Iconic Team Cycling Event Tour of New Zealand Launched

Acting Minister for Economic Development, David Carter will welcome organizers of a 9-day nationwide staged team cycling event, to Parliament on Wednesday 18 May to officially launch the Tour of New Zealand.

At 8.00am on Saturday 14 April 2012, as the first rays of sun strike the grand old Cape Reinga Lighthouse,1000 cyclists will stand poised, ready to embark on the first stage of the Tour of New Zealand. Down south, approximately 2500 kilometres away, another 1000 cyclists, with their backs to Foveaux Strait and Stewart Island, will be under starter’s orders, ready to embark on their journey of a lifetime. Ahead of each group an eight day staged team ride through many of the country’s most scenic routes, roads and trails. The epic journey, involving 500 teams, will conclude with a showdown and final battle on a criterium circuit in the Beehive grounds. This is the Tour of New Zealand…

Tour of New Zealand, celebrating New Zealand's great rides, will kick off on April 14 2012. Thousands of cyclists in teams of three, four, or five will start simultaneously from Cape Reinga in the north and from Bluff in the south, to embark on a staged journey incorporating many of the most picturesque cycle ways in the country.

South Island teams will conclude their journey in Picton and then take dedicated Tour ferry crossings to Wellington, where they will join North Island riders who started their journey in Cape Reinga, eight days earlier. On Day 9 a criterion race in Wellington, involving just one rider from each team, will conclude the biggest team cycling event this country has ever hosted.

The event invites participation from competitive and recreational cyclists of all levels. Teams have the option to swap riders, change bikes, and introduce new members at nominated transition points along the route for each daily stage. It is possible for a new combination of cyclists to be wearing the team colours every day of the race, riding together to ensure their stage race time, based on the third rider crossing the finish line, reflects the collective team effort.

Media coverage nationally and internationally will be extensive and communities along the routes are being urged to participate by providing support services, catering facilities, event amenities, accommodation and by creating hallmark events at the beginning and end of each stage.

“The Tour will involve thousands of cyclists, their support crews and communities along the route in celebrating and promoting the amazing cycling tourism opportunities available right

here on our doorstep,” says co race director Ghene Snellen. “The Tour is designed to be totally inclusive; teams can include mountain and road cyclists from fiercely competitive levels to recreational cyclists. Categories include male open, female open, veteran, mixed open, corporate, family, youth and every combination. We are also encouraging businesses, sponsors, local regional authorities, schools, sporting and media personalities, service groups and sports clubs to work collaboratively with us to make the event a huge success."

In addition to promoting the health benefits of cycling, raising awareness of cycle touring and cycle ways, bringing communities together and generating economic benefits, the event will raise funds for three organisations that are already making a significant contribution to cycling in New Zealand; Westpac Rescue Helicopter Appeal, St John and The Hikurangi Foundation, an organisation that is helping communities develop a network of rural and urban cycleways and walkways.

Teams will be asked to commit to raising money, and all donations, along with any event profits from sponsorship and entry fees, will be distributed to the nominated charity groups. A range of sponsors have already agreed to support the event including Fulton Hogan who will be administering the traffic management plan for all race stages.

Hon David Carter and event organisers have invited a number of sporting and business personalities to the launch along with key supporters and sponsors from BikeNZ, SPARC, New Zealand Cycle Trail committee, NZ Olympic Committee, St John, Westpac Rescue Helicopter Appeal, Hikurangi Foundation, Fulton Hogan, Westpac, BMW, HireQuip, Hynds, NZ Safety, MapWorld, Untouched World and Merino Skincare. Many highly acclaimed representatives from the cycling and endurance sporting world have endorsed the event including Andrea Hewitt, Sam Malcolmson, Hayden Roulston, Sam Warriner, Greg Fraine, Richard Ussher and Steve Gurney.

The Tour is the brainchild of race organisers Peter Yarrell and Ghene Snellen, who combine their event management skills, business acumen, love of cycling, and enthusiasm for New Zealand’s outstanding riding opportunities in this ambitious undertaking. The pair has spent more than a year working voluntarily on developing the event. "We have committed to creating an exciting and iconic event that will promote the health and recreational benefits of cycling, highlight our amazing environment, attract international entries and generate huge media interest, nationally and abroad," says Peter Yarrell.

Entries for Tour of New Zealand open 1 August 2011. For detailed information on the event, route maps and registration information, visit www.tourofnewzealand.co.nz . A special feature of the website is a 3-dimensional map of the entire Tour route, enabling competitors to take a virtual tour of every race stage.

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