Wednesday night time trials week 2

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 weather conditions again played in our favour and on a fine, slightly overcast windless Waitangi Day evening a record was set. It had taken some time to reach this stage. He had tried hard in the last series of time trials, knowing that he was capable of beating the previous record, but the weather wasn’t playing the game. So Matiu Kaihau was beaming and the smile was obviously one of pure satisfaction that he had at last achieved the desired result. Well done Matiu. Let’s see if you can do another next week. The new official record for the 12 km course is 15mins 14secs.

In fact everybody who completed was able to break their previous personal best as the conditions were so good.

The new assembly point and new race briefing are working well. One slight hiccup was when 2 riders were locked in the yard. It was fortunate for them that the key had not gone too far and was still within shouting distance so they could escape to tell the story.

Thanks to Nev Weir, Stu McKenzie, Lenka Martin for helping on the start and finish line and to Kirsty Kaihau for marshalling at the turn point.

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