More Blossoms and plenty Green Shoots at the Grass Roots Award Evening

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.

Bike Manawatu has done it again.

If you have not already read it somewhere then please be advised that Bike Manawatu has taken out the Property Brokers Grass Roots club of the year for the second year running. Not bad given we have been in existence for the same time….i.e. two years!

The strong feeling I get is that we are still only scratching the surface in terms of what we can offer our membership in terms of events, support and a pathway to the top for those who choose that route.

It certainly was a real thrill to win the grand prize again in front of so much strong opposition and it was great to have such a great representation there from the club.

Well done to Sport Manawatu for organising the event and running such a good night.

Since then of course we have had the New Zealand Secondary School Championships in our region with our club represented over a number of local schools. Congratulations to PNBHS winning the overall schools points cup. What a good way to send off Mr O’Connor to his new job at AGS.

Bike Manawatu also ran the 39^th version of the Novice Tour the same weekend. It went really well. It is a great event for aspiring cyclists. The only disappointing aspect was the lack of support the event gets from Secondary Schools here at the Schools Nationals with directives given not to ride the Tour. Problem is ,the Tour is part of the BikeNZ Development Programme with riders wanting selection to higher honours needing to ride it.

Bike Manawatu will review this iconic Tour in full to see how this impasse might be breached to benefit all.

And welcome to all those new members who have taken up cycling under the “Cycling Uncovered” initiative by Sport Manawatu. We look forward to seeing you out and about on your travels around this wonderful region to ride a bike.

Paul van Velthooven

Chairman.