Below are the results for week 5. We had a couple of issues on the night with our timing equipment so we were unable to recall the times of 4 riders. They have been awarded the full 2 points however no time is recorded next to their names.
I awoke at 5.30am to the sound of rain bucketing down on to the roof. Sounds heavy I thought and snoozed for a while. But my body knew what was in store for it today, Sunday 6 November. So I got up, went upstairs and started checking the colour of the sky out windows at all compasses points: heavy cloud over the ranges to the East, dark rain-laden clouds to the south and west, a bit more light in the skies to the North. It didn’t look promising at all! What was the outside temperature I thought. I went back downstairs to check the weather station; only 9°C. Cold too. So I sorted my cycle gear and got ready, all the while hoping the rain would ease. By 7am it had stopped. But then another downpour occurred at 7.30am. Just a test of my resolve I thought. So at 7.45am, I rode off to the start line as a partial warm-up.
16th October: New Course from Sports Park, Hastings.
I have cycled the 110km Tour of the Bay every year from 2006. It is part of my “Tour of Duty”, which includes 4 events at the end of each year. This year I heard during a BikeManawatu Sunday ride that there was a new course. I had mixed feelings about this as I loved the challenge of the old course and I have many fine memories from the last 5 races. Nevertheless,
Attached are the results from week 4 – just a couple of people missing .
The riders set off on a cool spring Manawatu day, the pessimists amongst them adorned with raincoats. Typically, it was flat to the boards all the way to Ashhurt (Actually it’s Ashhurst, but in this case you might be right – Ed) with some short-lived breaks quickly enveloped by a frisky peloton. The better riders looked towards the two climbs on Colyton Rd to sort the bunch out a bit.
Craig Lawn and Steve Stannard were the first over the Watershed climb, but the bunch, with Jesse Sergent toying with the bunch at the front soon caught them on the fast downhill. Craig Lawn immediately launched another attack and, assured that a lone rider could not stay away, the now smaller bunch seemed disinclined to care. All the way to Cheltenham, Lawn dangled out in front whilst the riders that tried to bridge were quickly chased down.
The first track ride for the start of the new season for novice and experienced riders was an outstanding success according to coordinator and track stalwart Ian Gray. The sheer number of new riders was the most pleasing thing to see suggested Ian with numbers swelling to unprecedented levels. What was also impressive to see was the number of parents out there riding with their children.