22 September 2009

Rimutaka climb back in Trust House Cycle Classic

The Rimutaka hill, among the toughest climbs in New Zealand cycling, is back for January’s 23rd Trust House Cycle Classic after an eight-year absence.   

To have the Upper Hutt to Masterton stage return is a coup for race director Jorge Sandoval. It used to be one of the features of the Wellington to Wairarapa and return tour, which started in 1988. Sandoval has been able to make it happen again thanks to the co-operation of Transit New Zealand, and it will require the hill road being closed to all traffic on January 27 from 9.30am to 11.00am. That is particularly important on the descent in to Featherston when the riders will reach speeds up to 100km/h.

Sandoval’s tour made its reputation on the quality of its hill climbs, and with the Rimutaka stage back it will make the first three days of the tour particularly arduous. Following stage one over the Rimutaka range stage two from Masterton finishes at the top of Wairarapa’s demanding Admiral hill. Between Masterton and Wainuioru there are eight climbs, and after the riders have completed the steepest hill in the region, Te Wharau, after 125km, and look for a bit of relief, they will see they still have a further 12km to go to the top of Admiral hill.
  
That climb has tended to decide the overall tour winner in previous tours. However, next year stage three from Masterton to Pahiatua and return includes five climbs, which will offer plenty of opportunity for the wearer of the tour leader’s yellow jersey to be challenged. Over the five days of racing there will be 64km of climbing.      

Brian Fowler, four times a winner of the tour, used to say that the Rimutaka climb was the toughest in New Zealand, Sandoval said. Fowler should know having been one of New Zealand’s most outstanding road cyclists, and having ridden up other possible challengers such as Bluff hill in the Tour of Southland, and the climbs up Mt Messenger and Paekakariki hill in the old North Island tour. The Rimutaka stage replaces the traditional opening one around Fraser Park in Lower Hutt.    

“The Rimutaka stage is a classic,” Sandoval said. “Cycling is gaining momentum in New Zealand, and we (tour directors) must design stages that are going to test the riders, and attract public interest. Tour racing is a test of strength, stamina, and endurance, and I’m really happy I’ve been able to lift the demands on the riders a further notch or two by including the Rimutaka climb.  

“It’s music to the ears of race directors when a rider curses them for coming up with a route they think is too hard.”

On day four the riders will compete 150km over the Gladstone circuit from Masterton and return, and on the last day, January 31, the riders will contest the crowd-pleasing Wellington city criterium on lower Lambton Quay.   

Sandoval is confident the more exciting race route will attract numerous quality professional teams, similar in standard to those who raced this year.