WCNI Track Cycling Champs 2013

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.

148381_524122134288473_1342610572_n-1 This past weekend saw Track Cyclists from Palmerston North, Whanganui, Levin, Stratford, Hawkes Bay and Wellington travelling to New Plymouth to compete alongside the New Plymouth Trackies in the WCNI Track Cycling Championships.

With Mount Taranaki and the ocean sitting either side of the Veledrome the Taranaki Cycle Park is easily the most scenic Veledrome in the country, although with that kind of scenery comes the wind and the cyclists found themselves battling very strong head winds down the back straight as they raced. That being said there was plenty of very good racing to be seen. Of notable mention were Kelsi Eccles (Bike Manawatu) and Kyle Davie (Levin) who rode exceptionally well. These two riders (from a spectators point of view) have made the most noticeable improvement from last season.

These championships also result in a team being selected to compete in the Age Group Track Nationals held in Invercargill at the end of February and the WCNI Track team selectors were present and watching all of the cyclists in action, especially the Under 17 Boys. The WCNI region has a large number of Under 17 boys who are all riding very well this year and this is making selection of that age group difficult. The team will be announced this Wednesday or Thursday. Good luck to everyone.

The Naki Cycling Club put on a great weekend of sun (there were many sunburnt spectators and cyclists to prove it) and cycling. They even managed to put on a spectactular light festival for the out of towners as well.

537128_197371873741296_1285711106_n 72985_524122597621760_42071824_n 397434_595677337114878_685464781_n 554349_595679367114675_719421543_n 76328_595893150426630_918243548_n 549974_498769876833127_1073005887_n