A selectors view of the club national road races
Despite the current ‘cost of living challenges’ facing all community events, Bike Manawatu is 100% committed to ensuring the 51st year of the Novice Tour – once again provides a safe, fun, competitive cycle racing event.
We will adopt a high-quality assured approach in implementing the Local Roading Authority’s/Cycling New Zealand’s ‘Safe Traffic Management System’ (STMS) standards which ensure best practices and rider and spectator safety.
If the level of community funding secured is not sufficient to contract in external road management service providers with the ability to stop/go traffic, the Novice Tour will proceed on a ‘local club racing’ model, whereby our team of trained/experienced road marshals will, where necessary, pause racing in order to give way to traffic and ensure rider safety.
Although funding external road management services with the ability to stop/go traffic is ideal, if this is not feasible – we are confident that the event’s ‘Safe Traffic Management System’ (STMS) will provide a competitive, fair, enjoyable and importantly safe racing environment.
Irrespective of which model of traffic management/racing is finalised, as with all CNZ/Bike Manawatu events, normal road rules will apply and a full rider briefing confirming the event rules will be provided to all riders prior to the start of each race.
The quality of racing this year was very good with almost all races being run faster and harder this year than last. From our own club perspective our riders have all excelled. Some stand out sprint finishes in the road races for gold were seen with Campbell Stewart, Kate Stewart, Jordan Castle and Sue McMaster. Elizabeth Stannard and Michaela Drummond were also in bunch sprints and came in with silver medals.
The course was undulating and gave the riders plenty of opportunity to attack. Most fields rode the course aggressively which allowed selectors to view extremely good racing and we are confident that we have very high calibre national squads at the junior level. Local riders to be named in the junior squad to represent New Zealand in Australia later in the year are Kate Stewart, Jordan Castle and Mark Findlay. Another local rider, Elizabeth Stannard, is part of the development squad to race in New Zealand.
The elite woman’s race winner, Reta Trotman and the elite man’s race winner, Sam Horgan both come from our region, as do the Olympians Simon Van Velthoven and Jesse Sergent.
It is good to be part of such a successful club and the quality of our riders at all levels is something to be proud of.
