Patron of Kiwi Peloton Enters Festival
Nine-time New Zealand champion Gordon McCauley is the latest road cycling rock star to sign up for December’s Armstrong Motor Group Festival of Cycling.
In just its sixth year Christchurch’s Armstrong Motor Group Festival of Cycling continues on its quest to become New Zealand’s premier cycling event. Scheduled this year for December 4th and 5th, the latest to sign up for this annual gathering of New Zealand’s best cyclists is the New Zealand’s unsung Commonwealth Games hero, Gordon McCauley.
The ageless McCauley will line up for both the Avanti Long Bays Classic and the Armstrong Motor Group City Criterium. After more than two decades in the sport McCauley finds himself as the unofficial patron of New Zealand’s pro peloton, claiming nine national titles, three Oceania titles and a bronze medal from the 2006 Commonwealth Games time trial.
In 2010 the 38 year old McCauley has been riding as well as ever, winning the national time trial title, the Tour of Tasmania. But he was most impressive in the at the Delhi Commonwealth Games road race where he confirmed his strongman status to lead the race for approximately 100k before selflessly assisting compatriot Hayden Roulston to a silver medal.
Ironically it is Commonwealth Games teammates Roulston who will provide McCauley’s toughest competition in the Armstrong Motor Group Festival of Cycling. McCauley is no stranger to the Christchurch event, but has yet to put himself on the top step of the podium. In 2006, in fact, Roulston won the feature Avanti Long Bays Classic ahead of McCauley. Their rematch is much-anticipated, with the always competitive Aucklander saying he wouldn’t be coming unless he was capable of winning.
There is much to look forward to in 2010 Armstrong Motor Group Festival of Cycling. On day one the 80k Harbour Ride will see recreational riders following the Long Bays Classic on the same historic route around the spectacular Lyttelton Harbour bays. Last year’s inaugural mountain bike option will return, with the 30k course offering options both experienced and recreational riders. The opening day concludes with the Benchmark Homes Kids Mini Bays, where hundreds of kids aged eight to 14 take on a fun 5k or 10k around McCormack’s Bay, with Olympians and New Zealand champions for company.
On Sunday December 5th the action moves downtown to the Oxford Terrace café strip for the Armstrong Motor Group City Criterium. In an action-packed day, events vary from kids’ events, BMX racing to celebrity tandem races, open events for keen punters to try the Euro-style excitement of criterium racing, to the feature invitational racing, which has been dominated by Kiwi Olympians Greg Henderson, Wesley Gough, Jason Allen and Marc Ryan. Or you can join the thousands of spectators taking in coffee and brunch while they watch some of the best cycle racing you’ll see on these shores.
Entries for the Armstrong Motor Group Festival of cycling are open now. For more details: www.festivalofcycling.co.nz