Friday 31st Mens Lead out Bunch Ride

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.

An opportunity to say that you “rode in the front bunch in the 2014 NZCT Mens Tour”

Yeah right – well sort of.

Meet at the Square in Palmerston North at 9.15am to be part of the atmosphere around the build up to stage 3. Then the LEAD OUT bunch will depart behind a vehicle escort along Main St through the traffic lights to the SPCA on Napier Rd. The NZCT Mens tour riders will be following a short distance behind so you won’t be able to dilly dally.

If you are part of the lead out bunch you will turn off as the tour riders go zooming past and then have the choice of riding to a vantage point on the days course to watch them go past again or going about your normal daily routine until the riders return to the finish line at Memorial Park in a few hours.