My report on Track Nationals at Invercargill

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.

dylan simpson I flew out of Palmerston North on Monday the 3^rd of March. We hoped off the plane and felt the temperature drop. It was Invercargill! We collected our luggage and loaded up the van, and made our way to the hotel where I would be spending the next 5 nights in with all the WCNI team members. After about an hour we pulled the bikes out of the boxes and put them together. Later on that day we went down to the track for a practise session. The next day we had another practise session for a couple of hours! The tension was building as we had our first race the next night the 500tt. We woke up and headed down to the track. I had my 500tt which was an all right start to the week. It was a great start to the champs for the team though claiming 4 gold medals! From there on there was a whole lot of effort and hard work!

The week got better for me when I got an 8^th in the scratch race heat. In the first lap of this race I was involved in a crash and the race was held up as we got back on our bikes! The points race wasn’t so good when I tried to attack for some points but went too early and watched the others go past me. In the Derby race my new handler James Denholm seemed to make a difference getting a second in the derby heats and making it to the semi-finals! Thanks to James and Josh Kendal for the tactics. I didn’t go so well in the semi-final but was still happy with my results.

And then on the last day/night it was an awesome effort from every one with the under 17 girls taking the bronze medal in there team pursuit also setting the New Zealand record! Then the boys took the silver medal in their team pursuit! Overall it was an awesome experience and one that will be hard to forget! I met some cool new people, and I am looking forward to getting bigger, stronger and faster and am looking forward to next year. I would like to thank all of the handlers and managers for making an awesome and fun experience and well done to the whole team!