NZ National Schools Road Championships – Last Weekend.

by James Denholm | Oct 5, 2017 | Board Chair's Blog

83 National schools and over a thousand people were in the Manawatu competing or supporting the best of New Zealand’s school cyclists last weekend over three days. Riders from (Intermediate ages) 7 and 8 students and (High School ages) year 9,10,11,12 and 13 were put to the test, “school versus school” and “rider versus rider” to win honours for their school. It was exciting and brilliant to watch for everyone involved.
Our Manawatu schools competed with so much heart over the three days, two of which produced reasonable weather until the final day when gale force winds put all riders and their supporters to the test. Tough racing conditions especially with tired legs after two days of racing.
Bike Manawatu want to acknowledge all riders, parents, supporters, teachers and coaches for a great three day spectacle of hard fought racing where our local schools performed brilliantly.

Day 1: Teams Time trials – Koputuroa School Levin
Day 2: Road Races – Colyton School.
Day 3: Criterium Points racing – Manfeild

Check out all results on Cycling New Zealand Schools Facebook page.
We acknowledge our Manawatu Top 10 placed road race riders at NZ Nationals in no particular age group race or order. Next time you see them give them a big congratulations.

1st: PNBHS Junior A, Madi Hartley-Brown x2, Holly McInnes,
2nd: PNINS Girls A, Rosie O’Brien
3rd: Josh Mulcahy, Luke Scott, Daniel Johnston, Jack Pronk, Holly McInnes, Chenuka Rajapakse
4th: Aiden Jones, Keegan Leask
5th: PNINS Boys A, Adam Francis, Rosie O’Brien, Ben Irvine
6th: PNBHS Senior A, Georgia Simpson, Chenuka Rajapakse
7th: Fergus Doolan, Connie O’Brien, Ewan Cousins, Michael Richmond
8th: Huntly Boys A, Huntly Girls A, PNBHS Junior B, Kylah Gunn, Adam Francis
9th: Hunter Gibson, Campbell Ware, Jack Overweel, Ewan Cousins
10th: Ben Irvine, Kyle Hoskin

A special congratulations to Madi Hartley-Brown who took out two titles, both the Road Race and Manfeild Criteruim. A huge result.
Next year the schools nationals heads to the South Island before returning to the North island the following year.

Big News- UCI International Race Awarded To Manawatu January 27th.

Being awarded a UCI (1.2 level) International race is a big deal says Steve Stannard founder of the Manawatu Gravel and Tar Classic which has been running for two years. It has been described in rugby terms like holding a Super 15 Rugby final here in the Manawatu year after year. It’s that big.
All I would like to say is I hope our members and the community embrace and support the beginning of something special for our region which involves an even bigger focus of people entering the Gravel and Tar 70k Gran Fondo and 30k recreational rides to make the weekend a success for everyone in the region. This big news will satisfy many after missing out to Cambridge on having a Velodrome built in the Manawatu a few years ago.
Bike Manawatu’s concept of a summer weekend “Festival of Cycling” on the 27th and 28th of January at the end of the school Holidays every year will be good for all cycling age groups and abilities. The economic benefit to the region over time will build every year but the first two years will be important. Our members support on and off the bike where possible along with spreading the word would be appreciated. Consider how the Lake Taupo Challenge got started all those years ago and where it is today.
On Sunday 28th of January our good friends the Manawatu Mountain Biking Club are hoping to support our weekends “Festival of Cycling” which will allow cyclists to ride the Gran Fondo on Saturday the 27th and then ride the Mountain Bike event on Sunday 28th. How good would that be.
The UCI Board awarded Bike Manawatu the Gravel and Tar Classic after a massive drive by the club and a team of dedicated people along with the support of many local identities, authorities, businesses and Cycling New Zealand.
Steve Stannard says on the 27th January 2018 cycling fans in mid-winter over in Europe will be glued to their computers and TV to see who is going to win our tough Manawatu Gravel and Tar 125k Classic and get UCI points.
The Gravel and Tar Classic is a bit like the down under version of the famous Paris Roubaix in Europe, where the best riders love to ride cobblestones and gravel versus normal sealed roads all the time. This will put Palmerston North and Manawatu on the International cycling Map.
Still to be finalised – The club are looking to create a festival atmosphere in George Street before and after the three rides where registrations will likely take place at Cyclista Cafe in George street. Neutralised starts from the square at a respectable early afternoon start time we hope will capture a crowd atmosphere. The finish line will be at Memorial Park with the usual UCI finish line structures and hoardings we see on TV at International races across the world. A nice way for all of the Gran Fondo 70k and 30k riders to finish.
It must be said that for this Festival of Cycling event to be an all-round, ongoing success we are hoping and encouraging all members to ride either the 70k Grand Fondo or the 30k on the new circuit designed for rider fun and safety you will really like. The 30k circuit will have very little gravel so that all can participate.
If your holiday plans can see you back in Palmy for the last weekend in January – You won’t want to miss the start of something great in our region. Why would you be anywhere else?

Three Day Big Easy to Hawkes Bay.

Recently club sponsor Garry Buys and the Bike Barn organised a brilliant three day Big Easy Ride which involved three separate groups of ten people (more or less) leaving Palmerston North via the Pahiatua Track to Havelock North in the beautiful Hawkes Bay where we stayed. If that doesn’t sound like a hike (174-200km between groups) the next day two groups headed off for either a (65km or 100km) ride taking in some of the most beautiful scenery the Bay has to offer.
Yes there were tired legs by this stage but after lunch on the second day “The Te Mata Peak Hill Challenge” won by Jeremy not so closely followed by Derek. Bruce,Steely and Darren followed with some well-earned refreshments afterwards back at the motel.
But No said Garry, the ritual of cleaning your bike had to take president first. Some couldn’t hold back on the refreshments and others had a power nap ready for the Big Easy traditional dinner night out.
Team leaders: Group 3-Steve Nagy (the turtles), Group 2 -Colin Anderson and Group 1-Rob Ryan all were asked to share how their teams performed on and off the bike to the whole party. Needless to say ” What goes on Tour Stays on Tour” is a great motto if you know what I mean. We all had an awesome night with good food and great company which is what these rides are all about.
At 7am the next morning (the third day), we headed off again in beautiful Hawkes Bay weather to negotiate the 180km journey home that served up some gusty winds as we reached the Manawatu side of Dannevirke, before being hailed on coming down the Pahiatua Track into Palmy for a another well-earned round of refreshments at the Hotel Coachman.
Everyone got home safe and well, and congratulations to everyone having conquered 450-500k on a bike in three days and loved it.
A big thank you to Garry Buys and the Bike Barn for once again, a brilliant Big Easy Weekend.

Upcoming club races – Check out Bike Manawatu Calendar for details
This Sunday 8th October: 2-up Time trial
Where: Pykes Road 16k Circuit
Time: Registrations at 2.30pm. Start at 3.00pm

Palmfeild Motors October 15th Recreational Ride

Kairanga Time Trail Series-
When: starts weekly from Wednesday 25th October
Where: from Horizons yard on Kairanga-Bunnythorpe road.
Time: From 6pm.
A flat 12Km course time trail points series run weekly. Approximately 50+ riders biking out to the course and registered from 5.45pm. A great way to improve and exercise before dinner.

Up Coming Club Road Races for Everyone.
When: Saturdays 21st October. We offer medium distance graded club races for all ages and abilities on this beautiful Manawatu countryside ride. Open to schools and master’s riders. Enjoy riding with your mates and finish off with a coffee or a real drink at the end.
Where: Pohangina Township
Time: 2.30pm Registration. Start 3.00pm

Feilding Track Riding- Have a go.
Saturday 14th Oct: Trial a track bike for free to see if you like it? If you like it, then you can hire a track bike from the club for a modest amount of money.
Where: Johnston Park Feilding
Track starts in October and then Tuesday after Xmas under the watchful eye of legend Ian Gray and his team. Fun.

Manfeild Criterium Series-
When: Starting on Tuesday’s 7th, 14th, 21st, 29th November
Time: 6pm. Safe off road fun graded riding for all ages. Last year people loved it and the improvement in their cycling was huge. Pencil this one in. Its contagious.

NZ National Schools Road Championships -September 30th to October 2nd

by James Denholm | Sep 26, 2017 | Board Chair's Blog

The best of New Zealand’s school cyclists are in the Manawatu to compete for their school over three days from September 30th to October 2nd at the National Road Championships. Over a thousand people will be based in the region to witness schools racing at its best. Riders from (Intermediate ages) 7 and 8 students and (High School ages)year 9,10,11,12 and 13 will be busy racing hard out over three days.
Hotel, motels, cafes, restaurants and retailers in the Manawatu will also benefit massively from our this iconic annual cycling event as parents, supporters, teachers and coaches line the roads to support their riders. Starting daily at 9am with the younger age racers through to late morning and afternoons for the schools more senior age group racers.

Day 1 – Saturday 30th: Teams Time Trial – Koputuroa School Levin
Day 2 – Sunday 1st: Road Race – Colyton School
Day 3 – Monday 2nd: Criterium – Manfeild

If you have not experienced racing at top level yet be sure to make some time to watch New Zealands future stars competing head to head here in our region. Our brilliant Manawatu schools riders have been training hard for this event to take out honours across all disciplines.
I have found the Manfeild Criterium on the last day Monday the 2 October is always passionately contested by all schools as it all comes down to the final points races after three days to decide the top three schools in NZ. The Road races on the Sunday at Colyton school will be exciting to watch and the Koputuroa teams time trail is always intense amongst the teams teams.
Be sure to watch out for and support our Manawatu schools cyclists if you can make it. Palmerston North Boys High and Girls High teams and individual Cyclists have won NZ titles on numerous occasions and then there’s Palmerston North Intermediate Normal school who also have a proud history of titles.
Good luck to all involved.

Bike Manawatu Happy Hour

When: Friday 29th September
Where: Lonestar on the Square
Time: from 5.30pm
It’s time to engage yourself and your cycling buddies by supporting our sponsors the Lonestar and join us for this months “Happy Hour”. Spring has arrived and cycling mates always enjoy time together especially over a drink when you give each other a little bit of friendly advice or stick which ever suits at the time. See you there.

Upcoming School Events

Novice Tour of Manawatu- December 9th-10th. A proud forty four year old multi-stage Manawatu Tour highlighting some of New Zealand’s best rising stars racing for individual and club honours. We will keep you up to date.

Palmfeilds Motors October 15th Recreational Ride

Check out upcoming Bike Manawatu Events Calendar
Spring is the start of many club events for cyclists. If you own a bike and want to experience something new and different and get fitter, be sure to check out the clubs ride calendar online and try something different.

The club and event organisers would love to see you give different events a go this year. Cyclists can do anything and many masters riders tried different club events last year which resulted in their feedback being positive and are the same cyclist keen to return this year. How fantastic is that.

Check out other cycling interests:

Kairanga Time Trail Series-

From Horizons yard on Kairanga-Bunnythorpe road in October on Wednesdays from 6pm this flat 12Km weekly time trail points series has been a huge success with approximately 50 riders biking out to the course and registered from 5.45pm. A great way to exercise before dinner.

Club Road Races for Everyone-

On Saturdays in October we have medium distance graded club races for all ages and abilities on different courses in our beautiful manawatu countryside. Open to everyone and masters riders can enjoy riding with your mates and finish of with a coffee or a real drink at the end which is great fun and whom many enjoyed at our recent Bike Manawatu Tui Brewery ride for there first outing.

Feilding Track Riding-

Hire a track bike from the club for a modest amount of money from November and have fun racing different events on a Sunday in October and Tuesday after Xmas at the Johnston Park cycling track in Feilding under the watchful eye of legend Ian Gray and his team. Fun.

Manfeild Criterium-

On Tuesday’s starting at 6pm for the Month of November the popular Criterium series is on again.Safe off road fun graded riding for all ages.Last year people loved it and the improvement in their cycling was huge.Pencil this one in.Its contagious.

Weekend Festival of Cycling- Saturday January 27th and 28th 2018-

Gravel and Tar Classic- 27th of January- This is an incredible coup by Bike Manawatu and event founder Steve Stannard to bring elite International Racing Teams to Palmerston North to race a physically and technically very difficult road and gravel 125km race. The Elite riders love this tough and very different event and our scenic region. Having them in Palmy is the start of something special for the region.

Gravel and Tar Gran Fondo- Saturday 27 January- This event has been designed for all recreational riders of all ages and abilities to give people a taste of something different and to feel party of the regions weekends festival of cycling.The Gran Fondo will offer two distances in 2018 1) the 70km Gravel and Tar course and the 2) 30km course.There is something for everyone young and mature,male,female rider. Give it a go and support our Weekend Festival of cycling which will grow in our region.

Manawatu Mountain Bike Club Entertaining supporting Weekend Festival of Cycling-
Bike Manawatu and our good friends the Manawatu Mountain Bike club are considering supporting the Manawatu Festival of Cycling Weekend with possibly running the Kahuterawa Challenge mountain bike ride on Sunday the 28th of January. Wouldn’t that be mouthwatering for all cyclist riding The Gran Fondo in the Saturday and the Kahuterawa Challenge on the Sunday.We will keep you informed.

Valued Sponsors of Bike Manawatu

Glenn Kirk-Oral Surgeon

Glenn is a committed cyclist who supports and sponsors many of our Bike Manawatu club Events. This tall, lean and quiet Oral Surgeon rides a bike with ease and races events all over the country with passion in a sport he loves. If you need an Oral surgeon next time call Glenn, he would be welcome to help you.

FMG

Advice and insurance for Rural,Residential, lifestyle, commercial and travel plus more means FMG have got New Zealand and the Manawatu covered. FMG are building the largest new office undertaken in the Palmerston North CBD for some 25 years showing their commitment to the Manawatu. As well they have sponsored Bike Manawatu which we appreciate. Thank you FMG.