CYCLING

Five Kiwi cyclists to compete in famed Flanders race

By Cycling New Zealand


(from left) Jack Bauer and Shane Archbold during the Commonwealth Games
road race in Glasgow. Credit: Guy Swarbrick.


A record five Kiwi riders will contest the famed Tour of Flanders one day cycling race on Sunday (European time).

The Tour of Flanders is in its 99th year, forming one of the cobbled classics and the second of the legendary cycling monuments which comprise the five oldest and most celebrated one-day events on the calendar.

Hayden Roulston and Jesse Sergent will ride for the Trek Factory Team, Jack Bauer for Cannondale-Garmin, Sam Bewley for Orica GreenEdge while Commonwealth Games gold medallist Shane Archbold makes his classics debut for the Bora Argon 18 team, given a wildcard entry.

Archbold has made an outstanding start to his road carer with the UCI pro continental team,
finishing third in stage two of the De Penne stage race last week that included many of the world’s best sprinters.

The Tour of Flanders is 265kms starts in Bruge and finishes in Oudenaarde, well known to Archbold as the European base for Cycling New Zealand’s endurance track squad training.

The race, part of the World Tour, is made doubly challenging in that it includes numerous climbs with the final 150kms featuring a climb or section over the challenging cobbles every 10kms, often made more testing with cold, blasting winds and rain.

The Tour of Flanders will be shown live on Sky Sport.

Details: www.cyclingnewzealand.co.nz