By Nathan Burdon, The Southland Times
PHOTO: YMCA Education rider Emma Gibb and Police rider Garth Cooper prime themselves ahead of Sunday's Corporate Pursuits finals at the ILT Velodrome in Invercargill yesterday.
When the dust had cleared after the Corporate Pursuit time trials last Friday night only 0.1sec separated the YMCA Education team and the Police.
Both teams had broken the competition record, with defending champions YMCA grabbing the favourites' tag courtesy of their 1min 14.4sec effort.
With the Police clocking a 1:14.5, Sunday's finals day is expected to be intense. Both teams, however, know that form in the time trial does not necessarily translate to speed on finals day.
Riding in the event has got faster each year, with competition sponsor the Harrex Group having to produce a 1:22.9 to sneak into the bottom of the first division.
A record 34 teams will contest the two divisions this year, with the second Fire team the leading outfit in second division. Just 0.4sec separated the top four second division teams in the time trial.
Racing on Sunday will start from 9.30am with the ILT Heineken team pitted against the Waihopai Health Centre, with finals after 4pm.
Harrex Group is encouraging friends, colleagues and families to get down to the ILT Velodrome to support the teams, with a $200 ILT meal voucher going to the best supporter, while spectators can also win a $1200 bike, courtesy of Wensley's Cycles. Entry coupons will be in The Southland Times. Entrants must collect all three coupons to go in the draw and be at the velodrome to collect the prize.