Southland cyclist Rhylee Akeroyd has some pretty big goals for 2025, and she doesn’t mind everyone knowing them.
Akeroyd has her sights on riding at the 2025 Under-23 World Road Cycling Championships in Rwanda in September.
The 21-year-old knows that quest has lumped added importance onto February’s New Zealand Road Cycling Championships in Timaru as she tries to make a statement.
‘‘I’ve got some pretty big goals to be fair. I’m really hoping to be selected for the World Champs.
“I kind of want people know this. In cycling when people don’t know what your goals it can be harder to achieve them.”
“Next year is my final year as an Under-23 so if I could go to [the World Championships] it would be amazing,” Akeroyd said.
“The other big goal is to win Under-23 nationals, and I think if I do that it will give me a good shot [at World Championships selection].”
Akeroyd will carry a bit of confidence with her into 2025 after an impressive performance at the recent 160km Lake Taupō Cycle Challenge.
The Southlander won the women’s race in a field that included Olympian Bryony Botha.
“It is definitely the biggest bike race in New Zealand in terms of numbers…. It probably does not have the same prestige as a national title but it’s right up there.”
Akeroyd wasn’t sure what to expect, results wise, when she decided to sign up for the race.
“I hadn’t seen the entry list until the night before. It is the time of the year when anyone could show up because all of the pros, and what not, are home from Europe.
“So, I wasn’t sure who was going to be there, but as soon as I seen the entry list, in the back of my mind I thought [the win] could be a possibility.”
The Taupo race is a little different, in regard to the men and women all setting off together.
For the women, it was a case of who could hang on with the men’s bunch for as long as possible, Akeroyd said.
While the Southland rider admitted to not feeling all that good early in the race, she stuck at it and was delighted to notch up the win in a time of 4hrs 17.04min.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve won a bike race to be honest. When you step out of the juniors and into the elites, and you’re only 18-years-old, for the first few years it is quite hard to get any good results.
“It’s fair to say the feeling hasn’t changed though, it still feels just as good.”
After a couple of years riding in Europe Akeroyd remained in New Zealand this year, keen on a big year of training.
Akeroyd made the move to Cambridge where she has been juggling studying law, training, and working part-time.
In January she will head to Australia to line up in the new ProVelo Super League.
The ProVelo Super League will feature a combination of three-day tours and an Australia’s two classic one-day races.
It will launch in Adelaide from January 18 to 20. Akeroyd will then return from New Zealand for the all-important New Zealand Road Cycling Championships.
Logan Savory