Cycling Southland News Archive

While many southerners will be spending Easter weekend resting and relaxing, the 88-strong field in the 2013 Vital Signs Tour de Lakes will cover up to 360 kilometres around the scenic southern lakes district over four days of racing in Cycling Southland’s annual Easter cycling tour.

With entries for the Club Road Nationals in Queenstown closing on April 6th, members are invited to apply for funding to assist with entry fee costs. Funding levels will be determined, subject to entry numbers

Happy Easter everyone – we’re nearly there for a well-deserved long weekend - but that also means it's Vital Signs Tour de Lakes time!

Interprovincial rivalry was to the fore on Saturday with the running of race three of the Southern Series at the Greenfield Tavern in Clydevale - but it was the Southlanders who proved too strong!

This weekend emphasised we are in sporting silly season where winter and summer codes cross-over.

There were some split-second results separating placegetters when a field of around 60 young riders descended on the Teretonga raceway circuit for the Southland Secondary School Road Champs yesterday.

At the end, after being helped off his bike, Eugene Collins sat down on a hard plastic seat next to his family with a big sigh of relief.

Saturday morning saw the riders leave Riverton cemetary in calm mild conditions on a testing course through Otautau, Scotts Gap and Pukemaori to Tuatapere.

Chilly conditions may have deterred some riders – or it may have been the two stage race from the day before taking its toll.

The key to writing a good column is to make sure I capture you, the reader’s, attention in the first paragraph. I’m taking my life in my hands by this week focusing on the key task facing Cycling Southland over coming weeks – strategic planning.

It’s a classic race which is steeped in tradition, with some very prestigious winners from the past. What wasn’t traditional about this year’s race is the weather, no screaming Westerly head wind to contend with!

It was a rather small field of teams who fronted up for the Team Time Trial held at Winton on Sunday, warm calm conditions made for some great times. 

A big contingent of notable Invercargill names will line up this year to make the 180km trek from Queenstown to Invercargill for the annual Westpac Chopper Appeal.

A southern trio of seasoned Junior Worlds riders Liam Aitcheson - also the poster boy for 2013 - and Jeremy Presbury will be joined by team mate Josh Haggerty in a nine-strong, all-male team to head to Glasgow in August.

The Te Awamutu Junior Tour is being held again this Easter with Junior Age group and women racing.

The curtain came down on the track cycling season on Saturday night as Cycling Southland's hosting of the 2013 Age Group Track Nationals proved another outstanding success.

Canterbury's Olivia Podmore lived up to her pre-race favourite's tag to take out the under 17 Girls sprint in style tonight on the third night of the 2013 Age Group Championships in Invercargill.

The team at Cycle Surgery will be holding a Demo Day for KONA, MERIDA, MARIN and LA PIERRE this Sunday 3 March.

Every year sees Mike and Tania White get involved with a major charity ride fundraiser for a worthy cause and their event on March 20 is no exception.

West Coast North Island youngster Campbell Stewart confirmed his status as one of the sport's brightest talents, winning double gold on the third night of racing at the 2013 Age Group Track Cycling Championships at Stadium Southland Velodrome in Invercargill tonight.