New Zealand Cycling Champs
It’s all on….. Cycling competitors have gathered to take a shot in the New Zealand Champs for cycling. Many teams are ready to give their best crack and also all the individuals. It’s a cloudy day at the Taupo racing track.
From Havelock North Intermediate, Barney Wardlaw, Jono Williams and Will Tidswell are racing for Hawkes Bay. They have come up to Taupo and are getting prepped for the team event. They have been entered into the Year 8 category because Jono is a year 8, even though Barney and Will are Year 7’s.
After a while the year 8 boys got called up to the starting line. Jono, Barney and Will were second to start, 30 seconds behind the first team. 3……2……….1………..Go!!! The loud speaker boomed. Off went Havelock keeping a nice pace at the start. There was no sun on the Friday so many teams were wearing skins to try and stop the coldness getting to them. They were finally on the last lap. The Havelock North team speed up passing a team and another and another team that had already passed them.
Trying to avoid getting passed again they changed into top gear after getting out of the head wind. They were along the final straight. They stood up with their thighs booming and they pressed down upon the pedals and……….. Crossed the line!
After they had circled back into the hanger. Everyone said how well they did. There was only half an hour till the individuals year 7 boys.
Barney and Will progressed towards the line behind the car. They waited until the car started moving and clipped in with their cleats. They started off going slowly, until they had rounded the corner then the car pulled over and everyone burst away trying as quickly as possible to drop people off. Barney was unlucky and after a couple of minutes had got caught in a bunch of people. By then the lead group had sprinted off and after passing the group of cyclists could not catch them.
Will however was still in the bunch group behind the 3rd person drafting him so he could save as much energy as possible. Once the first lap was over the fastest group, of about 15, was in the lead with a couple of stragglers behind. Barney was unfortunately with the chase group and after a 2 more laps was still in the chase group. Will was still in the lead group and had dropped off only about 3 people leaving the total amount to sprint with at, 12. Since the year 7 boys were doing four laps they were on the last lap. Barney was still in the catch group and had also tried a number of times to sprint away from the chase group.
The lead group was along a head wind straight about half a km from the finish. The lead group started sprinting. Will was in the front of the lead group and wanted to drop back to save energy. But since there were so many people behind Will he couldn’t. After they had all rounded a corner and another 2 year 7’s sprinted pass everyone, Will and 2 others from different schools left the other year 7’s in the ta. It was a five person sprint. Everyone was hurting. The first 2 went through with the same time then……… The 2 others and then Will.
Will had come 5th out of New Zealand. Barney came in with a great placing as well. He got 19th in the whole of New Zealand. And for the teams Barney, Jono and Will got 10th!!!!!
Jono then had the same exciting race and came 19th overall which was again amazing. Hawkes Bay did really well and Havelock North did well as well!!!! Everyone had an amazing time. It was a great experience.
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