Huka XL

Friday night I drove down to Taupo for the Huka XL MTB race which is part of the famous Lake Taupo Cycle challenge. We started at 7am which is rather early and something that none of us are use to. However there we all are lined up at 7am on a Crisp Saturday morning on Taupo's main road.

The pace was hot from the gun and I was sitting in top 10 for the first ten kilometers until boom I broke my chain heading up a steep hill. I managed to borrow a chain breaker off someone but still had a bit of trouble fixing it. I got it sorted after a while and jumped back on my bike, I made it around a few corners and then it broke again. This time my good friends Wilson Jones and Locky Mcarthur helped me, by then my chain was rather short so I was restricted with what gear combinations I could use.

From here on in I was well down from the top 10 and just enjoyed the rest of the ride with the help of some Peak fuel Gels nearing the end. I was using Kenda Karma's which help heaps with the Taupo conditions, it was a great combination with my Scott Spark 20.

Thanks to Team AvantiPlus, and Sheppard's Industries Ltd.

Unison and Cycling Rotorua bring us the Rotorua Ohope

Rotorua to Ohope funride is over for another year, Cycling Rotorua do a great job at running this event every year. Even though its a funride theres always the pressure to get to Ohope the fastest in the sense of a race.

It was a hot pace from the word go, with hot shots, Clinton Avery and Sam Bewley playing at the front. I used this time to warm up and spin the legs a bit after a pretty intense training camp as part of the Waiariki Academy of sport including boot camp style training.

The famous Hells gate hill spilt the bunch like normal and I did miss the initial attack but managed to bridge across over the top really putting the hurt on my legs. Form there I was swinging on the nine strong break away and pulling some weak laps all the way around to the Rotoma hill where I got slightly droped and lost about 15 seconds. This was nothing I couldn't bring back on the two minute long down hill where I took a few major risks to do so. Clinton Avery had already gone off the front and by the time I caught back up he was out of sight.

When we hit the Whakatane flats I started feeling rather strong again and pushed the pace. Some riders dropped off in because of this. We approached the Ohope hill where Dirk Peters put in a very solid attack followed closely by Josh Page (fellow Team AvantiPlus rider from Napier), I could not match the pace and just rode up the climb with two others that did drop me over the top, Again nothing I could catch back up on the downhill. These are the two guys that I caught at the bottom behind me in the sprint for 4th place.

A great hit out and I do enjoy the change from mountain biking now and then, bring on Vineyards!!!

Top Five: Clinton Avery, Dirk Peters, Josh Page, Scott Green and Nelson Shaw.

Team Avanti Plus

Here is the start of another season, with only 4 national series races, National champs and Oceanias (AUS) it seems to me its going to be a short intense season which is good for those of us that want to be able to have a outstanding international season as well.

The 2010/2011 season for me has had a turn for the best, I have signned with Team AvantiPlus for the year. Our aim is to promote AvantiPlus stores and products. We are on a mix of Avanti and Scott bikes.

The time has really come, Scott Green is riding Scott bikes, I am currently riding a very smooth Scott Spark 20. Its a great bike, it has an effective lock out system so that it's just as stiff as a hard tail when climbing and when unlocked it rides just like a trail bike. I have had several rides so far and its rips through the Redwoods with ease.

This Spark 20 is my first full suspension bike that I've had for more than a few days, the ride it provides is out standing. When I was told that I was going to be riding a full suspension I thought ahh, heavy bike for climbing but I guess heaps of fun on the downhills and single track. I was wrong...... this bike has the ability to be just as fast on the climbs and even faster on the downhills than a hardtail. One feature it has is a two stage lock out system which allows me to lock out both front and rear suspension completely or just stiffen them up. So far I have loved riding it and have been impressed each ride.

(Picture)Lock out system on spark 20 >>

With Team AvantiPlus comes with the support from Kenda

(tyres), Peak fuel (nutrition), Zero (accessories) and Scott and Avanti bikes.

Look out for the new AvantiPlus Team at the Huka Challenge in Taupo where we are having our first race as a team. If you see me around come over and have a chat.

Please check out my calendar to see where I am heading in the next 6 months.