CYCLING

Nature Valley Cycling Team to take on The Radio Sport REV Classic UCI 1.2

By U Leisure Ltd

New Zealand domestic based Nature Valley Avanti Cycling Team has announced their team for February’s REV Cycle Race, where the team will compete in the newly awarded UCI 1.2 sanctioned event, the Radio Sport REV Classic.

The Nature Valley Cycling Team will be led by Sam Lindsay who claimed second at the race a year ago after attacking up the final major climb with Paddy Bevin. The duo rode two up for the final 20km to the finish line with Lindsay taking an inevitable second in the sprint behind Bevin.




Lindsay is extremely motivated for the race, coming back from a broken collarbone suffered at SRAM Tour de Ranges.

Lindsay says, “I had been in really good form with a strong showing at Elite Nationals and had been targeting the UCI New Zealand Cycle Classic and The REV Classic. The injury, while frustrating has been a great chance to refocus on my goals and The REV was the obvious
choice to really target. It offers a bit for everyone and has some decent climbs”.

Team Principle, Scott Fairbairn says “It’s great to see another New Zealand race step up to the UCI status. It shows evolution of teams racing in New Zealand and will only attract other top teams to the country. We feel we have a strong chance in the race with Sam being one of the country’s top climbers”.

Lindsay will have the full support of the riders around him to compete for the win. The Nature Valley Avanti Team will bring a strong line up to the race with team riders Brad Tilby; Callum Gordon and Alex Heaney also included in the line-up.

Gordon is also returning from a leg injury but will be a key component on the climbs, while Heaney was part of a highly successful New Zealand Cycle Classic Team. Joining the team for the REV is Cameron Wynniatt, a relative new comer to the sport but already showing strong potential. Managing the team at the race will be Tim Stephens. Tim led the Team campaign at the recent New Zealand Cycle Classic.

The Team, sponsored by Nature Valley Muesli Bars and Avanti Bikes should be one of the strongest domestic lineups in the peloton.

The team has built a solid list of achievements across the summer with wins at Round Taupo and the North Island Cycling Series. At the recent UCI New Zealand Cycle Classic, the team took two podium positions on stages four and five and placed one rider in the overall top 10.

Fairbairn says, “while we are not a professional level we are still punching well above our weight, the continential level Avanti Racing Team will be the team to watch as they won Tour de Vineyards, Elite Nationals and the New Zealand Cycle Classic. While Sam is our lead rider we will still look to play our cards based on the events on the day. Hopefully we can repeat the performance of last year with one of our riders going on to compete for the win”.

Notes to Editor:

The REV Cycle Race is New Zealand’s premier one day road race and celebrates its 10th edition in 2015 alongside its newly awarded UCI 1.2 ranking for its elite event, the REV Classic – a first in Australasia.

Typically regarded as one of the biggest mass start races, it has built a strong elite race over recent years.

Past winners of the REV Classic include Patrick Bevin; Jeremy Vennell and Gordon McCauley. The race is based just out of Cambridge (Lord of the Rings country) and takes in the surrounding region. The race is structured like races in Europe where each team can have up to five riders and is supported by a team manager and team car following the race.

The REV Classic is a single stage race for elite riders, starting on 28 February and is a category within the Rev Cycle Race event. The elite race is 137km, while other races on the day vary in distance from 100km right down to 2km for the Rev Mini.

For further details please contact:
Team Principles – Scott Fairbairn 022 023 0522 & Brad Tilby 021 5 12345
• therollingrevolutionteam@gmail.com

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