Wednesday night time trials 19 Feb 2014 after a “Cooker” of a day.

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.

According to the nightly TV weather report Palmerston North got the hottest temperature across the country today. But at 5.45pm the temperature was cooling but the remnants of the hot day lingered. The sun was at the right level to make it hard to identify people as they appeared with the sun blaring behind them at registration. At race briefing it was stressed the importance of cyclists remaining vigilant after they crossed the finish line about traffic following them and staying off the road in and around the start / finish area. Also the time trials are individual time trials which means no drafting. Drafting is when one cyclist is riding behind another. This conserves energy for the rider behind but also can allow them to go faster as they don’t have to push through the wind as much as the rider in the front. Any rider drafting penalises themself.

It was great to see some more new faces. So far for the 3 weeks of this series we have had 50 riders participate. And each week we are slowly building our numbers.

Thanks to everyone who helped last night – Pete Robson on the turn and a family effort from John and Jan Arbuckle along with the regular helpers of Kirsty and Stu on the start and finish line.

Riders please remember to bring your numbers as it makes it a lot easier at the finish line.

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