BikeNZ-Pure Black riders battle world's best and weather in Europe

The BikeNZ-Pure Black Racing Under-23 cycling team will be looking for more favourite conditions when they take on their third Nations Cup race in eight days this weekend.

The six-race European leg is part of the UCI Nations Cup, which is an international series for the world’s best under-23 riders and is regarded as the ideal springboard for young riders to gain experience against top class competition and come under the eye of the professional team scouts.

Twenty-six nations have entered the Nations Cup this year, bringing in their best under-23 rides from professional and amateur teams alike to contest the series.

The BikeNZ-Pure Black Racing team head north from their base in Belgium to contest the 190km ZLM Tour in The Netherlands on Sunday (NZ time).

The in-form Cameron Karwowski (Southlandl), Fraser Gough (Hawkes Bay) and Tour of Southland champion Josh Atkins (Canterbury) were the leading kiwi riders finishing in the peloton in yesterday’s second race, the La Cote Picarde. The 160-strong field battled a tough course in the Somme region of France, with much climbing amid harsh conditions with driving rain and strong winds that resulted in numerous crashes.

The kiwi trio rode strongly and out of major trouble in the large peloton with a group of five riders going clear with 80kms remaining. Two riders survived the break with Norway’s Vegard Breen claiming the title from Leopard Trek professional Bob Jungels (LUX), the 2010 world junior time trial champion.

Karwowski, Fraser and Atkins rode strongly to finish mid-pack in the peloton in the brutal conditions.

They head to the Dutch coast for Sunday’s race, which is a 190km loop starting and finishing in Goes, which is between Rotterdam and Antwerp. It is a flat and fast course with riders expecting better weather conditions.

BikeNZ coach Daniel Healey has brought in Invercargill’s Pieter Bulling and Hamilton’s Scott Creighton for their first start in the Nations Cup. Both have strong backgrounds on the track with Creighton winning a medal at last year’s junior world champions and Bulling picking up two fourth placings the previous year.

“Scott and Piet have been building a solid base and since both are still teenagers it was important that they race at this level in an event that is suited to their track background,” said Healey.

“ZLM is flat and fast and both Piet and Scott will be reliable teammates as well as earn invaluable international experience.”

US-based Team Bissell professional Patrick Bevin (Taupo) will lead the way with Karwowski, Dion Smith and Taylor Gunman along with the two newcomers.

“We have a few guys carrying injuries from crashes who needed a break and it’s a very tough week for these guys with three big races of the highest calibre in a week.

“They are responding well and Sunday’s course will favour the likes of Patrick and Cameron if we can position them well in what looks like another incredibly strong field filled with world champion medallists and riders already well experienced in professional teams.”

There will be no rest for the BikeNZ-Pure Black Racing team who will travel immediate from the Netherlands race for the next Nations Cup event, which is a five-day tour in Italy.

The BikeNZ-Pure Black Racing Under-23 squad is an initiative with Avanti to create an international road racing development programme with the aim of the group forming a nucleus working towards the 2016 Rio Olympics on both the track and road.

Results, Under 23 UCI Nations Cup, La Cote Picarde 176km: Vegard Breen (NOR) 4:11.03, 1; Bob Jungels (LUX) at 2 secs, 2; Jonas Ahlstrand (SWE) at 12 secs, 3. Also: Cameron Karwowski (NZL) at 12 secs, 67; Fraser Gough (NZL) same time, 68; Josh Atkins (NZL) same time, 77.