Thrilling finish at Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge Criterium

Thrilling finish at Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge Criterium

24 November 2017
For immediate use

It was thrilling and exciting on the streets of Taupō’s CBD tonight as the annual Lake Taupō Cycle Challenge Criterium got underway creating plenty of enthusiasm in the build-up to tomorrow’s main event, which gets underway early in the morning (Saturday 25 November) with over 6,000 cyclists taking up a range of on and off-road challenges around the Lake Taupo district.

Seventeen youngsters who plan to ride in the Kids Heart Ride tomorrow took part in the event’s first-ever Kid’s Criterium, which led nicely into the more serious Criterium with elite female and male riders, racing the streets for prize money. The annual NZ Defence Force race which has the Air Force and Navy take on NZ Army to cycle it out for bragging rights, with NZ Army coming first overall and Air Force second.

The Women’s Criterium was won by Sharlotte Lucas, with Ellesse Andrews second and Matilda Raynolds third.

Sam Gaze was first across the line in the men’s Criterium with Luke Mudgway second and Alexander Ray third.

Taking an even longer way around Lake Taupo, the four-lap Maxi Enduro's took off at 10.30 this morning on their 640km journey. The field includes last years two-lap enduro winner and recent Tour of Southland yellow jersey stage winner Roman Van Uden, as well as UMCA six-hour World Champ, Andy Jackson, all the way from the UK.

“It’s always a thrill to see Taupō bulging with excited people, their bikes and supporters,” says Event Director, Aaron Carter. “There’s around 17,000 extra people in town and it creates a fabulous festive feel and almost doubles our population.”

While cyclists are participating in the many levels of road and mountain bike challenges, supporters are well looked after at the Event Village with live music, activities for children, food and beverages, as well as Taupo’s many other range of boutique retail, scenic and adventure tourist attractions.

There’s an outstanding list of major and minor spot prizes with an all-new Holden Trax car valued at $32,990, as well as two ten day Taillite campervan holiday rentals up for grabs.

“The Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge is a celebration. It’s an incredible, unique opportunity for thousands of like-minded people to spend time together to connect and share what they love, which seems to be getting off the couch and onto their bikes in one of NZ’s truly great regions, Lake Taupo,” says Carter.

Back in 1977, event founder Walter De Bont had a vision to get 25 other riders together and cycle around Lake Taupo to raise funds for what was then the IHC charity. Now owned by the Lake Taupō Rotary Club, since 1977 the event has generated over $3.4m for community groups and more than $700,000 for Heart Kids, the event’s official charity. The not-for-profit event injects an estimated $7million into the Taupō economy every year.

Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge event information can be found at:
www.cyclechallenge.com
ENDS

ABOUT LAKE TAUPO CYCLE CHALLENGE
The Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge is NZ’s largest cycling event, with around 6,000 participants from New Zealand and 20 other countries taking part each year.
It is best known for its 160km Bike Barn Round The Lake, the one-lap circumnavigation of Lake Taupo, although this is just one of 13 categories on offer, with both road cycling and mountain bike options for individuals and teams, catering to all levels of cycling and fitness abilities.
www.cyclechallenge.com

OUR WHO & WHY
We’re the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge, one of NZ’s biggest annual sport participation events.

Our mission is for Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge to be the people’s choice that offers something for everyone and is known as a well-organised, fun, safe event that puts participants at the forefront of everything. Bringing together family, friends, and community, we believe the Cycle Challenge caters to all - from the absolute beginner, the weekend warrior through to the elite athlete, as well as the dedicated supporter.

In its 40 year history, the Cycle Challenge has become that favourite jersey or t-shirt that gets worn on the last Saturday of November each and every year. Our event is hosted by the communities of Taupo and allows us to showcase the beautiful and unique Taupo region to a wide variety of people from around NZ, and abroad.

Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge is managed and delivered by a small team of proud locals who feel honoured and privileged to be involved with such a large-scale, world-class event. We’ve developed over four decades, and have grown from grassroots to one of New Zealand’s most iconic sporting occasions. We are genuinely proud of what the event has become, and are committed to its future success.

We generate the largest economic impact of any event in the Taupo region, and arguably New Zealand. Owned by a Charitable Trust, and governed by a Rotary-appointed Board, all surpluses are injected back into the community, benefitting a number of worthy groups and organisations.
Our aim is that our valued event participants see Cycle Challenge as being innovative, aspirational, inclusive, challenging yet achievable, and quite simply, the best event of its kind.

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