times off the back, meaning you can essentially claim to have spend the day with the bunch, despite little time actually being there.
-Stay away from the Italians in the convoy, you are not safe there.
A huge thanks to all those who have helped, supported, guided, cheered, encouraged, challenged and backed us this tour and in our build up over summer. We will miss you, but see you again when we are fluent in Dutch and have the legs of Ina. Bring it on B grade boys; you best train hard over winter!
Don't miss us too much
Hannah and Ash
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Ramblers Cycling Club Championships 10th and 11th March
Ramblers club champs are being held over the Club Nationals Courses.
The events are open to RCC riders, as well as ALL other riders who hold a BikeNZ National Licence holders. East Coast Centre members may use a centre licence.
ALL ENTRIES CLOSE MIDDAY ON THURSDAY 8th MARCH
Road Race
Pre-entry required for visitors
Date: Saturday 10th March
Where: Matapiro Hall, Matapiro Road
Registration: 11:15am
Entry Fee: $5 Ramblers members; Visitors $15
Start Time: from 12 noon
Circuit: Crownthorpe Circuit
Individual Time Trial
Pre-entry required for Ramblers members and visitors
When: Sunday 11th March
Where: Coronation Park, Waipawa
Registration: 10:15am
Entry Fee: $5 Ramblers members; Visitors $15
Start Time: 11am
Circuit: Tikokino Road
Visitors must pre-enter both events.
Ramblers members must pre-enter the time trial.
ALL ENTRIES CLOSE MIDDAY ON THURSDAY 8th MARCH
Please email your age group, name, club affiliation and event (RR and/or ITT) to Ken at cycle@ruralkiwi.com
Maps available on Ramblers website http://www.ramblers.co.nz/nats2012.asp
The events are open to RCC riders, as well as ALL other riders who hold a BikeNZ National Licence holders. East Coast Centre members may use a centre licence.
ALL ENTRIES CLOSE MIDDAY ON THURSDAY 8th MARCH
Road Race
Pre-entry required for visitors
Date: Saturday 10th March
Where: Matapiro Hall, Matapiro Road
Registration: 11:15am
Entry Fee: $5 Ramblers members; Visitors $15
Start Time: from 12 noon
Circuit: Crownthorpe Circuit
Individual Time Trial
Pre-entry required for Ramblers members and visitors
When: Sunday 11th March
Where: Coronation Park, Waipawa
Registration: 10:15am
Entry Fee: $5 Ramblers members; Visitors $15
Start Time: 11am
Circuit: Tikokino Road
Visitors must pre-enter both events.
Ramblers members must pre-enter the time trial.
ALL ENTRIES CLOSE MIDDAY ON THURSDAY 8th MARCH
Please email your age group, name, club affiliation and event (RR and/or ITT) to Ken at cycle@ruralkiwi.com
Maps available on Ramblers website http://www.ramblers.co.nz/nats2012.asp
Lift to Club Champs
Can anyone give a fellow cyclist a lift to and from Matapiro Hall On Saturday. Patrick lives in Havelock and you can contact him at old.pato@gmail.com or 02102647978.
RaboDirect Track National Championships: National Records Smashed
An incredible 12 records were broken over the course of the Track Nats last week. Six Hawkes Bay cyclists headed to Invercargill for this event - five juniors and world-ranked veteran, Kerry Harford, headed to the deep south representing the East Coast.
Ramblers and CHB Cycling Clubs brought home 9 medals – outstanding for a region with no velodrome.
Congratulations to:
Sam Thorpe-Loversuch - Silver U15 boys points race (Sam rode the last eight laps solo riding on a borrowed bike having only ever trained twice on a velodrome before the Nationals)
Regan Gough - Bronze U17 boys points race
Regan Gough - Bronze U17 boys scratch race
Regan Gough, Corbin Mason-Smith and Luke Mudgeway (along with Southland rider Michael Cullen) - Gold U17 boys pursuit (and new NZ record). The under 17 boys pursuit team was finalized on the day and smashed the
previous NZ record by 7 seconds.
Kerry Harford - Gold M2 scratch race (this is the fourth consecutive year Kerry has won this event)
Kerry Harford - Gold M2 points race
Kerry Harford - Gold M2 individual pursuit
Special mention also to Noah Mason-Smith who raced as a first year U15 boy and won his scratch race heat in style.
BikeNZ also sent out congratulations to all of the riders who set new national records: Hayden McCormick, Justin Grace, Cassie Cameron, Gary Humpherson, Erin Criglington, Fiona Suthorn, Bruce Jones, Quinn Karwowski, Jacquie Dearlove, Regan Gough, Luke Mudgway, Michael Culling, Corbin Mason-Smith, Maxyna Cottam, Ruby Perry and Kate Stewart.
Ramblers and CHB Cycling Clubs brought home 9 medals – outstanding for a region with no velodrome.
Congratulations to:
Sam Thorpe-Loversuch - Silver U15 boys points race (Sam rode the last eight laps solo riding on a borrowed bike having only ever trained twice on a velodrome before the Nationals)
Regan Gough - Bronze U17 boys points race
Regan Gough - Bronze U17 boys scratch race
Regan Gough, Corbin Mason-Smith and Luke Mudgeway (along with Southland rider Michael Cullen) - Gold U17 boys pursuit (and new NZ record). The under 17 boys pursuit team was finalized on the day and smashed the
previous NZ record by 7 seconds.
Kerry Harford - Gold M2 scratch race (this is the fourth consecutive year Kerry has won this event)
Kerry Harford - Gold M2 points race
Kerry Harford - Gold M2 individual pursuit
Special mention also to Noah Mason-Smith who raced as a first year U15 boy and won his scratch race heat in style.
BikeNZ also sent out congratulations to all of the riders who set new national records: Hayden McCormick, Justin Grace, Cassie Cameron, Gary Humpherson, Erin Criglington, Fiona Suthorn, Bruce Jones, Quinn Karwowski, Jacquie Dearlove, Regan Gough, Luke Mudgway, Michael Culling, Corbin Mason-Smith, Maxyna Cottam, Ruby Perry and Kate Stewart.
Medium RCC Jersey for Sale
If you want an as-new RCC jersey, $50, please contact Andrew 02102044714 or blackpeloton@gmail.com
Upcoming Events
10th-11th March: RCC Club Championships
11th March: Tremain Coorporate Triathalon, Napier
11th March: Kawhata Challenge, Waikato
11th March: Bush Cycle Challenge, Magatinoka
15th-18th March: BDO 4 day Tour, Northland
16th – 18th March: Oceania Road Championships, Southland
17th-18th March: Ultimo Cycling CHB Junior Tour
18-25th March: Perth Bike Week, Australia (includes UCI Qualifier ITT and RR)
24th March: WPOB Time Trial Championships, Te Aroha
24th March: Grape Ride, Malborough
7th-9th April: TeA Junior Tour, Te Awamutu
14th-15th April: CRI Junior and Women’s Tour
14th-21st April: Tour of New Zealand, Cape Reinga to Wellington OR Bluff to Wellington
3rd-6th May: RaboDirect Club Road National Championship, Hastings
20th May: Laskey Cycles Manfield 6 hour challenge
11th March: Tremain Coorporate Triathalon, Napier
11th March: Kawhata Challenge, Waikato
11th March: Bush Cycle Challenge, Magatinoka
15th-18th March: BDO 4 day Tour, Northland
16th – 18th March: Oceania Road Championships, Southland
17th-18th March: Ultimo Cycling CHB Junior Tour
18-25th March: Perth Bike Week, Australia (includes UCI Qualifier ITT and RR)
24th March: WPOB Time Trial Championships, Te Aroha
24th March: Grape Ride, Malborough
7th-9th April: TeA Junior Tour, Te Awamutu
14th-15th April: CRI Junior and Women’s Tour
14th-21st April: Tour of New Zealand, Cape Reinga to Wellington OR Bluff to Wellington
3rd-6th May: RaboDirect Club Road National Championship, Hastings
20th May: Laskey Cycles Manfield 6 hour challenge
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Ramblers Cycling Club Championships 10th and 11th March
Ramblers club champs are being held over the Club Nationals Courses.
The events are open to RCC riders, as well as ALL other riders who hold a BikeNZ National Licence holders. East Coast Centre members may use a centre licence.
Road Race
Pre-entry required for visitors
Date: Saturday 10th March
Where: Matapiro Hall, Matapiro Road
Registration: 11:15am
Entry Fee: $5 Ramblers members; Visitors $15
Start Time: from 12 noon
Circuit: Crownthorpe Circuit
Individual Time Trial
Pre-entry required for Ramblers members and visitors
Date: Sunday 11th March
Where: Coronation Park, Waipawa
Registration: 10:15am
Entry Fee: $5 Ramblers members; Visitors $15
Start Time: 11am
Circuit: Tikokino Road
Visitors must pre-enter both events.
Ramblers members must pre-enter the time trial.
Please email your age group, name, club affiliation and event (RR and/or ITT) to Ken at cycle@ruralkiwi.com
Maps are available on Ramblers website http://www.ramblers.co.nz/nats2012.asp
The events are open to RCC riders, as well as ALL other riders who hold a BikeNZ National Licence holders. East Coast Centre members may use a centre licence.
Road Race
Pre-entry required for visitors
Date: Saturday 10th March
Where: Matapiro Hall, Matapiro Road
Registration: 11:15am
Entry Fee: $5 Ramblers members; Visitors $15
Start Time: from 12 noon
Circuit: Crownthorpe Circuit
Individual Time Trial
Pre-entry required for Ramblers members and visitors
Date: Sunday 11th March
Where: Coronation Park, Waipawa
Registration: 10:15am
Entry Fee: $5 Ramblers members; Visitors $15
Start Time: 11am
Circuit: Tikokino Road
Visitors must pre-enter both events.
Ramblers members must pre-enter the time trial.
Please email your age group, name, club affiliation and event (RR and/or ITT) to Ken at cycle@ruralkiwi.com
Maps are available on Ramblers website http://www.ramblers.co.nz/nats2012.asp
East Coast Graded Tour Survey
Remember, we would love your feedback about the East Coast Graded Tour so please complete this VERY short survey, even if you didn't enter.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GNLK5KW
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GNLK5KW
Upcoming Events
10th-11th March: RCC Club Championships
11th March: Tremain Coorporate Triathalon, Napier
11th March: Kawhata Challenge, Waikato
11th March: Bush Cycle Challenge, Magatinoka
15th-18th March: BDO 4 day Tour, Northland
16th – 18th March: Oceania Road Championships, Southland
17th-18th March: Ultimo Cycling CHB Junior Tour
18-25th March: Perth Bike Week, Australia (includes UCI Qualifier ITT and RR)
24th March: WPOB Time Trial Championships, Te Aroha
24th March: Grape Ride, Malborough
7th-9th April: TeA Junior Tour, Te Awamutu
14th-15th April: CRI Junior and Women’s Tour
14th-21st April: Tour of New Zealand, Cape Reinga to Wellington OR Bluff to Wellington
3rd-6th May: RaboDirect Club Road National Championship, Hastings
20th May: Laskey Cycles Manfield 6 hour challenge
11th March: Tremain Coorporate Triathalon, Napier
11th March: Kawhata Challenge, Waikato
11th March: Bush Cycle Challenge, Magatinoka
15th-18th March: BDO 4 day Tour, Northland
16th – 18th March: Oceania Road Championships, Southland
17th-18th March: Ultimo Cycling CHB Junior Tour
18-25th March: Perth Bike Week, Australia (includes UCI Qualifier ITT and RR)
24th March: WPOB Time Trial Championships, Te Aroha
24th March: Grape Ride, Malborough
7th-9th April: TeA Junior Tour, Te Awamutu
14th-15th April: CRI Junior and Women’s Tour
14th-21st April: Tour of New Zealand, Cape Reinga to Wellington OR Bluff to Wellington
3rd-6th May: RaboDirect Club Road National Championship, Hastings
20th May: Laskey Cycles Manfield 6 hour challenge
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Hastings Sunday Ride
Leaving 8:00am from outside Rebel Sport Heretaunga Street Hastings
Taihape Road to Lawrence Road and Return (110 km)
Short Ride - Otamauri School and Return (70km)
Will review on the morning if inclement weather.
Taihape Road to Lawrence Road and Return (110 km)
Short Ride - Otamauri School and Return (70km)
Will review on the morning if inclement weather.
Saturday Racing: 3rd March 2012
Circuit: Apley Road Circuit
Venue: Puketapu School
Race start time: 2pm
Race Starter: Mike Lucinsky
Race Day Emergency Phone: 027 426 6895
You must swipe your transponder at the race trailer before each Saturday race.
Remember you must be a fully paid up member for 2012 in order to be in the race-start database, and of course to be eligible for a race result
Venue: Puketapu School
Race start time: 2pm
Race Starter: Mike Lucinsky
Race Day Emergency Phone: 027 426 6895
You must swipe your transponder at the race trailer before each Saturday race.
Remember you must be a fully paid up member for 2012 in order to be in the race-start database, and of course to be eligible for a race result
SPECIALIZED Test the Best: 3rd and 4th March
The 2012 SPECIALIZED fleet is built and ready to clock some kms. Whether it’s the Tarmac SL4, Venge, Epic 29er, or the Women’s specific Fate that you crave, The HUB have a full fleet of popular mens and womens models to test ride on the road and trail. You can ‘test the best’ this weekend at Pan Pac Eskdale MTB Park, Tait Road, just off HWY 2. 10am-4pm.
Contact The HUB on 8769363 for more information
Contact The HUB on 8769363 for more information
A Message from CXHB: Sunday 4th March
Meet us for the second cyclocross ride of the year this Sunday at EIT, 8am sharp.
We'll do a couple of laps of the NZ champs course at EIT and then we'll hit the pathways with an approx ride time of 3hrs before meeting back at New World Greenmeadows for coffee at approx 11am.
As usual any bikes are welcome preferably off road to avoid unnecessary punctures. Ideally, Cyclocross and MTB bikes are the business. For more information go to http://www.nzcyclocross.co.nz
We'll do a couple of laps of the NZ champs course at EIT and then we'll hit the pathways with an approx ride time of 3hrs before meeting back at New World Greenmeadows for coffee at approx 11am.
As usual any bikes are welcome preferably off road to avoid unnecessary punctures. Ideally, Cyclocross and MTB bikes are the business. For more information go to http://www.nzcyclocross.co.nz
Ramblers Cycling Club Championships 10th and 11th March
The Club Champs are being held over the Club Nationals Courses.
There is a Road Race on Saturday 10th based from Matapiro Hall, racing over the Crownthorpe Circuit (starting from 12 noon).
There is an Individual Time Trial on Sunday 11th based from Coronation Park at Waipawa (starting from 11am).
Visitors must pre-enter both events.
Ramblers members must pre-enter the time trial.
Please email your age group, name, club affiliation and event (RR and/or ITT) to Ken cycle@ruralkiwi.com
Details Here http://www.ramblers.co.nz/BlogFiles/ClubChamps2012.pdf
There is a Road Race on Saturday 10th based from Matapiro Hall, racing over the Crownthorpe Circuit (starting from 12 noon).
There is an Individual Time Trial on Sunday 11th based from Coronation Park at Waipawa (starting from 11am).
Visitors must pre-enter both events.
Ramblers members must pre-enter the time trial.
Please email your age group, name, club affiliation and event (RR and/or ITT) to Ken cycle@ruralkiwi.com
Details Here http://www.ramblers.co.nz/BlogFiles/ClubChamps2012.pdf
East Coast Graded Tour Survey
We would love your feedback so that we can make the Club Tour even better next time.
Please complete this VERY short survey, even if you didn't enter. Http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GNLK5KW
Please complete this VERY short survey, even if you didn't enter. Http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GNLK5KW
Bev May Women’s Tour
Holly and Lisa Atkins traveled up to Morrinsville with their mum for a fabulous girls cycling weekend together. Holly and Lisa rode in C grade while Caroline was soignair, coach and general support.
A and B grades ran separately for the first time this year, so C was a smaller field than previously.
This was Lisa’s first tour and together the sisters enjoyed being part of a small friendly group – they were also able to come away with great results.
Stage One Time Trail – Lisa managed to get 1st place, 22seconds up on Holly who placed 2nd.
Stage Two Road Race – This finished with a long steep hill climb and again, Lisa placed 1st just ahead of Holly.
Stage Three Road Race – Holly and Lisa had a "team talk" before starting and the race went to plan with Holly making a break on the 'Queen of the Mountains'. Lisa followed and they worked hard together to get a 2 minute lead over the rest of the field, with Holly earning a well-deserved stage win.
Stage Four Criterium – There was no team planning in the final stage, the sisters just went for it! Holly stayed with the bunch to secure her second place on GC, while Lisa managed to get the sprint, finishing with the stage four win and as overall womens C grade leader.
Congratulations! Look out 2013 when these two talented cyclists will be making a move on B grade!
A and B grades ran separately for the first time this year, so C was a smaller field than previously.
This was Lisa’s first tour and together the sisters enjoyed being part of a small friendly group – they were also able to come away with great results.
Stage One Time Trail – Lisa managed to get 1st place, 22seconds up on Holly who placed 2nd.
Stage Two Road Race – This finished with a long steep hill climb and again, Lisa placed 1st just ahead of Holly.
Stage Three Road Race – Holly and Lisa had a "team talk" before starting and the race went to plan with Holly making a break on the 'Queen of the Mountains'. Lisa followed and they worked hard together to get a 2 minute lead over the rest of the field, with Holly earning a well-deserved stage win.
Stage Four Criterium – There was no team planning in the final stage, the sisters just went for it! Holly stayed with the bunch to secure her second place on GC, while Lisa managed to get the sprint, finishing with the stage four win and as overall womens C grade leader.
Congratulations! Look out 2013 when these two talented cyclists will be making a move on B grade!
Women’s Tour of New Zealand
Well done to Ashleigh Neave and Hannah van Kampen. Stage 4 was a particularly strong performance from both young women, with Hannah placing 4th U23 (18th overall) and Ashleigh placed 6th (21st overall). At the end of Stage 5, Hannah was 12th U23 on GC and Ashleigh was 14th U23.
All the best to both of you as head off to Europe on Thursday to test the race circuits over there for a few months. Remember to send us some updates while you are away.
All the best to both of you as head off to Europe on Thursday to test the race circuits over there for a few months. Remember to send us some updates while you are away.
Club Uniform
Please email Helen ramblersgirl@gmail.com to arrange collection of your uniform (yes, we are still waiting for the gloves to arrive – the new eta we have been given is mid-March).
There are some “extra” uniform items available. Email info@ramblers.co.nz stating the item wanted.
Payment can be made by cheque or internet banking.
Leg warmers - $40 (1x small, 2x medium)
Vests $85 (1x medium, 1x large)
Shoe Covers $30
Caps $20
There are some “extra” uniform items available. Email info@ramblers.co.nz stating the item wanted.
Payment can be made by cheque or internet banking.
Leg warmers - $40 (1x small, 2x medium)
Vests $85 (1x medium, 1x large)
Shoe Covers $30
Caps $20
Josh Page and Bridget Lodge at NZ MTB Cup races – Wellington and Napier
Round 3 of the NZ MTB Cup on Mt Vic on 19 Feb was a steep and technical race for Bridget and Josh. It was the first MTB race of the summer for both of them and handed out a fair share of challenges. Josh recorded 1000m vertical climbing for the 28km Elite mens race which sums up the steep, technical tracks being raced. Josh placed 11th Elite men, and Bridget 5th Elite women.
Round 4 came to the Eskdale MTB Park on 26 Feb. Knowing the home trails well, and having an awesome amount of local support made for a brilliant day of racing with Josh finishing 8th Elite Men, and Bridget 4th Elite Women. Also congratulations to another local rider, Luke Osborne, finishing 16th in the Elite mens race.
All the best, Bridget and Josh, for the final event of the summer in 2 weeks, the Oceania MTB Championships in Rotorua.
Round 4 came to the Eskdale MTB Park on 26 Feb. Knowing the home trails well, and having an awesome amount of local support made for a brilliant day of racing with Josh finishing 8th Elite Men, and Bridget 4th Elite Women. Also congratulations to another local rider, Luke Osborne, finishing 16th in the Elite mens race.
All the best, Bridget and Josh, for the final event of the summer in 2 weeks, the Oceania MTB Championships in Rotorua.
Heretaunga Building Society Most Consistent Rider Award
A reminder that participation for the Heretaunga Building Society MCR Award begins this series. Our club sponsor, the Heretaunga Building Society, is introducing the Most Consistent Rider Award. The award is based on consistency of participation at club events (one point allocated to every rider each week they attend a club race or assist in a club event).
At the end of each series, the rider from each grade with the most MCR points will receive a certificate to acknowledge their effort. At the end of each calendar year, the rider with the most points over all grades for the year will receive a trophy to keep for the next year and a Heretaunga Building Society term deposit account loaded with $250.
At the end of each series, the rider from each grade with the most MCR points will receive a certificate to acknowledge their effort. At the end of each calendar year, the rider with the most points over all grades for the year will receive a trophy to keep for the next year and a Heretaunga Building Society term deposit account loaded with $250.
Not a Member in March? Then Race as a Visitor!
From March any member who has NOT completed the 2012 membership renewal process will be required to pay the visitors fee of $10 per Saturday race.
The quickest way to ensure your membership is processed is to renew online through BikeNZ for https://memberdesq.imgstg.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=login&OrgID=6346 your login details. Otherwise, download a membership form from the club website and post your completed forms with payment to PO Box 8548, Havelock North 4157. If you hand your forms or payment to a committee member or other club official, there may be delays in processing.
CHB members: Please note that you are required to complete a Ramblers membership form even if you are eligible for the 2012 fees waiver because we need your current contact and licence details.
The quickest way to ensure your membership is processed is to renew online through BikeNZ for https://memberdesq.imgstg.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=login&OrgID=6346 your login details. Otherwise, download a membership form from the club website and post your completed forms with payment to PO Box 8548, Havelock North 4157. If you hand your forms or payment to a committee member or other club official, there may be delays in processing.
CHB members: Please note that you are required to complete a Ramblers membership form even if you are eligible for the 2012 fees waiver because we need your current contact and licence details.
WPOB Time Trial Champs: 24th March
Ramblers have been invited to participate in the WPOB TT Champs, run at club national distances. These are hosted by the Forestland Wheelers / WPOB centre, at Te Aroha.
A national licence is required and there will be medals for visitors.
For further details please email gabell@xtra.co.nz
A national licence is required and there will be medals for visitors.
For further details please email gabell@xtra.co.nz
Upcoming Events
3rd March: Karapoti Classic, Wellington
11th March: Tremain Coorporate Triathalon, Napier
11th March: Kawhata Challenge, Waikato
11th March: Bush Cycle Challenge, Magatinoka
15th-18th March: BDO 4 day Tour, Northland
16th – 18th March: Oceania Road Championships, Southland
17th-18th March: Ultimo Cycling CHB Junior Tour
18-25th March: Perth Bike Week, Australia (includes UCI Qualifier ITT and RR)
24th March: WPOB Time Trial Championships, Te Aroha
24th March: Grape Ride, Malborough
7th-9th April: TeA Junior Tour, Te Awamutu
14th-15th April: CRI Junior and Women’s Tour
14th-21st April: Tour of New Zealand, Cape Reinga to Wellington OR Bluff to Wellington
3rd-6th May: RaboDirect Club Road National Championship, Hastings
20th May: Laskey Cycles Manfield 6 hour challenge
June-Sept (precise date to be confirmed): Oceania Masters Road Championships, Fiji
11th March: Tremain Coorporate Triathalon, Napier
11th March: Kawhata Challenge, Waikato
11th March: Bush Cycle Challenge, Magatinoka
15th-18th March: BDO 4 day Tour, Northland
16th – 18th March: Oceania Road Championships, Southland
17th-18th March: Ultimo Cycling CHB Junior Tour
18-25th March: Perth Bike Week, Australia (includes UCI Qualifier ITT and RR)
24th March: WPOB Time Trial Championships, Te Aroha
24th March: Grape Ride, Malborough
7th-9th April: TeA Junior Tour, Te Awamutu
14th-15th April: CRI Junior and Women’s Tour
14th-21st April: Tour of New Zealand, Cape Reinga to Wellington OR Bluff to Wellington
3rd-6th May: RaboDirect Club Road National Championship, Hastings
20th May: Laskey Cycles Manfield 6 hour challenge
June-Sept (precise date to be confirmed): Oceania Masters Road Championships, Fiji
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