Yates, Sheridan defend road titles in RaboPlus NZ Club Cycling
Wednesday 21 October 2009, 9:22AM
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It could be a “family affair” in this week’s RaboPlus New Zealand club cycling championships in Nelson.
The current BikeNZ national road series champions Jeremy Yates and partner Serena Sheridan from Hawkes Bay are favourites for honours in the championships that include both time trial and road race for not only elites but all age groups from juniors to masters.
Both will also defend the national club honours that they won in Wanganui last year.
Yates was the most impressive of the domestic-based cyclists on the road last summer, dominating the national series with a number of wins and will enjoy the lumpy nature of the circuit north of Nelson in Moutere.
The Ramblers rider will be chasing a three-peat after winning the club title in the road race in 2007 and 2008.
Sheridan, who with Yates has raced overseas on the New Zealand winter, will not need any introduction to the course as a Nelson competitor at the local Star & Garter Tasman club.
The time trials take place on Wednesday for all categories from 15km to 40kms for the elite men.
Bronwen Frazer (Star and Garter Tasman) will defend her senior women’s title over 25km but expect strong competition from clubmate Jeannie Kuhajek, Laura Thompson (Pegasus) and Kerri-Anne Torckler (Ramblers). The men’s title is open with last year’s winner Michael Torckler not competing.
The road race for age groups, para cyclists and some masters competition is on Thursday, further masters, under-19 and elite women on Friday with the under-17, under-23 and elite men on Saturday.
Manawatu’s Tom Findlay (Cycling New Plymouth) defends his under-19 honours over 128km in a top field including outstanding Taupo prospect Patrick Bevin, last year’s under-17 winner Josh Atkins (Pegasus) and world junior track champion Cameron Kawowski (Cycling Southland).
James Williamson (Central Otago) defends his under-23 title over 176kms with fellow Central rider Alex McGregor a likely challenger.
Emma Crum (Team Cyclosport), last year’s runner-up, is expected to provide the main competition for Sheridan in the senior women’s race over 128kms along with Kuhajek and Torckler, while 2008 omnium world champion Hayden Godfrey (Subway) and former Olympian Robin Reid (Star and Garter) should be prominent in the men’s race over 11 laps of the 16km lumpy circuit in Upper Moutere.