Privileged To Be Part of Tour Family

I feel very privileged to have been involved with the 2010 PowerNet Tour of Southland. Having now been part of this iconic event, I understand why the huge army of volunteers put their hand up year after year to be involved. It is truly something quite special.


I am wary of trying to do justice to all that is good about the event in this column. Space limitations mean I can only touch on a few highlights from the past week. So many more serve to be mentioned.

One does stand out though. The major highlight for me was the people. The event is served so well by people who love what they do. Whether it is driving a vehicle, standing on a corner with a flag, setting up the stage finishes, officiating in a pressure-cooker atmosphere for days on end or being part of a team’s support crew , every single one is there because they are passionate about the event and about the sport. A “family” atmosphere like this can’t be manufactured. It happens naturally or it doesn’t at all and the Tour family is recognised by officials and riders alike as the key reason for the PowerNet Tour’s continued success. I’d heard about it, but hadn’t realised what a factor it was until last week.
I spent the week out in front of the event, getting the school kids along the Tour route hyped up and amped for the arrival of the riders. I apologise to the teachers of Southland for any classroom carnage that followed our visits. The kids were great and it is this kind of community support we want to foster even further in coming years.
Then came the emotional rollercoaster of the race itself. Watching 100 plus riders descending on the finish line in Tuatapere at over 70 kilometres per hour will live long in the memory banks, as will the sportsmanship of Hayden Roulston, waiting for then Tour leader Jeremy Yates to rejoin the race following his fall on the Crown Range road. The raw power of Roulston and Jack Bauer over the final stages of Friday’s grind into Te Anau turned the race and set up an incredible finish on Saturday where the perfect race plan was completed to perfection by Roulston, Greg Henderson and their Calder Stewart/BikeNZ team mates. And that was the bike race. After nearly 900 kilometres incredibly, it came down to just two seconds.
To hear the Police say it is the easiest race they have been involved with, Bruce Ross label it the best Tour of his time and Hayden Roulston say it is the sweetest victory of his four means things went pretty well. Even Mother Nature played her part.
But all of it would not be possible without the unwavering support from the whole PowerNet Tour “family”. Special thanks to PowerNet, our volunteers, Police, sponsors and community funders, the riders and of course Bruce and Pam Ross and family. Bring on 2011.