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Young track cyclists working hard for recognition

Cycling New Zealand

Thursday 24 June 2010, 4:09PM

By Cycling New Zealand

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The BikeNZ sprint team (from left) Sam Webster, Ethan Mitchell, Adam Stewart, Justin Grace (coach) and Eddie Dawkins with the cheetahs Osiris and Anubis at Auckland Zoo
The BikeNZ sprint team (from left) Sam Webster, Ethan Mitchell, Adam Stewart, Justin Grace (coach) and Eddie Dawkins with the cheetahs Osiris and Anubis at Auckland Zoo Credit: Ross Land

The burgeoning BikeNZ sprint cycling team head overseas next week for a prolonged 12 week build up for the Commonwealth Games, keen to ensure they are not an endangered species in this country.

It is believed to be the first time that New Zealand has developed a programme around a sprint team in any sport in this country, which has garnered most of its international success at Olympic and Commonwealth Games in endurance sports.

The youthful team of junior world champion teenagers Sam Webster and Ethan Mitchell, 21 year old Eddie Dawkins and Adam Stewart, 22, will be joined by Japan-based Simon Van Velthooven to prepare for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

Coach Justin Grace said it was exciting that New Zealand is developing a sprint programme and he was keen to develop them into a world class performers looking ahead to 2012 and 2016 Olympics.

Grace is determined to develop them into a world class performers looking ahead to 2012 and 2016 Olympics.

Grace took the fastest men on wheels on a team building exercise to get up close and personal to the fastest animals in the world, the cheetahs at Auckland Zoo today.

“It’s a chance for these individuals to start to bond as a group. And we do not want to become an endangered species like these cheetahs,” Grace said. “There are lots of similarities in our make-up, aerodynamics and top speed as these cheetahs. It’s been a remarkable experience to be able to walk with these remarkable animals like this in Auckland Zoo.”

Grace said that BikeNZ is keen to mould this young group into a world class outfit, which in turn may attract more people to sprint cycling.

“We just happen to have a group of sprinters who have reached this standard at the same time. They are all so young in a sport where riders can compete into their mid-30s.

“They took a major step forward at the world championships this year where we are now fifth in the world in the team sprint and Eddie (Dawkins) was fifth in the Kilo.

“This is the first time any of them have been able to train and compete overseas and it will be an outstanding experience as well as a vital build-up for Delhi.”

The group will head to Trexlertown in the USA for five weeks, joining some of the other members of the BikeNZ track team, before heading to Germany for further training and competition against many of the world’s best.

After the final team is named late next month, they will join the Commonwealth Games track team for final preparations at Bourdeaux before heading to Delhi.