This year’s tour also commemorates the centenary since the first alpine climb.

The Tour de France is one of the world’s greatest sporting for spectators, either watching from the side of the road as the peloton goes by or at home in front of the TV. We are promised a gruelling race that will test the riders strength, endurance, speed and skill.

There are several contenders for this years Tour de France, and everyone is watching Alberto Contador who won the Giro d ‘Italia this year crushing his opposition. This could be his fourth Tour de France win and the most controversial, the final verdict in the ongoing doping accusations will be settled in August by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Contador has a good chance particularly with a strong team surrounding him with Richie Porte and Baden Cooke, Spaniards Jesus Hernandez and Daniel Navarro supporting Contador in the mountains.

Both Andy and Frank Schleck from Team Leopard Trek will be marking ‘AC’ in the mountains. Whilst Andy couldn’t attack AC, AC couldn’t drop him either. With one of the strongest teams in the peloton backing the Schlecks, we can expect a showdown in the mountains.

Christian VandeVelde (Garmin-Transitions), has had solid results in 2011 in the Tour of Oman, Tour of California and Tour de Suisse and will be a rider to watch.

Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky), has been training at high altitude to prepare himself for this years Tour. We have seen him win difficult stages and stay with the best rider high in the mountains.

Ivan Basso (Liquigas) crashed on Mount Etna and required 15 stitches so his preparation may not been as good as he had hoped and he has used the Crit?rium du Dauphin? to test his legs.

Cadel Evans (BMC) has had a great start to the year, winning Tirreno-Adriatico and Tour of Romandie and his fourth second place at the Criterium du Dauphine. Team BMC seem to be completely behind Cadel to win the Tour, in previous years this was one of the criticisms he raised. BMC didn’t ride the Giro and shoould have fresh legs for the Tour. Joining Evans for the Tour de France this year and giving the squad lots of expereince on the road in Hincapie and Burghardt. To support for Cadel in the mountains in Ama?l Moinard, Steve Morabito, Ivan Santaromita, Manuel Quinziato and Michael Sch?r.

Samuel S?nchez Gonz?lez, the leader of Euskaltel-Euskadi is hoping for a top 10 positions in the general classification. Finishing fourth last year in the Tour his lead up to this years Tour has not been remarkable but I think we will see him fighting for a top 10 spot in the GC.

For the Green sprinters jersey, I don’t see Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) as the favourite. And it is shakey HTC with rumours of Cav signing with Team Sky and news that the company HTC is withdrawing their team sponsorship. But the recent changes to how the Green Jersey is awarded will benefit Cav. From this July the Tour’s green jersey will be decided on the daily stage placing, as before, but also through the placings at one heavily rewarded intermediate sprint.

Australian Matthew Goss is in red hot for this season and we might see Cav and Gossy going head to head.

Thor Hushovd (C?rvelo), and current World Road Cycling Champion is another favourite showing good form winning Stage Four of the Tour de Suisse ahead of Cavendish.

If Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre) can stay on Cav’s wheel then he may capitalise on any mistakes by HTC and Cav or the rivaly between Goss and Cav going to the line.

I wouldnt discount Tyler Farrar (Garmin), or Oscar Freire (Rabobank), from winning stages during this Tour de France.

The polka dot jersey is a closely contested competition with many of the Tour favourites also contending for this jersey.

For best young rider, the white jersey certainly has a few candidtaes in 2011.

Czech rider Roman Kreuziger will be suporting Alexander Vinokourov in his 14th and final Tour de France where he hopes to secure a podium position.

Jerome Coppel is riding for little known Team Saur-Sojasun a wild card into this years Tour de France. He is one of Frances best young talents in many years with a very succuessful 2010 etching his name into cycling with a 9th overall at Paris-Nice and 5th overall at the Criterium du Dauphine (including 4th on Alpe d’Huez). Look out for him in this years Tour!

Australian Representation at the 2011 Tour de France

Cadel Evans is racing for team BMC after finishing second twice and wearing yellow last year before breaking his elbow he is likely to finish on the podium in 2011. After missing the Giro d’Italia and a team hand picked to support him this is his best year to be the first Australia to wear the yellow jersey in Paris.

Mark Renshaw riding for Team HTC-Colombia with again be supporting Cav and this year Hot Goss in the sprints.

This will be Matt Goss‘s first Tour de France and has shown he is in the inform sprinter winning the Milan-San Remo one-day classic and will be a contender for the green jersey.

Spearheading HTC’s chance for a podium finish in the General Classification is Michael Rogers. As Rogers is able to climb and time trial, this years Tour should suit him.

Simon Gerrans on Team Sky will be riding for Bradley Wiggins who will attempt to finish high in the GC. After winning the National Road Championships in June, Gerrans is in top form coming into this years tour.

In his first tour de France Tasmania’s Ritchie Porte will be supporting Contador as a super domestique. His perforamnce in last years tour, he World Championships and his support of Contador in the Giro. Not to mention his time trial on the final stage of the Giro. It is only a matter of time before Porte will be racing for a spot on the GC and podium.

Baden Cooke is riding fo the Saxo Bank-Sunguard squad and will be supporting Contador and also contending for his second green sprinters jersey.
The Tour de France starts at 10pm Saturday and Australian cycling fans can follow the race on SBS.

RC of Bicycles Network Australia (BNA) took some time with the Dutch born Ex Pro to speak about his cycling background, the Tour Down Under and young Australian cyclists breaking into the professional peloton. He is passionate about cycling though is also extremely concise and gets straight to the point in true ‘question and answer’ fashion for this interview.

BNA: Can you tell us a bit about your cycling career, what you achieved and your level of involvement now?

Jonker: I raced as an amateur between 1989 and 1992 and as a professional between 1993 and 2004. I represented Australia twice in the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games. Finished the Tour de France five times and finishing 12th in 1996. I competed in the Vuelta -Giro and all the Classics except the Roubaix

BNA: Which is your favorite race?

Jonker: No question, the Tour de France

BNA: Who gets your vote for the greatest cyclist of all time?

Jonker: Too easy, the Cannibal EDDY Merckx. No doubt!

BNA: What about the greatest Australian cyclist?

Jonker: Cadel Evans

BNA: Who’s the toughest rider you ever had to race against?

Jonker: Stuey O’Grady from the planet Hurt!!

BNA: What was the greatest feat, race effort you ever saw?

Jonker: Miguel Indurain during his TT efforts at Le Tour.

BNA: Where do you see Australian cycling in 10 years from now?

Jonker: A multiple TDF winner & Two Pro Tour teams.

BNA: You’ve seen cycling evolve in Australia, what is the single biggest change you’ve witnessed in our sport.

Jonker: Australia producing a Australian Tour de France team in Green Edge cycling.

BNA: How do you rate the Tour Down Under against races in Europe?

Jonker: Highly, one of the best races on the circuit!

BNA: The Tour Down Under is a sprinters race, what are your thoughts on having a mountain-top finish? Maybe take it to Victoria and finish in Adelaide?

Jonker: It won’t be a sprinters race for long, Mike Turter is working on that as we speak?

Yep I recommended to have the finish line drawn on top of Willunga Hill.

BNA: What did you think of Cameron Meyers win at the Tour Down under?

Jonker: He is an amazing athlete part of the next golden generation of super stars from OZ.

BNA: A number of top riders in the world are coming from Australia, Goss, Porte, Sulzbergers, Clark, Meyers what do you see as the main reason for this?

Jonker: Yeah good question we have around 10 freaks of nature including Michael Mathews and Bobridge. Where did they come from? From planet VO2 is my guess!!

BNA: Who do you see in the current Australian riders that can one day win the Tour de France?

Jonker: Cadel and Ritchie Porte.

BNA: Any riders that have the potential to go on and win a World Championship or a Grand Tour? 

Jonker: Mathews World PRO Champ soon -Ritchie  Grand TOUR winner.

BNA: What is it going to take for Cadel win the Tour de France?

Jonker: His year he has the best ever chance now or never.

Thank you Patrick for your time.

Photo ? Shark

Ben, or Tangles as he is known, had a successful career at Genesys with solid results throughout 2010. Some of his recent commendable placements include an 8th on Stage 5 of the 2010 Tour de Taiwan, 9th at the  u/23 ITT Championship and 11th at the Australian Road Cycling Championship.

Other results in his young career have included the Launceston Wheel Race 2006 victory, Winner of Tour of Bright Sprint Classifications in 2009, 3rd in the Australian Teams Pursuit Championship in 2008 and  4th in the 2010 Under 23 Australian Criterium Championships. 


RC spoke with Ben Grenda for Bicycles.net.au (BNA) on the eve of his European debut.

BNA: Can you introduce yourself for us.
Grenda: I am a 20 year old cyclist from Launceston spending the year based in Duffel, Belgium to ride for the Rock Werchter- S.O.S Piet Cycling Team.

BNA: What kind of rider are you, a sprinter, climber?
Grenda:  I am a bit of an all rounder. I can sprint a bit and get over a climb as well. I also like to go in the breakaway.

BNA: You rode for the Genesys Wealth cycling team, how has riding for the Genesys team helped you get to where you are today as a cyclist?
Grenda: Riding for the last two years with Praties/Genesys has done a lot for me as a rider. Andrew and Steve have given me the opportunity to do many races in the National Road Series and two tours in Asia. The exposure to racing, experiences, tactics I have learnt and also learning to race as a team and work in a team environment have been great experiences for me. The results I have had riding with them have also given me the opportunity to race for a team overseas.

BNA: What has been the highlight of your career?
Grenda: The highlight of my career so far has been winning the national u/23 criterium title in January. That was a good day for me.

BNA: Are you excited by your new team coming into 2011?
Grenda: I am very excited coming into the Rock Werchter – S.O.S Piet Cycling Team. They have been very welcoming to me and have made my move over to Belgium very easy. They have very knowledgeable staff, a great race program and a very professional set up with all of the bikes and vehicles etc. so now I can’t wait to start racing with them.

Rock Werchter and S.O.S Piet Cycling Team Presentation on Tuesday 22 February.

BNA: How does it feel to be riding with likes of Sulzberger, Porte, Goss etc?
Grenda: Although I won’t be racing them this year, it is great for the couple of months they are home in Tassie to train with them. It’s pretty cool that at home we can go for a ride with some of the worlds best pro’s and that they will share their stories from the year with us and we can pick their brains for some tips along the way. It’s also good to get some hard training in before the nationals.

BNA: Tell us about your training camp you just had in Spain. And what are your plans for the 2011 season
Grenda: We just had our training camp for a week in Benicassim, Spain. It’s a great location for training because you can ride along the flat roads by the beach or head into the mountains just behind and do some 20km climbs. We did some long rides the biggest day being 200km with about 3000m of climbing. The hot mix roads were perfect for training and the weather was about 15 degrees warmer than in Belgium. I think it was just what everyone needed a couple of weeks out from the start of the racing season.

BNA: What about the other team members, do you all get on well, is it good to have experienced riders in the team does it help?
Grenda: All of the guys on the team get on well. Everyone is aged between 18 and 25 and are all really motivated to have a good season. I think it’s going to be good to have a couple of older guys on the team who have ridden most of the races before and can share the experience on race day.

BNA: How much training do you get -What is your average training week like? Is it all on the bike or do you spend time in the gym?
Grenda: At the moment I’m doing 600-800km per week with some sprints, S.E etc. depending on what races are coming up and what time of the season it is. I try to do a core work out a couple of times a week but I don’t got to the gym. All of my training is done on the bike basically.

BNA: Does the team set out a plan for you for 2011?
Grenda: The team has given all of the riders the race program for the year. We also have a team training ride every Sunday. Selections for the races are made on who the course suit and who is in form.

BNA: What are your goals for 2011?
Grenda: For 2011 I want to learn to race the Belgium style of races in the wind and on the cobbles. I also want to become a stronger rider and get as many results as possible for the team as I can.

BNA: What is your first race?
Grenda: My first race is brussel – opwijk

BNA: You recently got a new Colnago, tell us about your bike?
Grenda: The new bike is awesome. It’s a Colnago CLX 2.0 with Campag Chorus 11 Speed and FSA bars, stem and cranks. We are also running prologo saddles, time pedals and Mavic wheels. This is the third Colnago I have had over the years and it feels great like the others. It was very easy to set up into my position and the bike looks even and balanced. It is also the first time I have ridden Campag and I love it. So far there are no complaints from me.

BNA: Tell us how did you get the nick name Tangles?
Grenda: Tangles came from my coach Matt Gilmore a few years ago when I was growing. For a while I was all arms and legs and a bit unco both on and off the bike. But luckily for me I have grown into my self now and the unco days are gone.

Thanks for giving us your time, good luck in 2011

The Belgium based Rock Werchter Cycling Team is online under www.rockwerchtercycling.be (Dutch). Thank you to the team for providing photos from the team presentation on February 22.

In the 2008 Paris-Roubaix, Ballan came third, behind Tom Boonen and Fabian Cancellara when the trio entered the velodrome together and he lost out in the final sprint. At the Vuelta a Espa?a he won a mountain stage and wore the leader’s jersey.

Ballan continued riding successfully in 2008 winning the UCI Road Race World Championships. Ballan was involved in the decisive break, from a group of 12 riders, including 2 Italian team mates, Damiano Cunego and Davide Rebellin, Ballan attacked from 1.500 metres out and maintained a lead in the sprint to win by 3 seconds in front of his home crowd.

Ballan was diagnosed with cytomegalovirus (known as HCMV) in 2009 and as a result was unable to contest in the Spring Classics and Giro. In 2010 Ballan signed with Team BMC, joining George Hincapie and Marcus Burhardt as one day specialists and creating a strong backbone for the team.

This year, Alessandro was in Australia for the first time and lead Team BMC as the captain in the Tour Down Under, he was the top placed team rider with an overall 11th. Alessandro Ballan spoke with RC from Bicycles Network Australia (BNA) about the outlook for the 2011 racing season.

BNA: Are you looking forward to racing another season with Cadel and George and the rest of the team?

Allessandro: Yes, last year I did not start very well, because I paid for the change of team. I am looking forward to the Tour de France, I get on very well with Cadel and George and I get to be on a great team!

BNA: Having won Flanders in 2007 and the Worlds in 2008, are you looking to target the Spring Classics again?

Allessandro: It’s one of my objectives this year to race the Classic and Paris-Roubaix

BNA: What would you say does Team BMC do better than any other team?

Allessandro: BMC is on track to become one of the strongest teams, just wait a few years.

When asked about the team bikes Allessandro told us that they will be using the teammachine SLR01 specific bikes for 2011 up to the Paris Roubaix

BNA: Which young riders should we look out for next season? Which riders do you consider to have great potential?

Allessandro: I see my teammate Taylor Phinney being someone to look out for in his first year as a pro. He has a lot of talent and potential and he’s also a very likeable guy.

BNA: Which is your favorite race of the season and why? Is there any race that you haven’t done that you would especially like to do before you retire?

Allessandro: In particular, I have already won Flanders and Roubaix, both are steeped in the history of cycling.

BNA: Power to weight is key what does your typical diet consists of. How do you factor in nutrition to your training plan?

Allessandro: My diet is varied, I eat a little of both, it is important not to exaggerate and over eat.

BNA: Do you prefer to train solo or with team-mates, what do you think the advantages and disadvantages of each method are?

Allessandro: I always train with my team mates, where I live there’s a lot of professional riders, I believe that you can train better when your training with others.

Thanks for your time, good luck in 2011.

The Cycle Challenge has an event for every rider. In 2010, the ages of competitors ranged from 11 to 82. Children could compete in the 5km accompanied by their parents while for serious riders there was the highlight event, the 160km solo race around Lake Taupo. If you’re not up to riding 160kms solo, then teams of two, three or four could race in the relay team event.

Lake Taupo also boasts great mountain biking. Mountain bikers could take on half of the 80km track as part of a two man team or tackle it solo.

Lets take a look at some of the highlights of the 2010 Contact Lake Taupo Challenge and then you can join me as I recount my own 160km solo ride around the Lake.

Static Enduro Cycling World Record
The build up for the Contact Cycle Challenge began on Friday as a six women attempted a new Static Enduro Cycling World Record. This meant cycling for 24 hours in 30 minutes shifts, with one rider always pedaling and one rider warming up. The previous record of 761 kilometres was set by the same group of women last year. I asked one of the girls about their target, they wanted to reach 1.100 kilometers. The Static team finished on Saturday at 8:30am Saturday morning with a distance of 779 kilometres. Official confirmation of the world record is pending.

Taupo Street Racing: Criterium
Friday night saw the men’s and women’s criterium around the streets of Taupo with more than 2000 people watching from cafes and restaurants as the riders raced around the narrow course. In the men’s event (30min + 2 laps), Roman van Uden of Team Pure Black Racing took out the Criterium for the second year in a row. Mike Northey finished a very close second and 3rd place went to Fraser Gough another U19 rider who joined with the Pure Black team in 2011.

In the womens event (20min + 2 laps) NZ Olympic cyclist Cath Cheatley won the race followed by Aussie cyclists Jenny McPherson and Nicole Whitburn.

Through the narrow course, 2000 spectators watched the racing

Aussie Jenny McPherson finished second behind NZ cyclists Cath Cheatley

NZ Olympic cyclist Cath Cheatley has enough distance on the two Aussie riders.

The Sport and Lifestyle Expo
In conjunction with the Contact Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge, the Sport and Lifestyle Expo at the Great Lake Centre opened on Saturday morning. There were stands from bike manufactures including Trek and Avanti along with several clothing and parts distributors which gave cycling enthusiasts a chance to look at new 2011 bikes and gear plus purchase tires, tubes, bottles and a range of accessories. You could also buy a limited edition Vittoria Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge tyre to commemorate the event.

Why do you love cycling in Taupo?

Eyecandy galore through the eyes of deep profile carbon fibre wheels

Avanti (with HQ in New Zealand) had their 2011 offerings on show

Enduro Events
19 riders participated in the Extreme Enduro event, some starting over a week before the official start of the Cycle Challenge. Their task was to cycle 8 laps of the 160km course around Lake Taupo, 1280 kilometres riding through the night and day to finish with the main bunch of riders on the 160km race on Saturday. The Contact Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge has three Enduro options; The Enduro is two full circuits around Lake Taupo (320km); the Maxi Enduro is four full circuits around Lake Taupo (640km) and; the Extreme Enduro is eight laps of 160km circuits over 1280km of sealed road. With 1308 metres climbing on each circuit, we think you would have to be more than a little crazy to enter ,and very determined to get you to the finish line.

Josh Kench finished the Extreme Enduro event with 1280km cycled in just over 55 hours on Friday. He took only 10 minutes sleep on the side of the road. Kench used the Contact Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge Extreme Enduro event as training for the Race Across America.

Contact Huka Challenge Mountain Biking
In the Contact Huka Challenge Mountain Biking event, riders faced a tough start with numerous challenging climbs over a predominately single trail track making it difficult to overtake. As the trail gets very windy, it made riders work hard to keep up their speed, the short sharp climbs were the best opportunity for riders to attack and overtake. The last section of the course was really challenging for competitors who didn’t know what was up ahead. The riders had to dig deep as their legs suffered with a series of short sharp hills before they could finally roll across the finish.

Auckland Mountain Biker, Carl Evans, finished the 80km ride in 4 hours and 8 minutes followed closely by Hamish Lane and a few minutes later, Ian Burgess.

Avanti Elite Men’s Classic 160km Road Race
The Avanti Men’s Classic is the Elite version of the Cycle Challenge with cyclists requiring a racing licence and best time of 4 hours 15 minutes or less to be eligible to enter. 88 riders participated in the race which was won in 3 hours 45 minutes by Roman Van Uden (Pure Black Racing) who had plenty of time to celebrate has he crossed the line eight seconds ahead of Justin Kerr and defending champion Patrick Bevin.

Hardly time to enjoy the spectacular scenary

The lead group thinks tactics

Tough climbs and headwind were no excuse not to try and break away

Roman Van Uden had a comfortable lead into the finish and time to celebrate

WorkoutZone Elite Women’s 100km Road Race
The Women’s event saw 39 competitors keeping together as a bunch for most of the ride with the head wind and tough climbs preventing attacks or break aways from gaining too much distance. The race came down to a sprint finish which was won by Kate Chilcott (Auckland) in a time of 2:55.25 with Sonya Waddell (Hamilton) coming in second and Cath Cheatley (Wanganui) in third.

We interviewed the Jenny McPherson from the Australian Prime Estate Cycling Team who provide an exciting account of the race… right down to the bitter end.

On open roads, the peloton enjoyed a support convoy though still had passing traffic on the right

The Women’s peloton remained largely together with breakways quickly absorbs in the tough conditions.

My 160km Cycle Challenge
The event was superbly organized with all cyclists required to enter their target time in which they want to finish, riders were then allocated into the appropriate start group. All cyclists were issued with electronic timing tags and given a hydration backpack, this was included as part of the Cycle Challenge entry kit which also included the racing numbers for the bike and helmet.

The night before the big event I was ready. I ate and slept well, all went to plan. My aim was to finish the course in 6hrs 30mins, while others simply wanted to finish. I got to the start line early and in amongst 9.500 other cyclists, found my starting group. What a sight to behold as we all crammed into the main street

RC with his sights on 6 hours 30 minutes for the 160km solo ride around Lake Taupo.

The day had already started to warm up which was a reminder to keep hydrated. This means drinking 1 bottle per hour or more, and I knew I had to keep drinking and eating. I brought protein bars, gels and bananas with me to keep my energy levels up. There were 4 drink stations and I didn’t want to miss any of them.

Right after the race was started by the announcer, the 9.500 strong peloton started to string out. There was a lot of chatter amongst the riders and a lot of overtaking.

9.500 cyclists descend on the starting gates for their own 160km challenge

The course begins with an uphill and some cyclists were already walking?it was going to be a very long day for them. Only 159kms to go! Over the first 38kms the road was undulating with 350 meters in climbing. Once I passed over the first few undulations I found a strong group that I was comfortable riding with as we cycled past the first drink station, our drinks still quite full.

Waihaha Hill
At 58kms the first major hill, Waihaha Hill approached. A 100 meter ascent over 2.9kms really put everyone to the test, either you have been training on hills, or your haven’t. Riders have to tackle this hill at their own pace.

I continued riding with the same bunch, minus a few that had been dropped and plus a few that had joined us. Our average speed was sitting steadily at 33-34kmh/r. After 86kms you there is another ascent, Kuratau Hill has a 110 meters rise over 2.8kms. More undulations follow and at this point it was easy to recognise which cyclists had been training. I felt comfortable riding the undulations and climbs after training in Tasmania for 12 weeks leading up this ride.

Finding your own pace and a group was not easy on this ride

Something I didn’t expect were the hundreds of water bottles littering the side of the road, had they bounced out or been flung out or dropped? There was even the odd bicycle pump – a warning to be very aware when travelling at speed. The odd tandem bike came flying past on the downhill’s, they really got up to speed!

The Shores of Lake Taupo
At the 98km mark there is a long fast downhill section with signs every 50 meters reminding you to slow down. Sitting on 70kmh/r on this section was a fantastic feeling, all the way to the shores of Lake Taupo.

I knew from my planning that there was then a 40km stretch which was relatively flat. I found this hard after pushing up the climbs and I couldn’t get into a group. For most of this section, I was battling into a slight headwind alone.

Don’t look up, don’t think about the top

Hatepe Hill
With encouraging signs on the side of the road, I kept on riding and pushing. There was time to take a drink and look at the scenery which was spectacular; snow covered mountains hovering over the blue waters of Lake Taupo. The next sign read “Don’t think about Hatepe Hill”. I hadn’t been thinking about it but now I was! “Hatepe ahead” reads the next sign. Hatepe Hill is a 140 meter ascent over 2.9kms and at the bottom there is a sign telling you to select a low gear, keep pedaling and don’t look at the top.

Another hill, another champion

In front of me were hundreds of riders, or maybe half the entire peloton struggling up Hatepe. I followed the wheel of the guy in front, waited till he died then caught another wheel, and another wheel until I was on my own. Pushing until I was finally over the top, in 32 degree heat and with only 20kms to go. This climb after 140kms was as tough as I expected. Most of the peloton was still struggling up Hatepe as I headed down trying to catch the riders in front. I wanted to cross the finish line strong.

Without the same time pressures at the Elite Men, it was possible to enjoy the ride and the day as a solo contender

The Finish
With 10kms to go there is still one small climb to come, I pushed h
rd, sprinting up the last section while passing more riders who had bonked. I tried to work with a few others but their legs couldn’t take it and I left them behind. I was on top of my game. During the last few kms I really pushed to keep the dial at 34 km/h. After already riding 155km already my legs couldn’t give much more.

I crossed the line in 6 hours and 1 second, an achievement that was well within my allotted time. The volunteers took my transponder as I made my way through the gates to get some much needed pineapple and a massage.

The Race in Review
I was very impressed with how smoothly this massive event is run with over 1000 volunteers, race marshals, rest stops, water stations, everything was well arranged and fabulous.

After the ride, it is a carnival-like atmosphere. You can mingle with the other competitors, get some food and drink, and watch the BMX guys do their insane jumps.

As you ride around the lake you get to talk in short breaths to other riders and hear some amazing stories how important this event is to many of the riders. One story in particular was how a husband had lost his wife in an accident whilst she was out training for this ride. He continued to train and rode the solo 160km Cycle Challenge in memory of her. After the ride he told us how she was still with him supporting him through the ride.

Rob’s Taupo Riding Tips
After being in the saddle for 6 hours I highly recommend that you have some very good knicks or your derriere may suffer. Pacing yourself is important, know what your limits are and try and find a group which is riding at your pace. If you can work together, it breaks the monotony and also gives each rider a rest.

Carry plenty of water with you, at least two bottles and remember to fill up. Make sure you keep eating throughout the entire ride. Take in protein and carbohydrates for the first 3-4 hours and then gels in the last couple of hours. A rough guide is 1 gram of carbohydrates for every kilo you weigh per hour.

To get to Lake Taupo, Air New Zealand fly twice weekly from Sydney directly to Rotorua, which is just under an hour away from Lake Taupo by car. Check in was easy and hassle free. The flight was smooth and the hostesses were friendly and helpful. The seating was 3 abreast but very comfortable and there was enough room to relax into the seat and enjoy the in-flight entertainment which is available from the moment you board.

If you are planning to ride in this event, you need to book accommodation early as Taupo and surrounding towns are filled to capacity during the event. To get an overview of the area and get help in finding accommodation, the Taupo Visitor Website is a good place to start: www.laketauponz.com. You can also read up on some of the other great activities there are in this region in our “Out and About Special”

So would I do it again?
You bet! I want to come back again next year, get some more of my riding group over to NZ and ride this race as a group. The dates are already announced for 2011, the 160km cycle challenge is on November 26. Information and registration online: www.cyclechallenge.com

Jenny McPherson has a long list of National, State and International achievements. We interviewed Jenny in November for BNA and she discussed her role as a sprinter or lead out rider for team mate Nicole Whitburn. At Taupo, the team also raced in an extra event, a criterium around the streets of the town on Friday night and Jenny came second (followed by teammate Nicole).

Jenny McPherson (l) 2nd, Cath Cheatley (m) 1st and Nicole Whitburn (r) 3rd in the womens criterium

The main challenge however was the 100km Workout Zone Women’s Road Race that began and ended in Taupo. RC speaks to Jenny McPherson in New Zealand after the women’s race for Bicycles Network Australia (BNA)

BNA: What were your team tactics at the beginning of the race?

McPherson: To win of course! Nicole (Whitburn) and I are the sprinters, so our aim was to take out the intermediate sprint and look for opportunities to get into a break away in order to try and get over Hatepe hill before the main group. Naomi (Williams) and Bec (Rebecca Loche) being the hill climbers, were to save their legs for the majority of the race and follow attacks on the climb. Then with the short and downhill run to the finish, hopefully lead each other out for the win.

A relaxing moment before racing kicks-off with the Australian Prime Estate women’s team

BNA: We have seen attacks right from the line, when did the attacks start this year?

McPherson: We were riding into a bit of a head wind, which made it less inviting to get a small group off the front. There was a short climb at the beginning of the race which stung the legs a bit and a few girls tried to keep it strung out but no one got any kind of decent gap.

The climbs around Lake Taupo are not for the faint hearted

BNA: Did any team start to reel them in or were they let go with riders looking to conserve energy?

McPherson: Nicole and I tried a few times to attack, but generally riders just got tired from riding into the wind and drifted back to the bunch without a dedicated chase. There didn’t seem to be many other girls working together to try and set up a break. Mainly individuals wanting to conserve themselves for the Hatepe climb.

BNA: Are there lots of nerves in the first few kilometers?

McPherson: Not really, it was under control until we were out of the main township of Taupo. The road was pretty open and straight, and with a bunch of about 40 it was pretty relaxed! Naomi and I were on the front at the beginning, and Naomi pulled out $10 note and rode up the road a bit and called out ‘Sprint Prime’.. just to stir the girls up as a joke!

The women’s peloton, controlled here by Jenny, made it hard for riders to breakaway

BNA: The Prime Estate Team was right up there setting the tempo, was this part of the plan? Any other teams help you out?

McPherson: Yes, we wanted to make our presence felt in the bunch. There were many strong individuals, who did help do some chasing but they didn’t take advantage of trying to get in a break with one of our team members. Had they done this, they would have had the benefit of another 3 girls from our team to help block and stop others from chasing the break down.

Naomi Williams climbing as cars overtake on the right

BNA: What was the tempo like for the first 50kms?

McPherson: I don’t ride with a speedo anymore, I just look at time – which reminds me to drink and eat regularly. I didn’t eat anything until after Turangi (1hr & 30mins riding), which shows I wasn’t working super hard. Normally I’d eat something every 30-45mins.

BNA: Did the team have to chase down any wheels?

McPherson: The surprise attack came from a NZ girl called ‘Chubby”, she attacked 15km or so before the climb and she kept the gap until the top of the climb! With a nickname like that, we weren’t too concerned about chasing her down, but with the tailwind home, the gap quickly blew out and we didn’t get any updates about how far in front she was getting.

While the field spread on the climbs, the descents brought the field back togethers

BNA: At the 25km to the finish had the pace started to lift? Were you all working together at this point?

McPherson: At this point, Chubby was still out in front and Bec decided to test her legs out with an attack and she was able to get a gap on the bunch. The rest of the bunch seemed content to just keep riding and wait for the climb. This suited our team perfectly because Bec has a triathlon background and can climb well. Bec had the opportunity to chase and pass Chubby on the climb and time trial to the finish and take the win! But alas, it wasn’t to be.

The women’s peloton clears the peak and settle into the ascent

BNA: It’s tough to gauge the difficulty of Hatepe Hill looking at its profile, how tough was that climb for you?

McPherson: On paper it doesn’t look super tough, but the fact that I had been attacking and chasing a lot in the middle part of the race, I wasn’t feeling very fresh and therefore my leg speed slowed down quite a bit going up the hill!

I’m twice the height and weight of a lot of these riders so I have to rely on my power to get up the climbs, but when you’ve already ridden 80km and been attacking and chasing a lot, there’s not much power left!

BNA: Did anyone attack on the climb which surprised the group?

McPherson: I think everyone was waiting/watching Cath Cheatley (NZ professional riding for American women’s cycling team) to attack, which she did at the base of the climb.

The breakaways on the tough climbs were mostly doomed

BNA: Tell us about the crowds along the course?

McPherson: There were a few scattered people cheering through towns along the course. I remember there was a band set up playing music on the way back which was a little unusual!

BNA: How tough were the conditions out on the course?

McPherson: The toughest part was having to getting up at 5.30am for a 7am start! But the upside of that, we were finished by 10am and the temperature hadn’t gotten too hot.

The traffic was also a little scary, especially when the group bunched up across the road. However, the race officials did a great job creating awareness of our bunch on the road by using motorbikes and cars to warn motorists to keep a safe distance when passing us.

BNA: Can you take us through the last 5kms of the race, how the team was going, where were you situated, did you have any tactics?

McPherson: With 5km to go, Naomi and Bec were in the lead bunch of about 15 or so riders. Nicole and I had been dropped on the climb and were in the 2nd group of about 8 riders chasing hard. We had the lead group in sight and were gradually pegging them back and looked set to catch them in the closing kilometer.

Then tragedy struck, bikes and riders in the lead bunch went skidding across the road! We could see Bec and Naomi on their feet thankfully, but 10 riders from the lead bunch were still able to squeeze through and head for the finish line. Nicole and I were chasing harder than ever, but were not able to close the gap finishing 10 seconds behind the winner.

Thank you for your time, we wish you and your team crash free finishes and podium placings for 2011.

Jenny McPherson finished in 13th place (2:55:37) with team mate Nicole Whitburn in 11th (2:55:36) while the Team Prime Estate finish line sprint contenders Naomi Williams and Rebecca Loche lost over two minutes after the crash.

Top Ten Results in the Workout Zone Women’s Road Race

1 Kate Chilcott (Auckland /  NZ)  2:55:25
2 Sonia Waddell  (Hamilton /  NZ)  2:55:25
3 Cath Cheatley  (Wanganui /  NZ)  2:55:25
4 Emma Crum (Auckland /  NZ)  2:55:25
5 Emily Collins  (Auckland /  NZ)  2:55:25
6 Corrine Smit (Whakatane /  NZ)  2:55:25
7 Karen Fulton (Nelson /  NZ)  2:55:25
8 Kerri-anne Torckler (Havelock North /  NZ)  2:55:26
9 Melanie Burke (Auckland /  NZ)  2:55:26
10 Paula McCoy  (Auckland /  NZ)  2:55:26

We are in New Zealand and have a big ride to compete in, but that’s not all, we are in New Zealand, a country with a lot on offer.  Join me as I reveal some of the highlights from Lake Taupo and Rotorua outside of the Cycle Challenge.

Getting there is easy, Air New Zealand fly twice a week from Sydney to Rotorua where you can pick up a hire car from the airport and drive directly to Taupo which is about an hours drive through the expansive Radiata Pine Forests. With over 100 million trees over 22.000 hectares, the rich volcanic soil speeds the growth so that the Radiate Pine Exports are a major contributor to the economy.

Lake Taupo reveals itself
As you drive over the crest into Taupo the view is utterly spectacular, the glassy lake shimmering before the beautiful snow capped mountains. I had to stop to enjoy the view,  it’s just that sort of place.

Taupo is a beautiful tranquil town on the shores of Lake Taupo. Lake Taupo is the largest lake in the southern hemisphere (606 sq km) and was created by the world’s largest volcanic eruption in the last 5,000 years. Evidence of the eruption is everywhere, there are steaming pools, spectacular cliffs and geysers.

All of the locals are friendly and welcome tourists into their town, it has to be one of the friendliest places I have ever been to.

The region offers activities to suit a wide range of interests and age groups; wine tours, sky diving, thermal pools, swimming, cycling, skiing, sailing and an absolutely beautiful natural environment to enjoy.

The adrenalin kick with the Huka Falls Jet Boat
If you’re into action sports, a mere 20 minutes drive from town brings you to the Huka Falls Jet Boat where you can enjoy a wild 30 minute ride to the magnificent Huka Falls along the Waikato River. After short safety instructions on the do’s and don’ts and getting fitted up with safety gear, our driver made a crack about "not losing anyone today".

The Waikato River is the North Islands largest river and is squeezed between two narrow rock faces with 250,000 litres of water cascading over the Huka falls causing a brilliant display of color, power and beauty. The water is crystal clear as you travel from the jetty up o the Aratiatia Dam where hydro electric energy is generated.

The driver was a real entertainer and an expert behind the wheel as we hurtled narrowly past rock walls, river banks and debris at up to 80 kmh. With a hand signal from the driver it was time to hang on as he maneuvered for another 360. If you give him a bit of cheek then he will really give you the time of your life.

Relaxing on the Barbary sailing ship
Still in the water, but with a completely different pace, you can sail aboard a part of history. The Barbary sailing boat was once owned by the infamous Errol Flynn who is said to have won her in a card game. The ship sailed the world and was then purchased by a New Zealander in 1947. She broke her mooring and was severely damaged in 1976 to be salvaged and restored to her former glory in a two year long labour of love by Bill Dawson.

Captain Bill Dawson will tell you tales (some tall ones) onboard the 50 footer about the Barbary, Lake Taupo and the rich Maori history. Onboard you can take in the snow capped mountainous and the Maori rock carvings along the cliff faces. This is the perfect opportunity to escape and enjoy life.

On Yer Bike Wine Tours
The ultimate in leisure is riding your bike while enjoy the best of the wine country. On Yer Bike Wine Tours is an easy 90 minute drive, 146km North of Taupo. The tour owner and operator Julie Russell will give you the opportunity to travel through the region by bike and visit wineries along the 25km route. You can choose which ones to visit and you are equipped with a good bike, helmet, packed lunch, water and a mobile if you want to call to be picked up.

On the winery tour, I joined the winners of the BNA and Contact Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge competition who won the trip for two to New Zealand to compete in the race. The winners were fortunate to enjoy accommodation at the Huka Falls Resort and the Hilton Lake Taupo. They chose a tandem and we reviewed the map before all setting off.

The road and trails are flat and it is easy to navigate from vineyard to vineyard. As you ride through olive groves, orchards, horse studs, vineyards and lush green hills, the wineries are well marked and the vineyard owners welcoming. You can treat yourself to New Zealand’s finest wines, ports, liqueurs and oils.

It’s worth extending your stay after participating in the Cycle Challenge to enjoy the region, though register and book early. During race time, accommodation is completely booked out. The 2011 Contact Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge has been announced for Saturday 26 November.

Event Information and registration: www.cyclechallenge.com
Activities and accommodation can be found through the Taupo Visitor Centre: www.laketauponz.com

IG Markets Stage 2
146km Tailem Bend to Mannum
In Stage two, Robbie McEwen avoided the crashes and finished behind Ben Swift to take the Ochre Jersey from Tasmanian Matthew Goss. Crashes caused havok in the final kilometres of the stage which saw Goss, Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad), US sprinter Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Cervelo) and Australians Chris Sutton (Sky),  Michael Rogers (Sky) and Bernard Sulzberger (UNI SA) also go down.

There was gravel on the sides of the road as well as a line of gravel in the middle of the road. As the riders came out fo the final corner there was gravel in the middle of the road. Wheels went sliding bringing several riders down.

“It’s nice to be in the lead,” said McEwen after the stage.  “I was gunning to win the stage and I went from quite a way out to try to spring the element of surprise through the inside at about 250m to go.  Swifty came up with a really good lead out and won the stage so good on him.  I managed to hold on for second and with the bonus seconds it’s a nice surprise to be leading.”

Colemans Group Stage 3
129km Unley to Stirling
Michael Matthews of Team Rabobank took out Stage 3 in the sprint finish which also put Matthew Goss back in the Ochre Jersey in the overall standings and last years winner, Andr? Greipel of Germany into second overall. Goss had to chase the peloton with 10km to go after a puncture.

Matthews is in the spoltlight after his U23 win in the UCI World Championships in Melbourne in 2010 and recent Bay Classic Series win.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Matthews “This is probably one of the most difficult stages I’ve ridden and one of the most difficult in this tour. It’s really great to win this one and thanks to my team.

TDU Mutual Community Stage 4
124km Norwood to Strathalbyn
The Australians keep up appearances on home soil with Cameon Meyer take his first win as a pro he joins a breakaway group in the final 35km than managed to keep the peloton at bay.

“We kept the time gap in check and then put the gas down,” said Meyer. “If it was going to come back the plan was to lead Tyler out.

“It’s going to be hard to keep the jersey but we are going to give it a
red hot go. Tomorrow is one of the longest stages so maybe let a break go and take the time bonuses and let the sprinters’ teams bring it back. The time bonuses over the next two days will make it hard for sure.”

With this win, Cameron Meyer also took out the Ochre jersey ahead of Laurens ten Dam and Matthew Goss.

Jayco Stage 5
131km McLaren Vale to Willunga
While the Aussie riders Matthews and Goss fought in the sprint finish of the 131km stage, Spanish Movistar rider Francisco Ventoso took line honors to leave Cameron Meyer in Ochre and Matthew Goss in second overall.

It was a stage of attacks as riders challenges for points and Skoda King of the Mountain jersey holder Luke Roberts (Uni SA) claimed maximum points crossing Old Willunga Hill. Jack Bobridge (Garmin-Cerv?lo), Richie Porte (Saxo Bank) and Belgium Radio Shack rider Ben Hermans attempted a breakaway at the foot though were caught 10 kilometres from the finish.

The Spanish rider proved too strong for the Aussie TDU Stage and GC contenders Meyer, Matthews and Goss.

“We have a new sponsor this year and to win is really important. We can be calm for the rest of the year, now we have won a race,” said Ventoso of his Movistar team that now leads the Brilliant Blend team standings ahead of Vacansoleil-DCM and AG2R la Mondiale.

“My legs today are stronger than other days. The crowds were incredible and the ambience is very special for cycling,” said the jubilant stage winner.

The final stage of the Santos Tour Down Under takes the peloton on a 90km round trip starting and finishing in Adelaide. Cameron Meyer of team Garmin-Cervélo has good chances though will need strong team support to keep his lead and prevent a surprise attack.

Photos : Santos Tour Down Under / Regallo

A five man breakaway got away early in the 138km first stage of the Tour Down Under but was the peloton narrowed the gap to 2 minutes in the final 10 kilometers.

The three big teams Omega Pharma-Lotto, Garmin-Cervelo and HTC-Highroad and controlled much of the race. Julian Dean Garmin-Cervelo punctured in the final 10 kilometers and the whole team and to work hard to bring him back to the peloton.

In the final 5kkms the whole peloton was together, Team Sky and HTC-Highroad controlled the peloton in the final kilometer.

HTC-Highroad went to the front with Mark Renshaw, Goss and Mark Cavendish with Gripel sitting on Cav’s wheel. Earlier in the day Cav has said he would work for Goss for the win.

Renshaw lead the sprinters out into final hundred meters, the sprinting was chaotic and Renshaw pulled over for Goss who gets the win. Crossing the finish line, Renshaw threw his hands up celebrating his team mates win, with Gripel second and McEwen coming in third.

Matthew Goss has his first ever stage win of the Tour Down Under and he will be defending the Ochre jersey on Stage 2.

Top Three Places in Stage 1 of the 2011 Tour Down Under
1 Matt Goss (HTC-Highroad)
2 Andre Greipel (Omega Pharma-Lotto)
3 Robbie McEwen (Team Radioshack)

Photos : Santos Tour Down Under / Regallo

Some of the very best in road cycling have competed at the Santos Tour Down Under during its eleven year history.  Tour de France winners Lance Armstrong, Oscar Pereiro, Alberto Contador and Carlos Sastre have all raced in Adelaide, alongside Aussie legends Stuart OGrady, Robbie McEwen, Cadel Evans and Allan Davis.

In 2011, the Tour Down Under has attracted Australia’s top riders and teams to compete for the Santos Ochre Leaders jersey in the Tour Down Under.

Olympic gold medalist Luke Roberts will ride for the Australian national team, UniSA-Australia, at the Santos Tour Down Under. Roberts, who achieved Olympic glory at the Athens Olympics in 2004 with a track gold medal in the team pursuit, also won the third stage in the Tour of Murcia this year. He was fifth overall in the 2010 Santos Tour Down Under and came second in the Jayco Stage Five of the Tour.

Robbie McEwen will debut with his new team, Team RadioShack, at the Santos Tour Down Under. McEwen was part of the Pegasus Sports project which failed to get a ProTour or Professional Continental license for the upcoming season and opted to change teams. "The young guys like Cavendish, Farrar or Greipel are tough to beat but I know that I am still amongst that group of elite sprinters."

Richie Porte will be riding for his new team Saxo Bank SunGard.  When he turned professional in 2010, Porte had an exceptional start to his professional career, leading the Giro d’Italia for three days and capturing the Maglia Rosa leaders’ jersey.

Top lead-out man Mark Renshaw will again be leading out Mark Cavendish for team HTC Highroad, Renshaw has previously won Stage 1 of the Tour Down Under in 2008.

South Australian young gun turned pro cyclist, Tim Roe will be compting with his new team Team BMC. Having spent the past year riding with Lance Armstrong’s Trek Livestrong Under-23 Team, it will be interesting to see how Roe has developed as a rider.

The only rider to have competed in every edition of the Santos Tour Down Under, Australia’s Allan Davis will be competing again in 2011.  The 30-year old won the Santos Tour Down Under in 2009, and prior to that, he has had six stage wins and finished second overall at the event in 2005 and 2008.

Reigning Under-23 World Champion, Michael Mathews, will debut with his new team Rabobank at the 2011 Santos Tour Down Under. Matthews has shown he can perform at the big occasions when he won the under 23 road race at the 2010 World Championships

Cameron Wurf makes his first appearance at the 2011 Santos Tour Down Under for the Liquigas Cannondale team. Wurf, who has a bright future ahead of him in professional cycling, wants to put in a strong performance.

Stuart O’Grady will be again racing the Tour Down Under. The two time TDU winner has recovered from the broken ribs he sustained in a ski accident last month and has confirmed he is fit to ride in Adelaide.  In 2007, O’Grady became the first Australian ever to win the Paris-Roubaix race. He is also a three-time Tour de France stage winner.  O’Grady will compete with his new team, Team Leopard-Trek.

Team Leopard Racing has signed Tasmanian Will Clarke former winner of the Australian National Road Series in 2009. 

The Santos Tour Down Under starts on Sunday January 16 with the 51km Cancer Council Classic preview event in Adelaide.