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Melissa_Theuriau
Vorb Newsreader
Joined: Mar 22, 2006
Posts: 2,149
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 Posted: Fri 31/Oct/08 11:55am Post subject: K2 Cycle Classic This Weekend |
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A star-studded field head to the Coromandel this weekend for the grueling RoadCraft K2 Cycle Classic.
K2 is renown in mountain climbing circles as the world’s toughest peak. But in New Zealand it is a grueling 200km cycle event attracting the country’s best riders. Past winners include Kiwi internationals Glenn Mitchell and Fraser McMaster, American record holder John Leiswyn and Denmark’s women’s Tour de France champion, Linda Vilumsen.
The attraction is the European-style course and a hefty prize purse. With over 40k and 2300 vertical metres of climbing, the RoadCraft K2 combines the rigours of European cycling with New Zealand’s supreme surroundings to produce a challenge that is fast becoming a favourite amongst elite and recreational cyclists alike.
Every year this unique event starts from a different Coromandel town and does one full 200k lap of the peninsula. This year racing gets underway in Tairua on Saturday.
Racing gets underway with a short warm up before taking on the 240m high Pumpkin Hill. But that’s just a teaser before a brutal 50k over the hills of Kuaotunu and Whangaparoa to the halfway mark at Coromandel township. Then a 50k stint of mostly flat riding alongside the Firth of Thames is a welcome respite before K2’s signature climb, the 14k long, 425m high Kopu-Hikuai Hill.
After Kopu-Hikuai, however, finishers are rewarded with a spectacular 40k of rolling hills down to the finish line back at Tairua. “The RoadCraft K2 might sounds daunting,” says race director Andy Reid, “But it starts and finishes at sea level, so for every tough uphill there’s a big-smiles downhill.”
With a prize pool to match the challenge, K2 is a highlight of the year for many of the country’s top riders. Both men and women compete for a $1000 first prize, plus King and Queen of the Mountain sprints totalling $1000 for both men and women.
This year the RoadCraft K2 also doubles as round four of the BikeNZ National Road Series, which is currently led by Jeremy Yates (Hast) and Serena Sheridan (Nels), who will both be on the start line at Tairua on Saturday.
Yates is the defending K2 champion and fresh from winning the national club championship and taking a top 10 finish in Australia’s prestigious Sun Tour, the former world junior champion starts as favourite for this year’s RoadCraft K2.
But in a tough field the Hastings builder won’t be able to rest on his recent laurels. Auckland’s Karl Murray currently sits second behind Yates in the national series, while talented teenager Tom Findlay (Palm Nth) is fifth. Both will be keen to topple Yates from the top spot, as will former world under-23 top 10 Peter Latham and (Ham) and American standout Omer Kem.
Kem, a full time professional on the prestigious American team, Bissell Pro, is keen to revisit K2 after finishing third in 2007 just two minutes down on Yates’ record breaking ride. He may have an advantage this year too in support from his newly-signed teammate, Peter Latham, who will ride for Bissell Pro on the American circuit next year.
But the rider likely to challenge Jeremy Yates might be his brother Mathew, a former RoadCraft K2 winner on the comeback after a couple of years away from the sport.
Organisers are expecting almost 2000 riders for the annual event. As well as the feature 200k RoadCraft K2, organisers also stage an introductory Orca K1 held over 100k, and the Nicholas Browne Quarter K, a 50k option named after a former entrant.
The Orca K1 also doubles as the Elite Women’s race, which also promises to be a closely fought affair. Pre-race favourite would be Nelson’s recently crowned national club champion Serena Sheridan, but national reps Kaytee Boyd (Akld), Emma Crum (Kapiti) and Stratford’s Tara Allerton will have extra motivation for the 100k race.
Allerton is currently second in the national road series and a win here would see her take the top spot. Emma Crum will be looking to continue her recent top form that saw her finish second to Sheridan in the recent national club champs, while Boyd will be keen to atone for a late withdrawal at the club nationals that saw her lose her national title to Sheridan.
Organised by Adventure Racing Coromandel, K2 is an event with something for everyone. Their other events include the Moehau Multisport Race, The Kauri Run, the White Star Intrigue mountain bike event and the ARC Adventure Race. Their events benefit the Spirit of Coromandel Trust, which provides opportunities for young people to experience the outdoors.
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mjl
Dusty
Joined: Jan 02, 2007
Posts: 78
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| Posted: Fri 31/Oct/08 6:53pm Post subject: |
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Roz will win.
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Mr_Bob
Mangled
Joined: Apr 14, 2005
Posts: 10,990
Location: Tga
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| Posted: Fri 31/Oct/08 7:07pm Post subject: |
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Good luck and ride like zee wind!
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slidecontrol
Thrashed
Joined: Apr 09, 2007
Posts: 1,514
Location: I used to have tourettes, now I'm rolf harris
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| Posted: Fri 31/Oct/08 9:39pm Post subject: |
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| Mr_Bob wrote: | | Good luck and ride like zee wind! |
here's hoping there not too much wet in that wind 
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Compact
Ridden
Joined: Jan 14, 2008
Posts: 187
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| Posted: Sat 1/Nov/08 10:18am Post subject: |
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Anybody know if they are doing live updates somewhere???
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specializedman
Worn
Joined: Jan 13, 2008
Posts: 799
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| Posted: Sat 1/Nov/08 2:59pm Post subject: |
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Dam straight.
Should beat them on the hills I reckon.
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Compact
Ridden
Joined: Jan 14, 2008
Posts: 187
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| Posted: Sat 1/Nov/08 3:05pm Post subject: |
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Results out yet ??
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BjWill
Scuffed
Joined: Sep 13, 2005
Posts: 460
Location: ...on the road to the Superbowl...
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CookedCray
Salty
Joined: Aug 07, 2005
Posts: 129
Location: Wellington
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| Posted: Sat 1/Nov/08 3:28pm Post subject: |
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Competing cyclist seriously injured in Coromandel collision
New 2:06PM Saturday Nov 01, 2008
A cyclist participating in a race was seriously injured after colliding with a vehicle on the Coromandel Peninsula today.
The cyclist was airlifted to hospital in Auckland following the crash, which happened on State Highway 25 near Simpsons Beach about 9.20am.
Police are looking for a white Nissan Navarra double cab ute which was travelling north on SH25 at the time and urge anyone who may have seen it to contact the Whitianga police station.
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Al_Bushman
Flogged
Joined: Jun 24, 2006
Posts: 2,104
Location: In the box
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| Posted: Sat 1/Nov/08 3:32pm Post subject: |
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Bad news above.
1 Yates 5.02
2 Murray +3m
3 Findlay +15m
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Fergie
Wrecked
Joined: Jun 04, 2006
Posts: 5,340
Location: Christchurch
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| Posted: Sat 1/Nov/08 5:05pm Post subject: |
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15min to 3rd???
Yates will win in Southland. On awesome form and has a point to prove. Roly already has contract so apart from a prestigiuous hat trick has nothing to ride for that will match Beijing! Hope the Subway boys are up to it!
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grewi
Dusty
Joined: Sep 25, 2007
Posts: 104
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| Posted: Sat 1/Nov/08 6:40pm Post subject: |
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Roly hates losing, i'll put a wee wager on it with ya Freg, how much?
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nzmatto
Worn
Joined: Jul 27, 2008
Posts: 605
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| Posted: Sat 1/Nov/08 7:33pm Post subject: |
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Wow, 3 minutes to second, 15 minutes to third!! I am guessing there was no bunch sprint at the end then!
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jafabite
Dusty
Joined: Oct 23, 2007
Posts: 45
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| Posted: Sat 1/Nov/08 7:38pm Post subject: |
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| Fergie wrote: | | Roly already has contract so apart from a prestigiuous hat trick has nothing to ride for |
yeah, he'll prob sit up on the way to bluff and each time it goes in the gutter
btw its been blowing its tits off all day down here in invers
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Fergie
Wrecked
Joined: Jun 04, 2006
Posts: 5,340
Location: Christchurch
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| Posted: Sat 1/Nov/08 9:03pm Post subject: |
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| grewi wrote: | | Roly hates losing, i'll put a wee wager on it with ya Freg, how much? |
A free cup cake at Coffee Culture Sumner would make my day!
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