Why is it that the ‘queen’ stage always suck, no matter how much your goals and intentions avoid anything to do with hills?! I’ll tell you why – even with the sprinter’s jersey on my back, ‘grupetto-ing’ up the final climb at a very easy tempo in front of a number of avid cycle fans… Read More
2013 New Zealand Cycle Classic stage 3 blog
Today’s plan for the team revolved around securing further points for the green jersey, however, Jason also had his plan to dominate the stage, which he did so convincingly. Jas was talking his legs up this morning (perhaps chocolate/licorice loading the night before makes you go good) and wanted to make the early move.… Read More
2013 New Zealand Cycle Classic stage 2 blog
Our team plan today was to help Jason Christie move up into the top 10 in G.C. I figured lacking endurance I could help Jas make it into what we predicted would be a race defining break. We knew Huon Genesys had more cards than any to play today so they would be the riders… Read More
2013 New Zealand Cycle Classic prologue blog
First up is the relatively modest (distance) 7.1k prologue, quite a good way to start particularly if you like time trials. The course is rolling with a little bit of flat; technical with some difficult, not so much tight but never-ending corners; and plenty of wind. I ear-marked this prologue as a key event in… Read More
End of magpie season, summer is here and cycling is easy…
Can we finally say au revoir to the pesky, territorial menace from the sky, the magpie that haunts the brightly-coloured and perfectly sized and projected targets – road cyclists? I thought we were in luck when I hadn’t been swooped before October had swung around. Of course I insisted my luck was in part due… Read More
The Inside Man: race blog from the Festival of Cycling Criterium
This is an perspective on achieving a happy 2nd in a race and how to go one better. My honest drive and motivation going into the Festival of Cycling criterium was never really to win. It’s really easy to say ‘I race to win’ and ‘I’m not there to make up the numbers.’ But truly,… Read More
Waipara Classic race report
This was our penultimate day in the saddle for Subway Pro Cycling so our opportunities for earning one more win for the team were becoming very much finite! It wasn’t to be our day, despite Sam Horgan’s best efforts in making it into the early move, he was doomed after having had an extended warm… Read More
Cycling festival for a broken city
I don’t want to dwell on Christchurch’s shaky past but I am reminded of the daily grind we live in when iconic events such as the ‘Round the Bays’ race is held, well in the bay-less (but pothole-less) North Canterbury. I will however dwell on the fact that a local events company (Not Just Events)… Read More
Interview with Anton Cooper
In June I talked to local mountain bike legend Anton Cooper. Anton has since returned from overseas the under-19 World Champion! Did you achieve your peak performance at the World Championships or are there still more improvements to make? AC: I think for my age and size at the time I did everything I could… Read More
Is Road Cycling really a team sport?
I’m often asked this question and no better equipped to answer than now after just competing in the Tour of Southland. Riding for Subway Pro Cycling we finished with a mixed bag of results. The writing was on the wall however when team mate Sam Horgan crashed badly in an earlier tour ruling him out… Read More
