Avery favourite to take 2 from 2 in NI cup

Rotorua’s Clinton Avery will be aiming for a repeat of his win in Opotiki last weekend when he lines up at the 2nd round of the NZCT North Island Cross Country Cup in Rotorua tomorrow.

Competition is expected to be fierce with the event being a UCI class 1 event with riders riding for prize money and world cup ranking points.

Avery, the pre race favourite, will be using his hometown advantage to take the upper hand over the rest of the field with Palmerston North’s Stuart Houltham likely to be Avery’s closest rival. Houltham was 2nd to Avery in Opotiki. This weekend will be Avery’s last Mountain bike event for the season as he leaves for Europe next Thursday to compete on the road.

The Elite Womens race will be harder to pick but Genevieve Matthews, Rotorua, in her first season riding in the elite category will, like Avery, and be aiming for 2 from 2 after winning in Opotiki.

Whakarewarewa forest is the venue for the cross country venue with over 250 cross country riders expected to take part.

Local organizers have been meticulous with their preparation right down to sweeping parts of the course in preparation for the event.

Focus will switch on Sunday to the Downhill where Rotorua is also the venue for the 2nd round of the Subaru North Island Downhill Cup.

With pre entries close to 200, organizers will be expecting up to 300 riders to test their nerve on the Downhill track which starts at Tawa Road and finishes at the junction of Pipeline and Nice Roads.

The 3rd and final round of the NZCT North Island Cross Country Cup will take place in Palmerston North on 10th February and the 3rd and final round of the Subaru North Island Downhill Cup will take place in Dome Valley, Auckland on the 17th February.

Events to come are the NZCT National Championships in Wellington February 21-24 and the NZCT Oceania Championships in Nelson 13-16th