Findlays Find Form at Hub Tour

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.

The Findlay brothers rode strongly in the Ramblers The Hub Tour in the Hawkes Bay at the weekend but it was the younger Findlay siblings, Mark and Angus, and not former U23 National Road Champion Tom, featuring in the results.

In the highly competitive U17 Boys Grade Mark placed second in the opening prologue (6 km Individual Time Trial) and 1st in Stage 1 (Road Race) and 1st in the Stage 2 Criterium and completed the tour in 3rd place in the General Classification. Older brother Angus was competing in his first competitive event, having only decided to take up cycling in the last 6 months.

Despite competing against the cunning and experienced veterans racing in the Mens B-Grade Angus rode strongly in the bunch and timed his run perfectly on the last stage by finishing clear of his closest rivals to take 6th in the General Classification. Also in the B-Grade, Matiu Kaihau placed third in the prologue and Mark Waterland claimed second in the King of the Mountains competition.

In the strong A-Grade field Jeremy Vennell (Hawkes Bay) and Patrick Bevan (Taupo) from the US-based Vissel Pro Team were up against local outfit, Pure Black Racing. Despite Bevan showing a clean pair of heals to claim Stage 1 in a sprint finish from Pure Black’s Shem Rodger, the Pure Black Team had superior numbers and were able to control the race on the critical last stage, allowing Rodger to stay with Vennell on the last climb and hold on for victory in the General Classification in the A-Grade.