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- Written by Steve Stannard
Last Saturday saw the running of Bike Manawatu’s equivalent of Paris-Roubaix, the Essex Cup around the Pohangina Valley loop. The course goes straight up the Valley to Pohangina Village and out the other side on the unsealed Pohangina Valley West Rd. After turning right at Churchill Drive, the race then turns right onto Pohangian Valley East Rd and then back to Ashhurst.
A relatively small, but hardened group of riders turned up to taste some dirt and enjoy a dry and fairly windless race.
Two riders, Tamara Ross (Wanganui) and Thomas Stannard, started off ‘limit’ being given a 14 min start on the next bunch of three riders, Katherine Stannard, Toshi Yamauchi, and Michaela Walker (Wanganui). Another 12 minutes back was the largest bunch on ‘block’ containing Ross and Jordan Castle, Jake van Lienen, Cody Simpson, and Ross Rainham. Last to start, off ‘scratch’ were Paddy Daly and Steve Stannard, another two minutes back.
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- Written by Steve Stannard
As the handicapper in last year’s Joe Allen race I was a bit embarrassed that we had a top-notch scratch bunch who worked like Trojans, but didn’t get anywhere near winning. It made it worse that I was in the scratch bunch with a bit of form!
A good handicap race is one where all the bunches come together in the last 5 to 10% of the race distance. The Joe Allen is a bit different, because the last third of the race is downhill or flat, so providing there is no strong cross wind, many B and C riders would be able to hook onto scratch as they come through and be in the mix for the overall win. This year’s race was a bit closer to that ideal…
The limit riders (D grade) were a small group, and although they had half an hour on scratch, the group size and wind direction (Sth Easterly) meant that they’d be caught at some point on the way home.
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- Written by Glenys Taylor
Results from 3rd Interclub with CHB
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- Written by Ross Murray
Tough little event today, the first ever XC Eliminator was held as part of Feilding Festival of Cycling.
A lung burning fun short course based at the velodrome in friendly Feilding.
Start and finish was on the tarmac of the velodrome,with the circuit on a mixture of power sapping grass, soft sand and shingle of the Oroua River bank, a touch of single track breaking out onto a potholed gravel road.
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- Written by Glenys Taylor
A small field of riders turned up at Colyton for the Smooth and Wrinkly. Not sure whether the Under 35 riders were daunted by the fact that thye would have to ride with someone with wrinkles or whether they had more important things on their agendas for the day. Or perhaps they were overtired after a late night out the previous night at the Awards dinner.
Samara and Wayne Fenn were first off. Finish time 1 hour 17 mins 15 sec.
Unfortunately due to lack of under 35 riders we had to send to wrinklies off together. Katherine Stannard and visitor Tim Tyler finished with a net time of 1 hour 16 mins and 13 secs
They were followed by Thomas Stannard and Peter O’Sullivan. Their net finish time was 1 hour 13 mins and 48 secs
The van Lienen father and son team of John and Jake finished the 34km Valley Rd course in a net time of 1 hour 12mins and 54 secs
Glen Kirk and Paddy Daly were teamed up on the day and had a good result of 57 mins but the ride of the day went to the other father and son team of Steve and Robert Stannard that finished in a time of 54 mins 11 secs
Thanks to the helpers on the day (more helpers than riders nearly ) Chris Sanson for being race manager along with Luuk van Wagtendonk and Steph Dench from Sport Manawatu. The ladies on registration and finish timing /recording Jessica Hamilton and Karen Fenn and a special thanks to Toshi for marshalling at Ashhurst and making sure everyone turned at the right corner.