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Written by Barry Gilliland

Created: 14 March 2013

The National Masters 40 km TT is the premier TT event on the summer calendar for a serious time trial cyclist. This year the event was held at Kahutara which lies between Martinborough and Lake Wairarapa.

There were: 60 competitors, 10 women and 50 men, youngest rider aged 30, most experienced (but not the slowest) rider aged 80+.

Medals were on offer for the usual 5 year age groups used in national cycling events. While many Manawatu riders were riding the Pahiatua “Fun Ride”, six time trial stalwarts from the Manawatu were doing a proper race and trying to bring some of those medals from Wairarapa back through Gorge. We did ok. Our results were:

Jocelyn Goodwin 1^st (50-54 grade) in 66:11 min

Barry Gilliland 1^st (60-64 grade) in 59:35 min

Mike Burt 3^rd (55-59 grade) in 65:01 min

Neville Weir 1^st (50-54 grade) in 56:15 min (Fastest masters time of the day)

Michael Bradley 5^th (50-54 grade) in 61:48 min

Geoff Russell 6^th (50-54 grade) in 62:57 min

Two things need to be acknowledged:

1. Neville has been in brilliant form this summer; and

2. The 50-54 age grade was especially competitive with the first four riders breaking the 60 minute mark, so Mike and Geoff did pretty good rides that into account. In fact they both could have medalled in the younger 40-44 age goup.

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Written by Vaughan Hunt

Created: 12 March 2013

From the Manawatu Standard:

Even as the heat beats down day after day on his 65-year-old back, Colin Anderson is halfway to his goal of riding 65 laps around Lake Taupo.

The Palmerston North postie has ridden 33 laps in his latest campaign and was miffed he could not make it 34.

He had planned to do a triple-lap, but after doing a double back-to-back in about 18 hours and having had little sleep, he flagged it. Instead, he boarded a bus and rode in leisure back to Palmerston North for the weekend.  Read more

From Radio Live – Hamish McKay:

Listen to the interview

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Written by Glenys Taylor

Created: 14 March 2013

                                       Athletics & Cycling Masterton

                                80 Km Handicap Road Race

                        Sunday 14 April 2013 – 10.00 a.m.

           Excellent Challenging New Course For 2013!

Read more: Clark Cup–Masterton Sunday 14 April

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Written by Glenys Taylor

Created: 11 March 2013

A criterium, or crit, is a bike race held on a short course (usually less than 1 mile), often run on closed-off city centre streets.

Collegiate cyclists take a tight downhill corner in the Boston Beanpot Criterium at Tufts University

Race length can be determined by a number of laps or total time, in which case the number of remaining laps is calculated as the race progresses. The winner is the first rider to cross the finish line without having been "lapped."

Events often have prizes (called primes, pronounced "preems", and are usually cash ( or Easter eggs this week at Linton) for winning specific intermediate laps (for instance, every 10th lap). A bell ( in our case a whistle") is usually rung to announce to the riders that whoever wins the next lap, wins the prime.

Success in road criteriums requires a mix of good technical skills — in particular, the ability to corner smoothly while "holding your line" on the road, as well as rapidly and sharply — and riding safely with a large group on a short circuit and exceptional "sprint" ability to attack other riders and repeatedly accelerate hard from corners.

And for anyone who has been out to Linton over the past 2 weeks when we have run Points races you will after reading the above realise what the difference is.

In a points race you race for points on “the Whistle” . The person with the most points at the end of the race is the winner. Points are accumulated during the race on whistle laps. Duration of the race is a set time plus 1 or 2 laps.