Cycling Southland News Archive

Three sessions in to the 2013 Age Group Track Cycling Championships and Southland’s Erin Criglington has broken three national records.

Southland's Erin Criglington again provided the individual highlight in today's qualifying session at the 2013 Age Group Track Cycling Championships in Invercargill.

Nine national titles were handed out on the opening night of the 2013 Age Group Track Cycling Championships in Invercargill this evening.

It was a fast day with some strong challenges across all grades when a good field rolled out for the Woodlands 64km Graded Circuit on Saturday.

In past years, New Zealand's fledging team sprint combination used to turn up to competitions to gain international experience. Now they turn up to win writes CEO Nick Jeffrey.

New Zealand cycling’s young guns have proven they now belong at the sharp end of the sport following their three-medal haul from just five riders at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships that finished in Minsk, Belarus today.

Twenty-two year old omnium rookie Aaron Gate had an agonising wait before being crowned track cycling world champion in Minsk, Belarus today.

New Zealand’s young sprint cyclists had to settle for an agonising silver medal in the men’s team sprint final at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Minsk, Belarus today.

Cycling Southland will face its sternest test in recent years to retain the National Points Shield when the National Age Group Championships start on Tuesday. The symbol of track cycling supremacy has spent the off-season at Stadium Southland Velodrome for the past five years but Southland will need to turn-around a five point deficit following the Elite and Under 19 Championships held in Invercargill three weeks ago.

Olympic medallist Simon Van Velthooven dug deep to win a silver medal on the opening night of finals at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Belarus.

Southland's Eddie Dawkins and Olympic medallist Simon Van Velthooven will fly the kiwi flag in tomorrow’s opening event of the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Belarus.

A mixed bag of a roll around, racing and team pursuit practice was theme for Tuesday Night Junior Racing as everyone put the finishing touches on their Nationals build-up, while a strong A Grade field was the feature of Senior Racing, with a great battle between young and old(er).

It's been a hectic start to 2013. So when a rare weekend off presented itself, I travelled to the old home patch of Gore to give Sport Southland a hand at their outstanding MTL Moonshine Trail on Saturday (yes, I too was questioning my sanity when the alarm went off at 6am!) writes CEO Nick Jeffrey.

Nine intrepid women with 22 children between them – that is the team of Southland Masters women competing at the National Age Group track cycling championships from February 26 2013 in Invercargill.

A youthful Southland contingent took on the NZ Cup on Wheels during the weekend claiming some good results during Otago's big Carnival weekend of racing.

Sunday dawned lovely and calm (as opposed to the gale force winds Saturday has offered!), so a perfect day for a blast around at the 1st of the Southport Criterium Series races on the new Bill Richardson Drive / Woolstore Circuit.

Race two of the season was one that really tested the riders' mental strength. Weather wise a nice wee cross/head wind to contend with for a good part of the race added to hurt that was about to be inflicted on them.

Josh Haggerty was the man to beat on Tuesday night, with a fast finishing Josh van den Arend close on his heels. Meanwhile, a new two hour race slot for Juniors on Fridays, meant the night comprised of a roll around as well as a bit of speed work with a Motorpaced Points Race for each junior grade. 

Last week's Elite and U19 Track nationals held at Invercargill's Stadium Southland Velodrome was another outstanding success. Great racing, great crowds and the great atmosphere which has become a hallmark of the velodrome over recent years, all added up to four great days of racing.

The Tour of New Zealand is on again for 2013.