The strong westerly wind made the Lake Taupo Challenge very tough for many riders this year. Times were certainly down on previous years and many were disappointed about their individual times.  Apparently, the wind on Tihoi & Western Bay Road was a direct head wind which reduced some riders to a 20km/hr crawl.  Glenys Taylor, who had set a personal goal to go under 6hrs simply was unable to hang on to any bunch and almost rode the 160km journey on her own.  “I was at least 45mins slower as a result of the wind”, she said. 

That's me on the right!I awoke at 5.30am to the sound of rain bucketing down on to the roof. Sounds heavy I thought and snoozed for a while. But my body knew what was in store for it today, Sunday 6 November. So I got up, went upstairs and started checking the colour of the sky out windows at all compasses points: heavy cloud over the ranges to the East, dark rain-laden clouds to the south and west, a bit more light in the skies to the North. It didn’t look promising at all! What was the outside temperature I thought. I went back downstairs to check the weather station; only 9°C. Cold too. So I sorted my cycle gear and got ready, all the while hoping the rain would ease. By 7am it had stopped. But then another downpour occurred at 7.30am. Just a test of my resolve I thought. So at 7.45am, I rode off to the start line as a partial warm-up.

Tour de ManawatuThe riders set off on a cool spring Manawatu day, the pessimists amongst them adorned with raincoats. Typically, it was flat to the boards all the way to Ashhurt (Actually it’s Ashhurst, but in this case you might be right – Ed) with some short-lived breaks quickly enveloped by a frisky peloton. The better riders looked towards the two climbs on Colyton Rd to sort the bunch out a bit.

Craig Lawn and Steve Stannard were the first over the Watershed climb, but the bunch, with Jesse Sergent toying with the bunch at the front soon caught them on the fast downhill. Craig Lawn immediately launched another attack and, assured that a lone rider could not stay away, the now smaller bunch seemed disinclined to care. All the way to Cheltenham, Lawn dangled out in front whilst the riders that tried to bridge were quickly chased down.

100km, 23 October 2011. By Murray Boase

Rangitikei RiverWell, if you want to visit an old and cold town hall, but one with a great country atmosphere, try the one at Hunterville at 8am in the morning. I was there on Sunday 23^rd October to register for the 7^th annual Rangitikei River Loop Cycle Classic 100km. The race is very scenic and challenging and in my opinion is the best-value recreational ride on offer in the North Island!