The Country Road Manawatu Cycle Classic

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 Country Road Classic With a $50,000 prize pool on offer, the inaugural 160km Country Road Manawatu Cycle Classic on April 16 is a great new edition to the NZ race calendar.

Whether you are an elite rider or recreational rider, this new event has a prize on offer for you.

Elites will battle for the $3,000 winner’s prize as well as the $1,000 King of the Mountain prize money, but in this race, recreational riders do not miss out.

Event organiser Selwyn Brown has come up with a new way of rewarding recreational riders, the Recreational Age Based Handicap Challenge, where the winner will be decided by a formula applied to all solo riders’ finish time.

“The prize pool and giveaways will be sensational, with an expected $50,000 worth of spot prizes and giveaways,” Mr Brown said. “There are two great Fijian trips on offer courtesy of Harvey World Travel, three road bikes and a stack of high end electronic prizes on offer at prize giving.”

Brown, who for many years has been the Race Director for the successful Yarrows Taranaki Cycle Challenge, was invited by Destination Manawatu to set up and manage this new Manawatu based cycling event.

After initial discussions late last year, and seeing the desire and enthusiasm of the local community to have a big new cycle event based in Palmerston North, Brown says it was not hard to say yes.

“The people in the Manawatu have been fantastic to work with and it’s been a great new experience,” he added.

The April 16th event starts and finishes in Palmerston North, but it is not a flat course.

“A perception in many people’s mind is that Palmerston North is flat and the cycling there could be boring.” Not so said Brown who added, “This new course which is set in magnificent Manawatu countryside has some challenging climbs that will test most.”

The event also features the usual 2, 3, 4, person relay for those not wanting to do the solo section.

Are you up for a new challenge?

This article courtesy of RoadCycling.co.nz