CYCLING

Calder Stewart Cycling Series Round 2 Kiwi Style Bike Tours Timaru Classic

By Kiwi Style Bike Tours

This Saturday sees Round Two of the Calder Stewart Cycling Series being raced around a tough Timaru circuit based at Pleasant Point.  The inclusion of several international riders on the start line is set to cause a shake up in the series points tables. The rolling and exposed nature of the South Canterbury circuit should produce tactical and aggressive teams racing across the Elite, Masters and Women’s races. 

The 148km Kiwi Style Bike Tours elite men’s race features six punchy climbs that will provide a platform for an aggressive race.  

In a replay of last year’s early series results, Tom Hubbard, racing for TotalPOS Solutions Cycling Team, will be racing to defend his series lead after winning Round One in Kaikoura.  In 2015, Sam Horgan (Mike Greer Homes Racing) got the better of Hubbard on the same Timaru circuit, setting him up for the series win at the conclusion of the six race series.

Both Hubbard and Horgan come into the Timaru race with very strong teams and many tactical team cards to play.  "I’m very motivated for this weekend’s race, and looking to make up for the disappointment of the first round which I think we deserved to win” says Horgan. "Mike Greer Homes has a formidable team lining up in both strength and experience. We have plenty of options to play on race day and I think we will be hard to beat."

The Mike Greer Homes Racing team will be bolstered with the inclusion of Hayden Roulston, lining up for his first road race in the South Island since finishing his professional World Tour career at the end of 2015.  Having concentrated his focus on a spot in the New Zealand Olympic Track Endurance Team for Rio, Roulston’s road form will be an unknown coming into this race.  Roulston is looking forward to having “a good hit out. It's my first race in a long time but I'm motivated for a good ride. It'll be good to try and set someone up from Mike Greer Homes to take more points”. he said. "I know it's a hard area down there and I'm sure it'll be a hard race too”.  Roulston is never one to sit back and let a race be dictated to him, so he will be sure to put plenty of pressure on the men’s field.  Also lining up for Mike Greer Homes Racing Team is Oamaru based rider Tim Rush, who showed great form to finish second to Hubbard in Round One.


Sam Horgan won the 2015 Timaru edition of the Calder Stewart Cycling Series in Pleasant Point. Photo © Mike Chappell of Ariel Sports Photography

TotalPOS  SolutionsCycling Team also have firepower on their side with Scott Thomas, who races with Hubbard on the Australian based Data#3 Cisco Racing Team, as well as Matt Zenovich who rides internationally for the Avanti IsoWhey team.  "We are looking forward to the challenge of leading the series. It's a very strong field and a great opportunity to race against someone like Hayden Roulston who has been one of New Zealand's best over the past decade” Hubbard said.  TotalPOS Solutions will also be looking to defend the Under 19 leader jersey worn by exciting young Christchurch rider Campbell Pithie.  "I’m really looking forward to round two and being in the U19 leaders jersey. TotalPOS Solutions have a really strong team with strong intentions to be right up there again” Pithie said.  The16 year old showed he is a rider to watch, after a top ten overall finish on a very tough Hanmer to Kaikoura Round One race.  Local Timaru rider Reon Park will also be looking to capitalize on good form and local knowledge for the TotalPOS Solutions team.

The Modus Construct Team will be protecting their lead in the Under 23 category, with Jake Marryatt taking responsibility for the leader jersey in the absence of his team mate Adam Bull.  Max Jones will also want to give Modus Construct an early series race win, having stepped up to the winning platform in Round Four of the Calder Stewart Cycling Series in 2015. 

Among other strong riders looking to take advantage of a tough course and team tactics will be Liam Aitcheson (Central Benchmakers – Willbike) who featured strongly in the 2015 Tour of Southland, James Williamson and Anthony Chapman (L&M Group – Ricoh), Brett Grieve (PKF Cycling) and Brodie Catterick (JoyRide Apparel).

The masters race, over 109km will see teams trying to break the winning streak of Dave Rowlands (Christchurch Mitsubishi), who has dominated each of the races he has started in recent years.  Champion System riders Yancey Arrington, Brendan McGrath and Scott McDonnell as well as Thule Cycling’s Matt Talbot were shown a clean pair of heels by Rowland in Round One for the 35-44yrs category.  The Timaru course should provide the opportunities for teams to put pressure on the Christchurch Mitsubishi team.  

Lee Johnstone (Champion System) takes the 45-49yrs leaders jersey into Round Two on a course that should suit his riding strengths, ahead of Glenn Bussell (Freshchoice Richmond/Pomeroys).  Strong riders like Stu Lowe (Thule Cycling) and Tony Gibson (Warmup Cycling Team) will want a tough race to make their move up the leader point table.

The 50+yrs race will be a hard fought battle on the challenging circuit.  Renowned climber Blair Stutheridge (Protocol Mackleys) holds the lead going into Round Two, but will be closely marked by Paul Gough and Wayne Girdlestone (Cycle World Dunedin) and Phil Scott (Kiwi Style Bike Tours).  Another rider to watch on this course will be Darrell Kircher (Christchurch Mitsubishi) who knows the course well and needs to make up points after Round One.

In Round One of the Calder Stewart Cycling Series, Nelson rider Jeannie Kuhajek (Freshchoice Richmond/Pomeroys) stole a surprise win over the women’s field. She will be going into the Kiwi Style Bike Tours Timaru round with the confidence to hold onto her series lead but will be pushed hard by some talented young riders.

Last year’s series winner, Sharlotte Lucas (Benchmark Homes) will be trying to claw back some points after a sixth place finish in Round One, while last year’s series runner-up, Amanda Jamieson (Black Magic Women) currently sits in second place.  Both have the backing of strong teams to try and take over the series lead from Kuhajek. 

Also trying to stamp their mark on the series will be Georgia Catterick and Hannah Gumbley, who will be lining up for Cycle World Fairweathers after racing together with their Australian based Roxsolt Team over the summer months.

Timetable
08:30    Registration. Team Managers collect team packs
09:00    Team Managers / Convoy Drivers meeting with Chief Commissaire/Race Director
09:55    Race Briefing on Start/Finish Line
10:00    Race Start Elite Men
10:10    Race Start Masters
10:15    Race Start Women
 
Estimated Finish Times
12:55    Elite Men
13:30    Masters
13:40    Women