CYCLING

Wairarapa claims International Men's Cycling Event

By New Zealand Cycle Classic



New Zealand’s premier international men’s road cycle tour will be staged in the Wairarapa next year after a four year absence.

The New Zealand Cycle Classic will be held entirely in the Wairarapa from January 20th – 24th 2015 and is a UCI sanctioned international stage race.  The race has been staged in the Manawatu for the previous four years.  Today’s announcement follows the success of the Trust House Women’s Tour of New Zealand held in the Wairarapa earlier this year. The five-stage race attracted many of the world’s top female riders including eventual tour winner Taylor Wiles, representing the USA women’s national team.

Race director, Jorge Sandoval is looking forward to staging the NZ Cycle Classic in Wairarapa once again and seeing the return of the some of the world’s top male riders.

“Staging the Trust House women’s tour here earlier this year confirmed to me how perfect the Wairarapa is to stage international cycling events. I had amazing support from the community, many local businesses and the New Zealand Police while the feedback from riders about the quality of the race circuits here was positive,” says Mr Sandoval. “The circuits offer riders a variety of terrain that includes long straight flat, rolling hills and steep climbs. I’m really excited by the change of environment.”

Destination Wairarapa general manager David Hancock congratulated Mr Sandoval following today’s announcement and says the five-day men’s tour will have huge benefits for the region.

“The Wairarapa is gaining an international reputation as a cycling destination and the types of events that Jorge is helping to bring here will only reinforce that. During and after February’s Trust House Women’s Tour of New Zealand the region received national and international media coverage. The feedback from riders about our hospitality, our scenery and the quality of riding was also terrific. We look forward to working with Jorge again to keep up the momentum following February’s tour.”

Next year will be the 29th edition of the New Zealand Cycle Classic and Mr Sandoval is looking forward to a great celebration. The complete race route for the five-day tour will be announced later in the year but Mr Sandoval has confirmed it will include the challenging hill climb stage up Admiral hill in Gladstone.