by Bike Manawatu | Aug 14, 2019 | Notices
Mountain to Sea to Windmills 22-23 Feb 2020
For those looking for a scenic and challenging ride next summer, here’s your opportunity.
A 2 day ride, which includes transport to Ohakune and accommodation for one night is being offered. The 2ndday of this ride will travel down the spectacular River Road to Pipiriki – this is a beautiful and not often seen part of the country.
Numbers for this ride will be limited, so register your interest now using the link on the Flyer – https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MKZGLG9
by Bike Manawatu | Aug 14, 2019 | Notices
Up & Coming Events for week ending 16th August 2019
Sat 17th August
BM Race 3 – Linton Camp – Course Confirmed – Please ensure you have sufficient Identification upon arrival of the camp
Click here for the course route – Please Pre Register Here
(Alternatively we also have traffic management approved for our Akers Road circuit as a back up also!)
Thanks to Palmfeild Motors if this is your first time racing, or you haven’t raced in any of our club races in the last 12 months, come on out and have a go – for FREE.See more info here
Sun 18th August
Manawatu Schools Cycling
BikeManawatu Sunday Recreational Ride
Wed 21st August
Wednesday Recreational Ride
Sun 25th August
Manawatu Schools Cycling
BikeManawatu Sunday Recreational Ride
Wed 28th August
Wednesday Recreational Ride
Sat 31st August
Akers Road Circuit
3.30 pm Start – COURSE MAP – COURSE INFO – REGISTER HERE –As per Tims update we have now had Traffic Management approved and we will give the course another go after BM Race 2 was cancelled due to weather (Sign on 3.00pm, Race Briefing 3.15pm)
Other dates to pencil in:
Sat 14 September
BM Race 4 – Woolworths Cup – Pre Register Here
Sun 13th October
BM Race 5 – Hill Climb Champs – Pre Register Here
Sun 10th November
FEILDING FESTIVAL OF CYCLING 2019
Please find our 2019-2020 Road Racing calendar HERE
by Bike Manawatu | Aug 12, 2019 | News
My UCI Race ‘Tour De Feminin’ in Czech Republic
Tour de Feminin women’s cycling Tour UCI 2.2 in Krásná Lípa, Czech Republic. 4 days, 5 stages, 6000m of climbing
Stage 1 kicked off Thursday afternoon. 120km with 4 bergs. The heat was on right from the start with many roundabouts at the bottoms of descendants which called for many crashes. Unfortunately seeing Libby Arbuckle – fellow Bike Manawatu member in one of early crashes. The race continued and with the pace high the peloton strung out. I quickly learnt that positioning was going to be the make or break for this race with the amount of climbing. Racing against some of the top women riders proved that moving up the bunch for better positioning was going to be much harder than an NZ race. With 170 riders fighting for the front. After about 40km in I found myself nearer to the front where I thought I could now relax into the race a take more control. The fighting for the front continues and if you aren’t aggressive you will soon we washed straight to back again.
The bunch split up every hill and being mid pack I was in the chasing bunch. However I worked hard with a few other girls rotating to bridge the gap.
The last 5km up to the finish was very technical with the heat on and all the girls tense lead to a few more crashes. I managed to stay upright and finished 36th.
Stage 2 was another 104km road race again with many hills which played out much the same as stage one. I finished in the front bunch.
Stage 3 was a ITT that went straight into a 1km decent climb. We woke up that morning to thunderstorms so I slipped some supermarket bags down my shirt and away I went – kept me dry so did the trick! I was stoked with this ride as made many power PBS.
Stage 4 was a shorter 80km road race, 3 laps of the same circuit. Not to say that it was any easier being shorter as was Jammed packed with many short sharp hills and one long hill. 15 minutes in the rain began followed by thunder and lighting. Damn I thought I forgot the plastic bags to keep me dry. Following from yesterday rain and crashes the bunch seemed to be a lot more cautious. Once again the hills were the determining point. Going into the last lap team mate Niamh put the accelerator down up every hill decreasing the size of the bunch. With 5km to go the I moved to front increasing the pace in help to lead my team mate Niamh Fisher-Black who ended up in 12th and myself 22nd.
Stage 5 was a 90km road race. By now the legs were really feeling it. But knowing it was the last day I knew I had to leave everything out and on the course. Another day torrential rain, narrow windy decents and many climbs. It proved to be another very hard day.
The Bunch blew to pieces up the 5km climb – few of us fought hard to catch bunch in front. With 2 laps to go the bunch split into two halves me being in the front then again on the last lap it halved this time I was in the 2nd half. With only 12 or so of us left at the top of the climb we risked everything down the decent into the finish and in the rain people were slipping out around corners and unfortunately I was behind someone who slid out causing me to land in the ditch. Nether the less with some help i was back up and crossed the line making 44th on the general classification out of 170 starters. I was stoked with this result.
Overall was a great once in a life time experience with very tough racing and interesting accommodation. We were placed in a little hotel which felt like in the middle of no where which was built before WW2. The accommodation also provides food which also showed its age by feeding us soups for lunch and dinner everyday – scrumptious race food. However being the tough kiwis we are we got through it and made it an awesome learning experience.
Thank you for all your support in making this opportunity possible it is hugely appreciated!
Connie O’Brien
by Bike Manawatu | Aug 9, 2019 | Notices
Well, we’ve passed the shortest day so at least one thing is
guaranteed….The days are longer.
Although not the coldest or the wettest winter that we’ve ever had it’s
still not for the faint hearted getting motivated to ride on those early
mornings.
That said, there’s still been plenty of riding going on with recreational
rides and groups out training for the Trust House series, Taupo, and our own
club racing.
It was extremely frustrating that we had to cancel our Akers Road Race in
July. The group were keeping an eye on all forecasts and , even though there
was a window of opportunity
to run the race, the weather came in heavily right at the time the racing
would have been on. Learning from that , when we are able, we will apply for
Traffic Management for an alternative date.
Looking forward to next Saturday 17th August. Flat track, multi lap road
race at Linton Camp. Can’t get a safer environment than an Army Camp.
Registrations and details are on line (Click Here).
Thanks to Rob Ryan and Palmfeild Motors, anyone that hasn’t raced in the
last 12 months (or ever raced at all for that matter) races for free.
This race is a multi lap, time specific race that will make the loop a busy
place to be. Like the Nurburgring 24 hour race where there will be faster
bunches and individuals racing at maybe 20% faster than the slower grades.
These events are great for riders to push themselves out of the comfort
zone, work together in groups and ride safely. There will be opportunities
for riders to break away and have a crack by themselves, counteracted by the
wise foxes that sit back and decide if it’s worth shutting the break down,
or letting the break go to see if they explode. There’s always a good bit of
banter in the peloton.
To be confirmed ..We are going to try to apply for TMP’s for another crack at
Akers Road race on August 31st, TBC. As mentioned above it was frustrating to
loose that date and we lost the momentum that we had.
It’s a great flat circuit that has it’s hidden challenges but favours the
brave.
On September 14th we are running the Woolworths cup. This is a handicap
race that has been run over in the Pahiatua area for years. There’s a phrase
that gets used a lot…If you do the same thing, you’ll get the same result.
The events working group (sounds more important than it is) and other riders
have been challenged with coming up with new courses for our events. For the
Woolworths cup we required a 40 km circuit, close to a town, that was
challenging enough to ride solo while catering for all members abilities.
With the Feilding Festival in November, and the Trust house series starting
September 22nd we wanted to find a new circuit to get our teeth into. I took
a Mental Health Morning away from work and smacked this one out.(click
here). Bit of a prevailing northerly breeze to contend with but a solid
marker of what the course was like. The Feilding folk should love this one.
We still need to get the Traffic management through so stand by.
Click here for the Linton Camp Course, Woolworths course map and race
registrations will be published once TMP’s are through.
Even with training rides, It’s not about the result…it’s about the effort
you put in.
Stay safe
Tim
