Underwood Returns To Defend Tour Of New Zealand Title

Underwood Returns To Defend Tour Of New Zealand Title

18 April 2013 Dan Underwood, the individual winner of the inaugural Tour of New Zealand last year, is returning from his base in Japan to defend his title.

Underwood was the leading North Island solo rider and beat the South Island’s individual solo leader Geoff Williamson to claim the Tour’s individual rider honours. After mastering the North Island Underwood is tackling the South Island course this year.

Defending team’s champion, Christchurch Boys High School will face competition from the NZ Airforce and Army Teams and an Australian Postal Service team along with several other very competitive teams.

The enthusiastic Holiday Brothers from Hong Kong are back, this time riding the South Island Course and say they are hoping to move up a place or two from their position at the rear of the field last year.

Kaitaia riders are strongly supporting the Tour of New Zealand in the North Island with a number of local riders cycling the Cape Reinga to Kaitaia stage. They will be joined by students from the local Abundant Life School.

Masterton’s Solway College is one of New Zealand's most historic girls' boarding schools, and it has 25 riders taking part in the Pahiatua to Masterton stage raising money for their School Hockey teams.

The South Island has seen a good turn out from Central Southland College and Wakatipu High School with students from both schools joining the tour for a stage to get the feel for bike racing amongst visiting internationals and to experience the exciting atmosphere of the event. The South Island will also feature nightly ‘peloton parties’ with musicians Janette and David St John.

The Tour starts at Bluff and Cape Reinga simultaneously on Saturday at 9am and concludes on the Beehive Grounds in Wellington on the 27th of April with a criterium that will see North Island riders will race against South Island Course riders on a tight 600 metre circuit starting on the front steps of Parliament. Notes

Southern Race starts in Bluff with Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt sending riders off.

The Cape Reinga start will be preceded by a welcome by local Iwi before the North Island competitors start their ride south

More than 230 riders will start simultaneously in Bluff and at Cape Reinga as the two pelotons race to the beehive over seven days.

20% of the Tour competitors are internationals.

One competitor (from Nelson) riding tandem is totally blind and hopes to complete the South Island course.

A target from sponsors and riders is to raise thousands of dollars for the Tour beneficiaries, the Heart Foundation, St Johns, Halberg Trust and Hikurangi bikes in schools programmes.

This is a totally unique event that involves racing cyclists, club cyclists and schools.

For the first time in New Zealand technology will be on board tracking individual riders as they compete. Downloaded information will mean riders live progress on each stage will be available for friends and family anywhere in the world to follow

For tour information including a full description of the stages visit www.tourofnewzealand.co.nz

For more info about individuals and teams see http://www.tourofnewzealand.co.nz/rb.php

Routes and daily stages see http://www.tourofnewzealand.co.nz/routes-and-daily-stages.php

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