World status for 24th edition of New Zealand Premier Cycle Race

Greater Wellington’s status as a world class cycling destination has been further reinforced today with news the sport’s governing body, the UCI, has granted international status to the prestigious Trust House Cycle Classic to take place in January 2011.

The Trust House Cycle Classic International Tour of Wellington will also celebrate its 24th anniversary in January 2011 with what is likely to be the biggest and best field in its history. The event is on from 26 to 30 January 2011.

The final race route and date for New Zealand’s premier cycle race has now been finalised and Race Director Jorge Sandoval is confident the hilly stages will be challenging and all stages of the Tour will provide excellent racing and spectator opportunities. Next year’s stages include a stage from Upper Hutt to Masterton via the Rimutakas on Wednesday 26 January, the prestigious top of the mountain finish up Admiral Hill in the Wairarapa and a new stage around the Wallaceville Hill in Upper Hutt on Saturday. The tour will finish with the Wellington circuit down in Lambton Quay.

This will be the only UCI sanctioned bike race in Oceania other than the Tour Down Under. Stokes Valley promoter Jorge Sandoval has worked hard in recent months to secure the international status for the tour and is looking forward already in securing a top line up for the event.

Sandoval says the 2011 tour should be special.

“Each year our event seems to discover new talent, riders come to the tour and we see them later winning stages in the Tour de France, Tour of Italy or winning world championships titles such as stage four winner in this year’s Trust House Cycle Classic Michael Matthews who become the new Under 23 World Champion in last week’s World Championship in Melbourne. New Zealander Michael Torckler won the 2010 edition of the tour.

“Next year’s is the 24th version of the tour and we are looking forward to a great celebration. The tour is now recognised overseas as the best cycle race in this country and I expect a big number of national and international riders. Six UCI continental teams will be invited to take part in the race” Sandoval said.

Stage two is widely regarded as the one that would sort out the best riders from the rest. A 125km ride that included more than five major hills will set the stage up perfectly for a major test. In the last 20km of the stage, riders still faced the steepest hill of the day, the 1.4km Te Wharau hill and then the 12km Admiral hill for a top of the mountain finish.

The Trust House Cycle Classic with all the colour, drama and excitement of world class cycling, will provide a unique showcase for the whole region when it is screened on TV both nationally and internationally.