- Details
- Written by Tim Lloyd
Preparation for Club Racing.
As we all wait for Covid announcements from the Government Bike Manawatu is pleased to inform you that our personnel have been working on a Race calendar.
Covid has been tough on everyone, and we have all had to change what, when and how we carry on with life.
Thanks to Michelle Turner for kick starting the Zwift races which has been extremely popular.
For many of our members, cycling is their main social contact. So to have to rethink that side of their lives has been hard for some.
During Level three Bike Manawatu has submitted Traffic Management Plans (TMP’s) for events starting Sunday May 17th and running every Sunday for 4 weeks.
We have received protocol from Cycling New Zealand which lines up with Ministry of Health guidelines for requirements for our events.
Please note that everything is very fluid at this time. Once we hear announcements from the Government this coming Thursday, and again the much anticipated Monday 11th press conference, we will have a better understanding about what we can and can’t do.
We also wait for an announcement from CNZ about the Age Group Nationals (AGN) due to be held July 17th-19th.
What we do know is that there is no School cycling until the Ministry of Education has given clearance and that is expected in July.
So in our on going “Scaling up of club racing” to suit all abilities and ages we will start on Sunday 17th of May with a Time trial at Kairanga.(TMP pending)
This will allow room for the inevitable slow release back to Level 1 race activities in regards group numbers etc.
The following weekend, depending on Covid restrictions, there will either be a Hill Climb at Forest Hill or a Road Race at Akers Road.
We have TMP approval for both venues on this day.
Sunday 31st we propose to run a Time Trial at Rongotea. This is planned to be an individual and a 2up competition so “grab your partners”.
June is planned to start with either a Road Race at Taonui or a TT at Kairanga on the 7th
From there we will look at holding another Road Race at Taonui, then as a build up to the AGN we intend to run the WCNI road Race championships and a TT championship.
Once again Covid restrictions on groups and Travel will dictate these events.
Today, Jorge Sandoval has announced the calendar for the Trust House series starting September 27th.
The races this year are graded, not age group. This is a massive step forward as far as we are concerned. It allows our members to race in an Ability Bracket rather than age group.
This means the racing is open to Junior, elite, senior, masters and veteran…both male and female.
More info to come but in the meantime go to www.cyclingseriesnz.co.nz.
Our thanks to Pat Howard at PNCC and Martin Skinner at MDC for there ongoing work approving our TMP’s so we can hold these events.
In the meantime, While we await the announcements and while the TMP’s are being processed, keep fit, get your winter race gear sorted (including your tail lights) for what is going to be a compressed season of racing.
Stand by, get ready
Tim
- Details
- Written by Tim Lloyd
Covid Lockdown and us...Over Halfway there..arrgh.
2020 started off as a stellar year with our events at Bike Manawatu. February was huge and March started with a hiss and a roar.
History will show March 2020 as the beginning of the new normal.
Covid 19 was on the radar with it's spread throughout the Northern Hemisphere, and then.....the history is still being written.
Now that we have all had a chance to adjust to reality, we look forward to the return of closer to normal life.
I'm sure that we have all been confronted with changes and challenges and we will continue to be in the future.
With the landscape changing around us, we at Bike Manawatu are able to adapt quickly and are ready to start running events as soon as possible once the Ministry of Health, Government and Cycling New Zealand criteria are released. We have Traffic Management plans ready to submit to Councils, our Site Traffic Management and timing is in-house so it won't take us long to reboot our racing calendar.
With that said it's obvious to all of us that we will need to be prepared for racing in Winter
All our events 2 weeks before the lockdown, and over this lockdown period were Postponed. We have not cancelled any events. We look forward to Age Group Road Nationals in Waipukurau on July 16-20th. Bike Manawatu will have Road racing and ITT events leading up to this date. West Coast North Island championship events set down for March & April will be organised as soon as guidelines are released. Some of these guidelines will obviously include social distancing requirements and the number of people we can have at an event. With the uncertainty of when the restrictions will be lifted, we have also postponed the Manfeild 6 Hour set for Mid May. The 6 hour is one of our biggest events and also the most costly to run. We envisage this event and the Feilding Festival to not only have a change of date but in regards to the FFoC to have a totally different format.
As always we look forward to working with Manawatu Schools Cycling again this year. With an inevitably cramped calendar, we will work with MSC to give the very best build-up and racing for all members across all abilities and ages.
Spring racing is going to be..excuse the pun...a cluster. Schools Nationals, Dynamo series, Trust house series, Karapiro Flyer, Taupo Challenge all will have new dates this year. Rest assured that Bike Manawatu is committed to Club racing and will be running a full calendar, but it is going to be cramped and we are aware of the pressures this brings.
In the meantime. Our thoughts are with our young riders with careers to chase overseas who have had their contracts on hold. I'm aware of families that have not been able to be together over this period for special occasions and in one case the passing of a Senior Giant of their family. Our combined thoughts and condolences are with you all. I'm sure that there are members whose main source of socialising is cycling.....those days will be back again soon.
To all our valuable sponsors, a massive thank you for your ongoing support. To our members, please support our sponsors, support your family and friends as we look forward to carrying on our upward swing of support and participation in local cycling
Tim
- Details
- Written by Michelle Turner
Bike Manawatu’s Sunday Zwift Race – 29 March 2020
Well, it turns out 2 hours on a trainer is a really long time.
Today was our inaugural Bike Manawatu virtual Sunday ride and we had 29 of us along, which I think is a great number.
I’m keen to set up rides on a Tuesday and Thursday evening and each Sunday morning through the lockdown to help keep us all connected - can you place feedback below of what sort of time you are interested in riding for - 1 hour, 1.25, 1.5, 1.45 or 2 hours, and if you have a favourite course or route, let me know as I’d like to change the route each time.
And if anyone wants to join us, search for Michelle Turner in Zwift, and follow me, as I can only invite followers along.
- Details
- Written by Maureen O'Reilly
Summary of concussion in New Zealand cyclists study by Maureen O'Reilly
Please find attached a summary of my research project, knowledge and behaviour of New Zealand cyclists regarding concussion.
Thank you for your support of this project.
Stay well and safe.
Maureen O'Reilly
- Details
- Written by Michelle Turner
Bike Manawatu – Zwift
Bike Manawatu is working on getting some of our group rides on Zwift during the lockdown - I have been in touch with them and before they will let you run our own events, they like you to have run a few meet ups with good numbers, to prove there is a demand.
With this in mind, I am arranging a meetup for this Sunday at 8am, I will find what I think is a good course and we will be riding for 2 hours.
If you or anyone you know would like to be involved, please email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with your Zwift username so that I can add you to the meet up.
This will be a group ride, where we all stay together and have some fun. Let’s enjoy a virtual Sunday ride and keep our community going through this.
Thanks,
Michelle
