And the List gets Longer…

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.

This weekend Bike Manawatu will have close to a record level of entries (32) to the Club Road Nationals to be held in Cambridge. What is most impressive is the range of entries from Junior right through to the Masters categories with a Bike Manawatu representative in virtually every age group.

The way our riders are performing and the form they are in, suggests we could have a host of National Champions by the end of the weekend.

Over recent weeks our riders have been on the podium in the Te Awamutu Tour, the CHB Tour and the Easter Tour in Wairarapa.

The Te Awamutu Tour in particular has a great history of providing future champions and is an important selection race for the Junior riders.

This year we had Robert Stannard and Campbell Stewart place first and second in the U17 grade. Awesome work and possibly a first time that one club has scooped the first two places. Robert is the first Manawatu rider to win U17 since James Dobson in 2005. Campbell has been second the past two years running. Campbell won U15 in 2012.

I recall Luke MCarthy won the U19 KOM in 2002 and then overall GC in 2003 before he went on to represent NZ at the Junior World Champs in Canada.

Michalea Drummond won the U17 girls GC this year which is a first for girls from our area.

It is important to celebrate successes as they cannot be guaranteed and the gaps can be wide. I have a feeling though that we should brace for much more success in the short to medium term at least.

Well done to all the riders on making it to the Road Nationals. The progress some have made over the past year is impressive and I am sure we will have more names to celebrate by the end of this weekend. Have fun.

Wear your Bike Manawatu jersey with distinction and go well…. and big thanks to John Arbuckle for being team manager.