Glorious Weather - Glorious Cycling

Palmerston North Marist Cycling Club held its annual Crank It Cycles Twin Peaks Tour on Saturday and those fortunate enough to attend were treated to a glorious autumn day with cycling to match.

Photo: Manawatu Standard 

The first stage of this tour races from Ashhurst, over the Pahiatua Track, on to Balance and then up the Woodville side of The Saddle, finishing on the summit with a backdrop of the wind turbines - two very demanding climbs. It saw Michael Torckler of New Plymouth give an impeccable demonstration of road riding, on what most would consider  mountains, to win the stage. His ride up The Saddle was controlled and to the uninitiated appeared almost effortless.

Torckler, who went on to win A-Grade Tour is an excellent young rider who will be off to train in France with the New Zealand development squad later in the year.

There were two further stages, a time trial and another road race, both of which were closely contested.

Local riders fared well with Matt Hales winning the U-17 event, Cameron Senior runner-up in the B-Grade and Peter O'Sullivan coming home as the first veteran. In the A-Grade James Dobson's forth place saw him the best of the local A-Grade riders.

Rachel Mercer won the women's event from Wadestown and the B-Grade winner Scott Green of Rotorua.

Nick Dobson

Palmerston North Marist Cycling Club Press Officer

Ph 027 212 5807