CYCLING

Bewley leads World Tour Kiwi stars for national championships

By Sports Media NZ

Double Olympian Sam Bewley would like nothing more than to wear the silver fern in some of cycling’s biggest road races in Europe next year.

The 28 year old is one of five New Zealand riders who compete professionally for teams on the UCI World Tour, to sign up for next month’s Big Save Elite Road National Championships in Napier.

Bewley has recently re-signed for a further two years with Orica GreenEdge, and has a local connection to Napier, the new home for the national championships for the next three years.

His mother, the principal of a local Hawkes Bay primary school, lives on the race circuit which comprises an initial long rural loop near Taradale and then laps of an exciting 13km inner city circuit taking in the famous Hospital Hill, finishing on Marine Parade.

“It would be a nice race to win going past my mum’s house every lap,” said Bewley. “There’s a lot of excitement from the cycling community about the new venue, there’s a strong field and with good support from the cycling community it will be a fantastic race.”

Bewley will be joined by fellow World Tour riders Jesse Sergent (AG2R Mondiale), Greg Henderson (Lotto Soudal), George Bennett (LottoNL-Jumbo) and Patrick Bevin who will join Cannondale Pro Cycling next year, along with fellow Kiwi Jack Bauer.

He believes that the Napier race could be both tougher and moiré wide open than the previous circuit in Christchurch which was dominated by the long climb each lap.


Sam Bewley in action. Photo © Graham Watson

“Napier is a new course and unpredictable in that sense but also quite unrelenting with the big first loop and then the two hard climbs on the final circuit and it will be hot in Napier in January.

“Overall it will be hard race, may be harder than Christchurch and a lot harder to predict.

“It is a good course for a number of guys. The climbers have a chance for sure. Greg Henderson is one o f the fastest guys going around and he won’t struggle too much on these climbs.

“Hopefully it is a hard race – the harder the better for me. I should be fine on the climbs and not bad on the sprints but if it is a hard race then those pure sprinters will feel the fatigue more.”

Bewley, who won two Olympic, two world and two junior world medals on the track, is looking for his first podium at the national road championships after fourth place last year.

He must temper that with a long season based in Europe that will not finish until the world championships in October.

“I’ve been back training for three weeks. I will follow the same plan as last year and hopefully I can turn up in good condition.

“Winning the national title would be special. To wear the silver fern in Europe next year would be something that is very cool so it is worth having a crack at.”

The final fields will be released next week with entries still open for a number of recreational events that form part of the Hawkes Bay Summer Cycling Carnival.

The Big Save Elite Road National Championships begin with the time trials at Church Road on 8 January, with the elite women’s road race over 117kms including 4.5 laps of the inner city course on Saturday 9 January, and the elite and under-23 men’s race on Sunday over 180kms with 7.5 laps in the Napier CBD.

To find out more go to www.summercyclingcarnival.co.nz
TRIATHLON
Top International Professionals enter Challenge Wanaka
Challenge Wanaka continues to attract triathlon's big names to the shores of Lake Wanaka in 2019, with some of the world's best confirming their participation. American triathlon powerhouse, Andrew Starykowicz will be certainly pushing the envelope in Wanaka.
Saturday, 5 January 2019
MULTISPORT
Breca Swimrun Launches National Championships
Tuesday, 4 December 2018
CYCLING
Captivating Finishes at BDO Lake Taupō Cycle Challenge
Epic results unfolded today at the 42nd annual BDO Lake Taupō Cycle Challenge.
Monday, 26 November 2018
MULTISPORT
Wanaka athlete crowned 25thPeak to Peak supreme winner
Stunning bluebird weather greeted competitors at the 25thannual Torpedo7 Peak to Peak multisport race Saturday.
Monday, 13 August 2018
TRIATHLON
Taupo named as finalist in race to host 2020 Ironman 70.3 World Championship
IRONMAN, a Wanda Sports Holdings company, announced today that Perth, Western Australia and Taupō, New Zealand have been named finalists to host the IRONMAN®70.3® World Championship triathlon which will rotate to the Oceania region in 2020.
Wednesday, 13 June 2018

News Index »