The weather does play a role in time trial series

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.

I had a query by email at 4pm to ask whether or not the time trials are still held if it is raining. And my reply was “Yes”. Well it wasn’t raining where I was. So I packed my bike and the rest of the gear required for the time trials in the car and headed off. As I got closer to Palmy I realised that it had been raining a bit but it had obviously stopped when I got to Kairanga Horizons yard and put the signs and cones out and readied myself for my time trial and registration.

Then water started to drip on me and I realised that the shelter that I was under was only a shade cloth and not waterproof. The fine drizzle remained just like that, not a downpour and not cold and not a howling gale. So out of the few riders that did turn up, there were a number of people who were able to better their previous best time including Jaimee Leader, Lynne James, Carne Groube and Andy Martin.

Thanks to the helpers Mike, Kirsty, Jo, Michael and Graeme on the turn who stood in the rain under umbrellas for the whole 32 minutes that it took from the time the first rider left to the last rider returned.

We are now half way through the series and the points are starting to accumulate nicely. Click here for results.