PowerNet Tour Education Complete

When I started in the new role of Cycling Southland’s Chief Executive back in March one event loomed large; the PowerNet Tour of Southland. New to the sport of cycling, my previous experience with this iconic Southland event was limited.


In my previous life in the media world I had chatted with organisers, rider and past winners which gave me a brief insight into the workings of the Tour. Back then I was struck by the colour and speed of the peloton and by how effortless they made their six days in the saddle look.

I had cause to be in Auckland last week spending some time with members of other sporting codes from throughout the country and the moment you mention what you do and where you are from, two things come up – the ILT Velodrome and the PowerNet Tour of Southland. I can see why.

This year my Tour education has stepped up a notch and it has done nothing but emphasise what a great event we have and what wonderful work the organising committee delivers year after year.

Bruce Ross and his team of hardworking volunteers work tirelessly to ensure every detail is covered. In recent years the regulations and compliance required to run public events has increased markedly. Safety is rightfully the highest priority, but it sure does make delivering an event on public roads across 900 kilometres of southern highway a logistical nightmare and the cost in terms of dollars, time and manpower sure isn’t getting any cheaper.

Another great field has been assembled. Last week I covered off just a few of the names we may well see up in lights by next Saturday. But the PowerNet Tour always throws up some surprises.

I was shocked also to note the long range forecast for the start of next week. Fine, calm, 20 degrees. There’s obviously been some mistake! Mind you if we can get a fine calm Labour Weekend, then anything’s possible.

Another delightful aspect of this year’s Tour preparation has been the support from Southland businesses. We all recognise that for the south’s small/medium enterprises the last year has been challenging, however the financial support in terms of sponsorship has been on par with previous years, with very few turning down the opportunity to again be involved. A special thank you to each of our sponsors, large and small for your generosity.

So all is in readiness. We start with the PowerNet Tour’s Stage Zero – Riding With The Stars from the Feldwick Gates in Queens Park on Sunday at 1.30. Bring your bike and helmet and come ride with some of the best in the business. Then comes six days of torment before we crown the 2010 champion in Gala Street mid-afternoon next Saturday.

You can watch, read and listen to all of the action thanks to our wonderful media partners, including The Southland Times, but nothing beats getting out there and seeing it for yourself. So, we’ll see you out there.

Two Weeks to Tour ... And Counting

Now I’m getting excited.


The start of the 2010 PowerNet Tour of Southland is a fortnight away. Nineteen six-man teams have been confirmed to start this year’s tour. Most attention has centred on two all-star teams – Calder Stewart/BikeNZ and Share The Road, but as you cast your eye over the field you quickly realise this will be more than a two-horse race.

We are delighted to bring two of our international superstars Greg Henderson and Hayden Roulston to the Southland sporting public. It is thanks only to the outstanding support we have received from Calder Stewart and the tremendous work on the international front by BikeNZ which has combined to make it possible.

After losing UCI classification a few short months ago the door to Pro-Tour riders competing in the PowerNet Tour opened slightly. Calder Stewart set its sights on this opportunity immediately (ie: that very day) and BikeNZ has negotiated the sometimes murky waters of the UCI rulebook to ensure we deliver the result which serves all masters. We can showcase our premier bike riders in a way which ensures the riders’ and our event’s future international aspirations are not damaged in the process. A brilliant result.

Many of us sat glued to our TV sets last Sunday night watching the brilliant performance by the NZ mens’ team in the Commonwealth Games Road Race. This phenomenal team effort which ultimately led to a silver medal for Roulston has been hailed as one of the great team performances. Through the first week in November we will feature the bulk of that team battling each other around Southland’s highways and that is truly mouth-watering prospect. Gordon McCauley and last year’s runner-up Jack Bauer line up in Share The Road colours and Clinton Avery in Ascot Park Hotel.

But wait, there’s more. Jeremy Vennell has been in blistering form for his Bissell Pro Cycling team and boosts the Calder Stewart/Bike NZ stocks further. Subway-Avanti again line up with no weak links in their team, featuring leader Joe Cooper, new Trek/Livestrong signing Michael Vink and Alexandra’s James Williamson. Benchmark Homes has dominated the Benchmark Series with teammates James McCoy and another Trek/Livestrong acquisition Josh Atkins battling all season for top honours. Pure Black Racing will take its first steps down the path of what it hopes will be NZ’s first Pro-Tour racing team in a few years time. PowerNet features the returning Tom Scully alongside fellow NZ reps Myron Simpson and Shane Archbold while George Bennett who has been in hot form will be one to watch in Team SVS colours. And the local flag will be flown as high as ever with Cam Karwowski in the form of his young career along his Southland Times/H&Js Outdoor World team mate Matt Marshall returning from a winter racing campaign across the Tasman.
This is a whistle-stop trip over our field of 2010 and I apologise as I don’t have the space to mention every story-line. But can you see why I’m getting excited?

Juniors Impress on ILT Velodrome

After last weekend’s wonderful Yunca Junior Tour of Southland, Cycling Southland’s focus switched indoors to Stadium Southland’s ILT Velodrome last Tuesday and Wednesday nights for the staging of our Trans Tasman Junior Track Cycling Challenge.


A large contingent of junior bike riders from New South Wales, Western Australia, Brisbane and Wagga Wagga lined up under the green and gold banner to take on this country’s best and brightest over two great nights of racing.

Watching big fields circulating the ILT Velodrome at pace is truly spectacular and the crowds were treated to some of the closest racing across the full programme in recent times. In the end, New Zealand etched its name on the silverware but you can’t help but be impressed with the visiting Australians. We got a glimpse at the long term development planning the country employs, the fruits of which have been very apparent in Dehli over the past week. I have little doubt that we will hear more from some of the visiting names, brought to our shores last week.

There were also some eye-catching displays from our Kiwi boys and girls also. Cycling Southland’s own Matt Archibald is a name to watch. Sure I’m a little biased because I employ the bloke, but he was untouchable whenever he got a sniff of the finish line last week and as he continues to refine his craft he is likely to feature prominently at the highest levels. It’s not inconceivable that Sam Webster might be sandwiched between two Southlanders in the NZ Team Sprint line up before too long.

Pieter Bulling also showed his unquestioned class (when doesn’t he?) and young South Canterbury lad Dylan Kennett underlined his name as one of the best in the business. He is likely to be one of our best chances when the UCI World Juniors Track Championships are staged in Invercargill in 2012.

A number of those on the boards last week will pull the New Zealand skinsuit on for the Oceania Championships at the end of next month at the Super-Drome in Adelaide. The early-season form shown on the ILT Velodrome last week points to a cracking track season ahead.
The frenetic last few weeks locally has also coincided with the shop window for the sport – the BikeNZ Elite NZ team – running into excess baggage issues following their medal haul at the Commonwealth Games, even if a few more God Defend New Zealands and a few less Advance Australia Fairs would have been preferable.
From an event perspective our attention now swings to the PowerNet Tour of Southland which is only three short weeks away. This is a massive undertaking for our Club under the tutelage of long-time Tour Director Bruce Ross and there are some exciting story-lines developing ahead of the 2010 event. We know there will be drama. All that needs to be decided is who will provide it, when and where. Not many local events reach iconic status, but that title sits comfortably around the PowerNet Tour.

Magnificent Yunca Junior Tour

An outstanding weekend of racing concluded in McIvor Road yesterday afternoon as the Yunca Junior Tour of Southland finished its 26th edition.


I am in the fortunate position of enjoying events like the Yunca for the first time and yet again I was blown away by the magnificent racing, the fantastic atmosphere around the event and, as always, the incredible level of support from a huge number of volunteers and supporters.

As I write, the results team are furiously tapping away beside me to determine final classifications and in some age-groups to say it is close is an understatement.

The wind certainly made it tough on this year’s fields and following Friday’s Prologue at Teretonga the youngsters were put through their paces over another four stages around Otautau, Tuatapere, the Central City and finally around Mabel Bush/Springhills yesterday afternoon. You’ll find the final results elsewhere in this fine publication but all 160+ who lined up at the start line on Friday will certainly have earned their kip last night. I commend each and every one of them from for the level of commitment and mateship they showed over the three days of this year’s Tour.

The strong Australian contingent added another element to the racing. These relationships have been formed over many years and to hear yesterday afternoon just how highly our Aussie mates rated the event was very heartening. And let me tell you, they know how to handle a bike.

This also provides the opportunity for me to publicly thank the organising committee. The huge number of parents and Cycling Southland members and supporters who so willingly put their hand up to give up three days of their free time is astounding. You are the heartbeat of our organisation and I thank you greatly. A special thanks to Sier Vermunt, Phil Culling and Shane Brazier and their organising committee for delivering the best Yunca Tour yet.

We’re giving ourselves today off and then we follow up with our Trans-Tasman Challenge Track Carnival on Tuesday and Wednesday evening. The only problem we have is that we have too many riders! Not a bad position to be in. Over 170 will line up over the two nights and there should be some spectacular racing.

It doubles as the first major local sporting event to be held in Stadium Southland’s ILT Velodrome since the Stadium collapse a fortnight ago. The way things have come together through the recent dramas is nothing short of extraordinary.

I know the whole community supports the Stadium team’s efforts over the last two weeks and the best way we can all show that we’re in behind them is by getting down to the ILT Velodrome this week. Curtain-raiser racing and happy hour starts at 6pm with the Race Programme beginning at 7pm both nights. My advice, get your ticket and get down early. We’ve come off a massive weekend on the road and we’re not planning on slowing down any on the track. See you down here.