by Vaughan Hunt | Jan 10, 2020 | Notices
22nd /23rd Feb 2020
Depart Memorial Park by Bus at 9am Sat 22nd
Feilding collection on the way to Ohakune
Check in at Peaks Motor Lodge
Two Sat arvo rides a flat 40 km and a 65km including the climb up Turoa
Sunday depart to Whanganui via the spectacular river Rd through Pipiriki and Jerusalem.
Lunch in Whanganui and finishing back in Palmy 200kms
For those that may want to do just the river road you can organise your own transport back home from Wanganui
Total Cost $155.00 inc support vehicle.
Meals not included.
Bookings Essential
There are a few spots left if you want to bring along some mates
Register to rob@palmfeilds.co.nz
by Vaughan Hunt | Jul 5, 2019 | News
Bike Manawatu has a very talented membership base who enjoy varying levels of success across all age groups, in particular the Under 23 and below age groups right now.
We have had a dedicated group of riders come through the junior ranks, who have been aided by the amazing and supportive parents that make up Manawatu Schools Cycling. We enjoyed probably the best success rate of any club at the U23 and Elite Road Nationals held in Napier during early January.
We have a number of members and former members competing internationally at the moment, and while they are all making us immensely proud, I’d like to focus on our young women.
The Mike Greer Homes Women Cycling Team which includes local members Connie O’Brien and Libby Arbuckle, are now 6 weeks into their European racing Campaign.
They have raced 5 UCI races with one to go – Tour De Femmine in Czech Republic. Recently both of our girls got a bronze. Libby got 3rd in a crit in the Netherlands where she had a Stellar race being in a break away with Track world champion Annett Edmondson for a few laps. While Connie got her first UCI podium, gaining bronze in a climbing crit also in the Netherlands where the bunch split to pieces right from the get go.
The team also includes former Manawatu resident Alana Forster – while Alana is now living in the beautiful Hawke’s Bay, she is Australian – so we’ll make the aussies and claim her as our own – just like they do with the Finn brothers, pavlova and the like
Emily Shearman left for Belgium in May with the NZ Women’s Endurance Track Cycling Squad to train and race in preparation for up coming Oceania Champs and some World Cup Events later in year. They went on to Czech Republic to race and now have been in Bergamo Italy for the last 2 weeks on a training block for 4 weeks. In next week or so they will move on to Switzerland for a Track Cycling Training block and will compete in some Track Racing meetings before returning home at the end of the month.
Another former Manawatu cyclist, Deborah Paine has gone from strength to strength since making the switch from Cross country running to cycling – in Palmerston North. Once Deborah jumped on a bike, her athletic ability was obvious, and once she boned her cycling skills, it was only a matter of time before she began competing at an elite level, and it had just been announced that Deborah has a start at the Giro Rosa – the biggest race on the women’s calendar.
These results and achievements are fantastic and bike Manawatu is very proud of all of our riders, and wishes them all the best in their remaining races and events.
by Vaughan Hunt | Apr 11, 2019 | News
We had a winner of the BikeBarn Lucky Draw on Sunday, Colin Anderson was present but not wearing Bike Manawatu kit. Colin is the winner of Bike Barn’s $310 voucher.
We had a great turnout with over 50 cyclists present on a chilly Sunday morning!
No mention if Colin paid for all the after ride coffees?
by Vaughan Hunt | Feb 1, 2019 | Uncategorised
Being a member of any club, the call for volunteers is something we all hear a lot. Over the years I have volunteered a lot of my time to swimming clubs, School Boards, various school committees, coached children’s sports teams and I’ve even been known to man the BBQ at the odd sausage sizzle. However, with cycling (apart from being a member of the Bike Manawatu Board), the majority of my interaction with volunteers has been as a competitor, thanking the Marshall’s as I ride past.
At the end of 2017 I decided to try and give something back, so I volunteered to help out with the Novice Tour, I drove the Lead Car for the U17 Girls Road Race. It was a totally new experience viewing the race from this angle, and really quite inspiring to see so many young cyclists participating in the tour and thoroughly enjoying themselves. And the weekend before last, as I wasn’t riding the Slicks and Stones event, I decided to volunteer for this as well, again it was fantastic to be out there helping a local event and viewing the race from a different angle, and it was somewhat rewarding to be able to give something back to a sport that has given me so much over the years.
As you know, we are currently recruiting volunteers for this years Novice Tour. This event has been running since 1974, and previous tour winners include well known cyclists Eric MacKenzie, Gary Anderson, Cath Cheatley, Greg Henderson and Campbell Stewart to name a few.
While the Tour is a weekend long event, any time you can spare would be a huge help, and what a great way to help your club and the future superstars of the New Zealand cycling scene – we’ve all seen from our clubs U23 riders at the Elite Nationals what the depth of youth cycling is in the mighty Manawatu.
If you can help out please contact our secretary Keryn Paekau
by Vaughan Hunt | Jan 8, 2019 | Notices
The Gravel and Tar UCI event is back in just over a week, and is shaping up to be an exciting event with some big changes from previous years.
The Gravel and Tar race has been going since 2015, and grows in popularity each year. It is a tough race, and has been described as one of the toughest one day races outside of Europe. It has always been a men’s race, but this 2019 has seen the introduction of a Women’s UCI race, and is offering the same prizemoney as the men’s race – this is something that isn’t usually seen in the world of cycling, and something that many professional women cyclists have been wanting for a number of years. That’s a big plus for women’s cycling and for our region. So far over 12 mens teams have entered and 10 womens teams.
The course is another thing that has changed this year, as the start is in Feilding and the finish is in Palmerston North. The mens race is 130 kms long with 45 kms of gravel, and the womens race is 116 kms long with 40kms of gravel and promises to be an exciting race to watch.
As in other years, there is also a recreational event, and this years event is called the Slicks and Stones and is 100kms long, you can enter here http://www.gravelandtar.com/
If you are not riding either the professional events or the Slicks and Stones, please get out there and support the event, and see some fantastic racing.
The organisers are still looking for a couple of more road marshals, so a great way to support the event and see the racing would be to volunteer. Please contact Steve Stannard on 021809597 or steve@gravelandtar.com.
Sponsor FMG is setting up a spectator spot on Levett Line and I hear they may even have some refreshments available.
Congratulations to the Greasy Chain Trust on keeping this event here in the Manawatu and keeping it fresh with the new changes – well done team.
