Saturday 26 February club race

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.

“Le petite grimpeur” was the name for last Saturday’s club race. With start at Aokautere School A and B grade had to go over the Pahiatua track, do a loop at the other side come back over the track and finish up Polson Hill drive. The C grade did a bit shorter course. They went over the track turned at the bottom of it to hit for the finish at Polson Hill Drive. Not sure what was petite about this course it must have been the distance? C grade was won by Stuart Doidge in 56 min and 31 sec more than 2 minutes clear from number 2 Blair Webster. First woman was Elizabeth Stannard in 1 hour 2 min 06 sec.

A grade was a battle between Sam Horgan, Kent Croote and Mark Findlay. The track could not separate those 3 riders. It came to a sprint finish taken by Kent Croote just before Sam Horgan 2^nd and Mark Findlay 3^rd. In B grade the veteran Steve Glasgow was just beaten on the line by youngster Max Annear.

Results in full

A grade 48 km

Kent Croote 1, 1:17:09; Sam Horgan 2 st; Mark Findlay 3, 1:17:14; Mark Waterland 4, 1:17:27; Steve Stannard 5, st; Angus Findlay 6, 1:23:29; Luuk van Wagtendonk 7, 1:24:03; Jonthy Hapeta 8, 1:33:22; George Robberts 9, st; Daniel Lithgow dnf

B grade 48 km

Max Annaer 1, 1:23:20; Steve Glasgow 2, st; Ross Rainham 3, 1:24:08; Pat Edwards 4, 1:24:50; Jordan Castle 5, 1:27:07; Steven Snell 6, 1:27:09; Erik D’Arbois 7, 1:28:12; Cameron Gibbons 8, 1:43:03; Peter Wenborn 9, 1:45:28; Ross Castle dnf

C grade 26 km

Stuart Doidge 1, 56:31; Blair Webster 2, 58:48; Tom Pirie 3, 1:00:56; Bob Jaques 4, 1:01:32; Elizabeth Stannard 5, 1:02:06; Michaela Drummond 6, 1:06:36; Kelsi Eccles 7, 1:07:44; Neil Pollock 8, 1:18:44; Dave Drummond 9, 1:26:45.