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- Written by Kate Stewart
A couple of teenagers have been added to an experienced New Zealand squad of 16 for next months World Track Cycling Championships in Hong Kong and they are our very own Michaela Drummond and Campbell Stewart from BikeManawatu.
Article from Radio New Zealand...
The focus will be on the current world champion men's team sprint in their quest for back-to-back rainbow jerseys in what would be their third in four years.
Eighteen-year-old Michaela Drummond, a silver medallist at last year's junior world championships, has been selected in the women's endurance squad.
Drummond won the national elite women's omnium title.
Invercargill's Nick Kergozou and Palmerston North teenager Campbell Stewart have been selected in a six-strong men's endurance squad.
Kergozou competed at last year's world championships in London, while Stewart, 18, has won four world junior championship gold medals.
Cycling New Zealand head coach Dayle Cheatley said "we have a good number of our Rio Olympians back again but we are also excited with the healthy injection of youth into the squads who, along with others who impressed at the age championships, will be pressing our more experienced riders towards Tokyo 2020 and beyond. "
"We are excited about the likes of Michaela Drummond and Campbell Stewart. We won't be putting them under too much pressure but allowing them the opportunity to experience a world championship environment. They are both outstanding prospects but it does take time to transition from junior to elite ranks."
The sprint squad is led by the world champion trio of Eddie Dawkins, Ethan Mitchell and Sam Webster, with Zac Williams, while Natasha Hansen is the only female sprinter.
The women's endurance squad comprises the Rio quartet of Racquel Sheath, Jaime Nielsen, Lauren Ellis and Rushlee Buchanan, who performed with distinction in Rio, with Drummond the newcomer.
The men's endurance squad has Rio riders Piet Bulling, Aaron Gate, Regan Gough and Dylan Kennett, with the addition of Kergozou and Stewart.
They will prepare in Cambridge before leaving for Hong Kong early next month.
It is the first time the world championships have been staged in Asia since 1990, when New Zealand earned its first ever women's world championship title after Karen Holliday won the Points Race.
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- Written by Megan Blatchford-Peck
Congratulations to Michaela Drummond for an outstanding ride at the 2017 Elite Road Nationals in Napier last week. Michaela claimed the silver medal in the Under 23 Women’s race having only just moved up into this category and will turn 19 this year.
The Under 23 Women’s race was combined with the Elite Women, over a 112km course with a circuit in the hills of Taradale then returning to four laps of the inner city circuit including a tough climb up the Napier hospital hill and a final 13km flat to the finish.
Michaela was so close to winning gold, getting away with three elite riders, Rushlee Buchanan, Georgia Williams and Kate McIlroy but started to cramp with two laps to go re-joining the main bunch, but still managing to sprint to take second place.
After a very successful year in 2016, winning two Junior World Track Championship medals, the Elite Oceania Women’s Scratch race and the Australian Madison Championships, Michaela will head to the US to ride for the professional team, “Visit Dallas DNA Pro Cycling” this year.
For full results of Elite Road Nationals can be found here
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- Written by John van Lienen
In the extreme heat of Doha, Robert Stannard and Campbell Stewart will leave their mark as world class at the UCI World Cycling Championships this week.
A proud effort and reward for all those associated with their careers in the Manawatu and New Zealand.
Watch their road race live on YouTube live stream at 11pm Friday night. UCI under 19 junior men road race.
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- Written by Kate Stewart
Congratulations to the following five BikeManawatu riders who will be representing New Zealand at the Oceania Track Championships to be held in Melbourne next month.
In the elite mens sprint we have olympic medalist Simon van Velthooven along with young gun Jordan Castle.
Junior world champion and dual silver medlist Michaela Drummond will be riding in the elite women's endurance team, in her first official track meet out of the under 19 agegroup. But she does have experience at this level, having raced at an elite world cup in Hong Kong earlier this year.
Libby Arbuckle and Emily Shearman have the call up for the U19 endurance team. After gaining silver in the Junior World Track Championships in Switzerland earlier this year Emily will be one of the experienced members of the team, alongside Ellesse Andrews, Kate Smith and Nicole Shields who were in the junior world's team. Libby will be an asset to this combination, with her large diesel engine that we have seen at the Feilding Velodrome recently.
Other West Coast North Island riders in the New Zealand team include Sophie Leigh-Bloxham and Thomas Garbett in the U19 sprint teams, who have also shown good form at the Feilding Velodrome recently.
Best of luck to all of our riders. Keep posted on our website and Facebook page for updates on their progress.
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- Written by Kate Stewart
This evening club life member Ian Gray was awarded a Palmerston North Civic Award hosted by the Mayor Grant Smith at the Palmerston North Convention Centre. The annual awards are the City’s highest recognition for voluntary service. They have been going since 1988.
Ian was nominated alongside 12 others and was one of the 5 deserving recipiants. As a club we are extremely proud of Ian and this achievement as we know the time he has put into Manawatu and WCNI Cycling over the last 50 years as a rider, official, administrator and coach.
He is an extremely knowledgble and kind man that has done wonders for cycling, and especially encouraging junior riders in the Manawatu.
"Ian Gray is a 75 year old cycling enthusiast, who has had an integral role in the success of cycling in the Manawatu and surrounding regions since he shifted here to attend Massey University in 1961, where he completed a bachelor of Agricultural Science in 1964 and completed Master Agricultural Science (Hons) in 1996. Ian originally grew up in New Plymouth, where he commenced cycle racing with the New Plymouth Amateur Road Cycling Club from 1956 to 1961.
Ever since moving to Palmerston North Ian has been an active member of the cycling community, as a competitor, businessman, historian, volunteer and leader in many capacities."
Congratulations Ian and thank you to all of those in the cycling community who contributed to this nomination.
Official event photo's to come.
