CYCLING

Large Field In Wairarapa For North Island Team Cycling Series

By NZ Cycle Classic

The opening round of the five race Trust House North Island Team Cycling Series begins in the Wairarapa this weekend.
 
Saturday’s opening race has attracted 200 of New Zealand’s top riders who will represent 24 teams including top pro rider Michael Torckler, a current member of the Australian cycling team Budget Forklifts, and five times New Zealand champion and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Gordon McCauley.
Elite riders will complete five laps of a 30km circuit around the wine growing region of Gladstone, which lies between the Wairarapa townships of Masterton, Carterton and Martinborough while the master’s grade will complete three laps of the same circuit.

Race organiser Jorge Sandoval is looking forward to the opening round of the series, all of which will be staged in the Wairarapa between now and December. He says riders of all abilities will get a taste of high level competitive ‘teams’ racing.

“Thanks to the generous support from Trust House, the North Island Teams Series will once again take place in the Wairarapa,” says Mr Sandoval. “I am looking forward to bringing our top riders to this terrific road cycling destination and seeing how they compete against each other over the five races.”
Mr Sandoval predicts the race for the men’s elite and under-23 titles is wide open with anyone from the 10 teams entered, to emerge as the winner. Riders to watch are Torckler, who recently participated in the Tour of Utah and the USA Pro Challenge stage races.  Torckler, a past winner of the Trust House New Zealand Cycle Classic is on top form and will have arrived in New Zealand on time for race one.
 

Photo courtesy of NZ Cycle Classic

Mr Sandoval is also picking the experienced McCauley to emerge as a strong contender. McCauley will be racing for GMC Team and compete in the elite race alongside 2013 World track champion Aaron Gate, who will ride for the Ricoh cycling team.  Others riders to watch are Wellington cyclist Andy Hagan, Callum Gordon, Josh Page and Ryan Cornwell from the Trust House cycling team.

The series will also provide masters with the opportunity to compete against other teams in a friendly/social grades but also competitive. In the master’s grade, ex Olympian Gary Anderson riding for the Velo Ronny's Trek cycling team is one of the greatest in the field.  Anderson attended four Olympics, won the bronze medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona and won eight medals at the Commonwealth Games, including three gold medals at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland.
Allan Pollard, Chief Executive of Trust House is thrilled to get behind the 2015 Series.
 
“Trust House is excited to be a major supporter of this event which brings some highly competitive cycling to the Wairarapa.  It also offers an opportunity to show off our region and some of arguably the finest cycling road courses in New Zealand,” he says.

Part of the cycle routes used in The Trust House North Island Team Cycling Series will also be used in the UCI sanctioned 2016 New Zealand Men’s Cycle Classic being held from January 20th – 24th. This event, made possible thanks to the sponsorship of Trust House and New Zealand Community Trust, will feature five stages totalling 663km. The stages will take rides through the Wairarapa townships of Masterton, Gladstone, Martinborough and Alfredton as well as out into the pretty countryside providing plenty of viewing opportunities for the public and sponsors.

The Trust House North Island Team Cycling Series.
Race One:      Saturday 19 September
Race Two:      Saturday 17 October 2015
Race Three:   Saturday 31 October 2015
Race Four:     Saturday 14 November 2015
Race Five:      Saturday 5 December 2015