Successful North Island Series for Manawatu Riders

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.

Successful North Island Series for Manawatu Riders

Yesterday saw race 5, the final race in the 2020 Trusthouse North Island Series take place in wet unpleasant comditions, and it was a great success for not only our Bike Manawatu Riders, but other Bike Manawatu members riding for other teams.

In Catergory 1, Bike Manawatu member Madi Hartley-Brown riding for Couplands was the overall Category winner, and the Couplands team which had Adam Francis, Adam Martin and Ethan Craine who are all Bike Manawatu members on the team.

In Category 2, Max Ferguson from the Bike Manawatu team has been overall category leader from the start and was overall category winner, with Michael Richmond in 2nd place, with Jeremy Rowe and sponsor Cliff Hughes riding for WCNI featuring in the top 10. Michael also won race 5 with Caleb Botcher finishing 2nd.

In Category 3, Dale Nicholls from the Bike Manawatu team has also been category leader from the start, and finished up not only winning the race, but as the overall Category winner, with Riley Tunnicliffe (also riding for Bike Manawatu) finishing in 4th place overall, and Josh Mulcahy riding for Base Solutions finished race 5 on the podium in 3rd place, and 6th place overall, and Sam Wade also riding for Base Solutions was 10th overall, and Johan Oelofse and Tyler Mumby finishing in the top 15 – this was by far the biggest feild in the series.

In category 4, Mike Thompson (Tomo), who has been riding in the series since it’s inception in 2014 for TASC and Luxury Cycle Tours, saw great success this year, finishong in 2nd place in race 2, and gaining the leaders jersey in round 3 and not giving it back, despite some tough competition from Peter James from the Tararua Builders team. Toshi Yamauchi and Mike Dunne also riding for Luxury Cycle Tours finished 4th and 6th overall respectively and Lochie Foote riding for Bike Manawatu in 7th place while Mike Dunne finished on the podium in 3rd place for race 5.

This has been an extremeley successful series for Bike Manawatu and it’s members that are riding for other teams. Along with other teams, Bike Manawatu lobbied organiser Jorge Sandoval to change the format from age group base racing to graded racing, and once he did this, former Board member Tim Lloyd came up with the idea to introduce our junior members to the teams, and this has been a resounding success. The organsier – Jorge Sandoval has said that he believes it was a great idea from our club to enter them in the series and have the opportunity to race away from home and against other riders.

Congratulations to all our members, whether riding for Bike Manawatu or other teams – we are incredibly proud of how you have all performed and we are looking forward to seeing you all at our prizegiving/catchup on Friday 11 December at the Marist Clubrooms from 5.30pm.