Cyclists at winter series

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The Individual Time Trail saw cyclists cover a distance of approximately 19 kilometres in sunny conditions with a slight tail wind on the first half but a head wind on the home straight.

Riders were set off at 30 second intervals with five minutes between grades.  ITT’s are also referred to as ‘the race of truth’, as winning depends only on each rider’s strength and endurance, and not on help provided by team-mates and others riding ahead and creating a slipstream.

Despite having to ride back home to pick up his timing transponder prior to starting, the fastest time of 25 minutes and 20 seconds was set by Chris Nicholson averaging almost 45 kilometres per hour, 1 minute and 9 seconds clear of the next fastest rider in A Grade, Warrick Spence.

Ann Rigg, competing in the Masters 5 age category, set the fastest time in C Grade of 31 minutes and 12 seconds. Ann is the national time trial champion in her age group. Ethan Batt, a promising Under 15 rider, won D Grade in a time of 31 minutes and 7 seconds, 40 seconds faster than the next rider in the grade.

Next weekend’s race, which is not part of the Nelson Bays Motor Group winter series, is a combined Tasman Wheelers/Cycling Nelson event – the Brian Harford mini tour.  Brian has been involved with Cycling Nelson for many years and is a Bike NZ commissaire.  Full details of this event can be found on www.tasmanwheelers.co.nz.