The big climbs caught out the young New Zealand cycling team on stage five of the An Post Ras Tour of Ireland today. Ironically the best of the BikeNZ-Pure Black Racing Under-23 team was the sprint specialist Piet Bulling who managed his way over the climbs to finish in the second bunch.

A group of hardy cyclists set off for Invercargill from Frankton this morning to raise funds for the Lakes District Air Rescue Trust, the local recipient of the nationwide Westpac Chopper Appeal.

Cycling Southland CEO Nick Jeffrey and long-standing members Ray Robinson, Allan Dunn, Erin Criglington and Tim Maynard are part of a crew of hardy Southlanders cycling from Queenstown to Invercargill to raise funds for the Westpac Chopper Appeal.