New Zealand’s longest-running road cycling event will be linked with the newest of the national road titles in Southland in January.
Cycling Southland will host its traditional ILT Carnival with a new twist, combining two nights of the summer track carnival before hosting the New Zealand criterium championships for the first time.
The carnival will finish with New Zealand’s longest-running road classic, the Gore to Invercargill Classic.
The evening track programme will run at the velodrome on January 16-17, and the national criterium will be held on an inner-city circuit on January 18.
The carnival ends with the 70km road race from Gore to Invercargill. It was first held in 1930 and is still an annual part of Southland’s cycling calendar.
Cycling Southland general manager Nic Keast said the cycling fraternity were excited to host the criterium.
"The fit is ideal. The event is always popular and is exceptionally exciting, not just for cycling fans, but the wider sporting public.
"It fits ideally into our carnival programme and we look forward to hosting some of the leading riders in the country, not just for the criterium, but also the track carnival for our younger riders and the Gore to Invercargill Classic."
The classic has historically been run on a handicap basis, which makes for an exciting outcome.
Riders who have won the race include Commonwealth Games gold medallist Craig Adair, former track world champion and road professional Greg Henderson, Olympic track medallist Marc Ryan and Commonwealth medallist Dylan Kennett.
