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Written by Tim Lloyd

Created: 07 August 2020

Momentum, AGRN, and CNZ

Rolling on with our positive momentum as a club and region was the Age Group Road Nationals held mid July in Waipukurau. Holding an event like this in the middle of winter is always a risk and even though the weather did set in the event was still a huge success. As a club with 50+ members entered it represented possibly a record number of our club members at an AGRN. Podiums to Megan, Glenn, Madi and Joel in the ITT with Kym and Philip were outstanding results and so also were the results of many of our riders that secured top ten results.

For many the AGRN was a first. The thing is with this event is anyone can do it. No criteria except being able to ride a bike and wear your club uniform with pride. No selection, no history, just the want to compete. Kudos to all. As a club we were well represented, as individuals you all did yourselves proud.

Massive Thanks go out to Philip Wilson for being the Manager for the entire weekend. A totally selfless man with a huge heart and one of our Volunteers who just keep giving to our club. Thanks to David Hoskin from AEC for the use of the tent and Palmfeild Motors and all our riders’ support persons for their on going support as well.

Cycling New Zealand announced the National Road Series (NRS) soon after the AGRN, starting early October this year. BM has been working with CNZ and other clubs on this for well over a year and we are thrilled that it has been announced. This series, as I mentioned, starts at the start of the licencing window at the beginning of October and runs through to the AGRN in April. Grades for this year are from U13 to U19 with the intention to add U23 grade in future. A rider selects the events to score points in, all that are accrued with the final round at AGRN to give us an overall winner. Points will be awarded to most combative rider riders as well.

Following on from this was the announcement from CNZ this week that the U19’s will have a separate race at the 2021 Elite Road Championship in February. Another positive move for our U19 for many reasons but overall both these announcements we believe lays a path for all our young athletes to stay in the sport.

Locally

It’s hard getting out in the cold. Our Sunday Memorial rides are remaining to be a strong group of road warriors and there’s been an increasingly upswing in Virtual activities in Zwift etc. With the continuing concerns of Covid worldwide we sometimes forget that there are other countries that are neck deep in the pandemic and we feel for them. Covid lockdown brought an upswing in cycling, virtual and actual. Bike shops cant get enough E bikes to supply the demand. Smart trainers were on back order. What we have seen as a club a lot of Riders have trained on Zwift and come out and raced on the road at our events and the results are impressive. The for mentioned NRS has 2 build up rounds being run on Zwift...

With schools doing there training and racing on Sundays we are fortunate enough to be able to join with them for most of their Sunday events. Details on the website soon. Next week we will also announce the calendar till the end of the year.

It’s going to be very compact calendar. Many of our members focus on Taupo as the highlight of their season so we will ensure a good build up to that. At Taupo this year the club, with the support of Palmfeild Motors and other sponsors, will have a tent erected for before and after race support. It’s going to be great to have a base for us all to gather after the event and exchange highlights of the day.

Plan moving forward

It’s BM’s vision to provide the right amount of relevant racing for all of our riders across all age groups and abilities. To form an ongoing link between school age group racing and club racing. As part of that with the North Island Series (or Trust House as it is also known) now being a graded event it give the club and other teams the ability to draft U19 riders into our senior teams. This year there will be 5 or 6 teams entered in the series which equates to 60+ riders from our club competing. This is an ever evolving scenario with the team entries closing at the end of the month but certainly something we are looking forward to.

Our club is strong and in a good position. We look forward to the Road calendar rolling on, and then Track racing to get underway in October when...coincidently...the CNZ licence window opens

Keep a look out for the calendar, Eyes forward, Ride safe