A mystery donor has given a $1 million boost to Palmerston North’s bid to become New Zealand’s cycling centre of excellence.
The fillip comes on the eve of Sport and Recreation New Zealand’s announcement about which of the seven bids from around the country have been shortlisted to win its $7 million contribution to the facility.
Start: Midnight 12:00pm Friday 18th Feb. Cathederal Square, Christchurch. Teams start first and solo riders start 5 mins later.
Finish: Church Steps, Nelson
Duration: 24hr limit for only 430km
Route: Christchurch, Kiapoi, Culverden, Lewis Pass, Springs Jtn, Murchison, St Arnaud, Wakefield, Nelson.
It had been several years since I had last taken part in a Christchurch-Nelson cycle event. I had completed 3 solo rides, the last in 2005 and thought it was time to tackle the ride again. Time seems to dull the memory of the pain…
It is organised by Tim Vincent of Tineli bikewear. He is the son of Les Vincent who started the event years ago. Every alternate year, it changes direction so next year it will be Nelson-Christchurch.
While the sun was out in a clear sky the moderate to strong southeast wind made conditions challenging for the riders and cold in the shaded areas for spectators. The stellar landing tonight of Simon van Velthooven the multiple medal winner at January’s track cycling World cup in Beijing added the star power to what was a small turnout of 17 riders. Simon offered the opportunity to those present to purchase some of his extensive New Zealand team kit, judging by the popularity of the offer we will be having a number of riders getting a little extra attention from motorists and spectators as they pedal their bikes on and off the track.
The Patricia Fraser Memorial Trail project aims to create a safe off-road cycling and walking route for recreational users and commuters linking Ashhurst and the Manawatu Gorge from the city.
The intention is to present a petition to the Palmerston North City Council to urge them to prioritise this project.
They need your support to make this proposal a reality
Please support their petition http://www.patriciafrasermemorialtrail.org/
Strasbourg, a city in north-eastern France, is sending a clear message that the car doesn’t rule its city. To increase the safety of bikers and pedestrians, Strasbourg is proposing to reduce its speed limit to 30 kilometres per hour throughout the city.