North versus south at Pro-Velo Auckland 1000

A clutch of the country’s top domestic based road cyclists will battle out the Pro-Velo Auckland 1000, the opening race in BikeNZ’s National Road Race Points series at Karaka on Sunday.

Christchurch based Gordon McCauley and Jason Allen, who rode on the same pro-team in England last year will be the mainland’s top representatives, while North Island honours are likely to be upheld by Aaron Strong, Karl Murray and Jeremy Yates.

McCauley, the Commonwealth Games bronze medallist in the Time Trial at Melbourne two and a half years ago won the inaugural Auckland 1000 in 2005 and is a multi-national champion.

Allen who was on the final short list for the Olympics track squad also rode at Melbourne and while he is better known as a trackie, will be one rider to watch if the 125 kms race comes down to a bunch sprint.

Murray won the Auckland 1000 two years ago and he and Strong (both Auckland) always ride aggressively at the front of any race.

Yates, the former junior road world champion, from Hawkes Bay won both the Auckland and Club national titles on a longer version of the Karaka course last year.

A field of 60, including the debut of a team of Under 23 and Under 19 riders supported by race sponsor Pro-Velo, will line up for the event.

Elliot Crowther who took the U23 title at the club nationals last October is the favourite for that section of the race, which starts at 11am.

Meshy Holt of Te Awamutu, who took the Time Trial and Road Race double at the elite road nationals in January, is the hot favourite for the 78 kms women’s event which starts at 11.30am

While there are no big hills on the course several “undulations” appear to be enough to take the sting out of many riders’ legs, whether they are working hard in a long break or sitting in for the sprint, which happens to be on an uphill false flat!

Apart from the two races in the National Points series, the Auckland 1000 will also host races for B and C grade riders to cater for the large numbers of Masters Riders in competitive cycling.

The B graders will do 75 kms, while the C graders will cover three laps for 45 kms. An Under 17 race will also be held over three laps.

The Pro-Velo Auckland 1000 will be an early opportunity for the top local riders to rack up some good points at the start of the series, before other riders return home at the end of the northern hemisphere season and add even greater depth to the fields at later NPS rounds. There are 11 rounds in the new national series which finishes in April.