The rising popularity of cycling is reflected in the increased entries for this year's New Zealand Masters Games events.
The programme starts this weekend with a two-day, five-stage tour through the Middlemarch and Wedderburn region, including a time trial, three road race stages and a criterium. Seventy riders will contest the event, with the highest number of female entries for many years.
Local veteran Ross Gamble will start as a favourite to win the 65-69 year age group, while Alexandra's Brian Lippers will be one to watch in the 50-54 year group. Mark Spessot and Chris Henderson, of Dunedin, should perform well in their respective age groups.
For the women, locals Tess Molloy and Sanne Poulson will provide good competition for each other in the 30-35 year group, while the competitive 50-plus race should be one to watch.
On Monday, the road races take place on a 25km Henley-Berwick circuit. Nearly 100 riders will compete in five age groupings over 1-3 laps of the circuit.
Tuesday and Wednesday sees the focus shift to the Mosgiel Velodrome for two evenings of high-speed track racing. The majority of female entries come from Dunedin, while the male entries come from around the country and as far as Scotland, Australia and Vancouver.
On Thursday evening, riders will take on the short road sprints in Cemetery Rd, Mosgiel.
This is a fun event in which competitors have two chances to post their best time in a flat 250m sprint. The fastest four then race off for final placings.
On Friday afternoon, road time trials will be held at Brighton. Seventy riders pit themselves against the clock over the 20km (women) or 25km (men) course along the scenic Brighton-Taieri Mouth Rd.
Finally, on Saturday, those with energy remaining will enjoy some criterium racing around the 900m Mosgiel Railway Station block.
- Janice McLelland
