Over 150 riders headed by five WorldTour riders and 13 from UCI Pro teams will contest the 2023 Elite Road National Cycling Championships in Tokoroa next weekend.
Cycling New Zealand is delighted with the large fields with the championship returning to a well-known and testing course in the South Waikato town.
The women’s field is headed by WorldTour riders Georgia Williams (EF Education-Tibco-SVB) and Henrietta Christie (Human Powered Health), while the men’s field comprises fellow WorldTour riders in George Bennett (UAE Team Emirates), Shane Archbold (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Campbell Stewart (Jayco Ulula), while the Groupama-FDJ pair of Laurence Pithie and Reuben Thompson will race in the Under-23 category.
There is a strong representation from the kiwi-based Bolton Equities Black Spoke team, with 13 riders taking part as the team prepares for an historic first season in the UCI Pro Team competition, one step under WorldTour.
It will be a significant opportunity for Williams, who was in sparking form at the recent Tour Down Under for her new team. The Auckland rider, a three-time winner of the national road title and four-time winner of the time trial, is chasing some history at Tokoroa.
Victory in both who see her draw level with Rushlee Buchanan (road) and Meshy Holt (time trial) for most number of championship victories.
Other former winners in the women’s field include the under-23 pair of last year’s road race winner Ally Wollaston (AG Insurance - Soudal Quick-Step) and the 2021 time trial champion Christie.
The last three elite men’s road race champions will all return for the Tokoroa test in defending champion James Fouche (Bolton Equities Black Spoke), 2021 winner Bennett and 2020 champ Archbold.
“We are thrilled with the strong support and the quality of riders on display,” said Cycling New Zealand’s Graeme Hunn.
“We realise that WorldTour teams want their riders back in Europe for early season racing, and we are pleased that so many of our kiwi riders. They will provide a real spectacle for cycling fans, on a proven tough course in a well-known cycling stronghold.”
South Waikato Mayor Jenny Shattock said the region is looking forward to welcoming the nation’s best cyclists.
“The South Waikato is well known for producing great national and international sporting stars. We hope events like this encourage more local tamariki and rangatahi to take up cycling, on or off road.
“Council invest significantly in supporting cycling with the Waikato River Trails and Cougar Park mountain bike park. We encourage our community to come along, cheer the riders on and experience just how fast these amateur and professional riders go, on our stunning Tokoroa back roads.”
The course was used for the national championships over 40 years ago, and will be adapted for the time trial also.
It centres on Mossop Road, which is on the eastern side of the town, and runs through typical forest roads in the region.
The road race comprises a 14km loop with each lap including Mossop Rd Hill, with 331mm of climbing. The elite and under-23 men will complete seven laps, with a total of 178km with 2.4km of climbing.
The elite women will complete four full laps with their race of 106kms and 1.4km of climbing.
The loop will be used for the time trial also, to offer an all-round examination over a shorter-than-usual timed test of 33.5km.
The time trial is on Friday 10 February from 11am with under-19 riders, both male and female, racing over 22.9km with 233m of climbing and all under-23 and elite riders riding a 33.5km lap with 381m of climbs.
The Under-19 females lead-off the road racing on Saturday 11 February over 82kms from 8.30am, ahead of the Under-19 males, and Under-23 and Elite females over 106kms from 1pm.
Sunday’s action focusses on the under-23 and Elite males racing over 178kms from 10am.