Tour of Northland race report
The BDO Tour of Northland was one of the best-organized bike races I’ve been to. Mike, Ross and I had a great time in the Winterless North – here is Mike’s report of events
The Tour of Northland is a very different beast than its name cousin the Tour of Southland. Whereas Southland brutalises its riders with long cold hard days racing in the gutter. Northland provides short days of racing, in warm weather and on some of the country’s most scenic roads. Tristan, Ross Watson and I were all enticed by this idea of good racing, in beautiful places as a semi-holiday after several months of hard training and racing over summer.
Day one of the race took us 93kms from Whangarei across to Dargaville on the west coast. Our elite field of 40 riders contained a mix of top riders from the likes of Pure Black Racing and Subway as well as a number of other A grade riders whom are not often seen at the national level races. The pace was pretty solid over the first 50km as numerous efforts to breakaway were keenly reeled in by the peloton. The major drama occurred at the 30km mark when touch of brakes and a clipped wheel transpired to send 4 riders hurtling to the tarmac while the bunch was strung out at 50kph. Tristan had a closer view than I but it looked and sounded extremely painful – so much so that for the first time in my time cycling the entire bunch actually stopped to check everyone involved was alright.
At the 50km mark we entered a section of rollers gradually climbing to almost 300m. Somewhere in here Will Bowman and James Northey snuck off the front and started building themselves a very healthy lead on the bunch. I didn’t rate their chances of staying away on the flat run-in so chose to sit back in the bunch a choice which become mandatory once a hit a pothole hard and my seat post slipped down almost 3 inches forcing me to pedal with my knees knocking my chin.
In the tradition of the peloton hurtling down the via roma we all but pulled back the two breakaways within 6km of Dargaville but a bridging effort by the NZ Paralympic team powered tandem provided them with the extra watts to stay away to the finish by about 30secs. I came in 10th and Tristan was a bit further back in the bunch.
We spent a great afternoon in Dargaville, taking in the sights and enjoying the hospitality of our host Dot, who was probably one of the nicest people I’ve ever met.
Day two had some decent climbs packed into its final 50km and was likely to by a decisive stage. Just before the first of the climbs Brad Carter and Matt Gorter rode away in what was a dangerous looking move. We kept a steady pace up the first climb shedding a few riders but when we hit the 12km long second major climb things heated up. I attacked hard at the bottom but was closed down by the time it levelled off at the top. The group was now down to just over a dozen as we began a fast, wet and dangerous decent into the Kauri forest.
At the bottom of the descent it was straight into the next climb this one being the longest at over 10km but not too steep. Attacks were flying and Tristan and I were right amongst it but no one was strong enough to make anything stick. As we crested the climb and passed the might Tāne Mahuta (New Zealand’s largest and oldest tree, known by Māori as god of the forest) we captured Brad and Matt making our front bunch 12 strong. It wasn’t until just 6km to go that a decisive move was made as myself and a Subway rider managed to bludgeon a gap over a small climb and 4 others managed to make it across but not the yellow jersey.
We kept a small gap going into the final steep climb. It wasn’t long before I was drowning in lactic acid and dropped off the pace. From there it was just a matter of gritting teeth and trying to limit the time loss as best possible to the top, down the wet twisting descent and over the final km to the finish at Omapere. I ended up 5th on the stage and on GC while Tristan took 7th place and the same spot on GC. Ross rode well in the B grade to finish 8th in the open men’s section.
Omapere is a tiny township near the mouth of the Hokianga harbour. It doesn’t show up on many maps and that means it doesn’t offer much in the way of accommodation and food. Booking late we had no option but to cram the three of us into one room at the extravagantly priced but hugely underwhelming Copthorne resort. The tough day was finished off with what must have been a two week old bacon and egg pie form the local ‘café’. Luckily the rain cleared by evening and we were able to enjoy the stunning views of Hokianga harbour and the sand dunes while alfresco dining on very small meals at the Copthorne.
Against predictions day 3 dawned dry and stayed that way. This was probably the best day’s racing as Subway put the pressure on James Northey who was wearing the yellow jersey. After 20km they had two up the road including Tom Hubbard who was 2nd on GC at 30sec. The must have ridden hard as with 25km to go they were still holding a 2 minute gap on the bunch. At this point James and most of the field really ramped things up and we flew to the finish in single file.
Having studiously studied the race information Tristan and I were looking for the 200m climb with a passing bay on it which was said to be the finish. Nearing what I thought must be the finish we hit such a climb and I attacked hard gaining a good 50m gap. Cresting the top I was dismayed not to see finishing barriers but instead a 1km to go sign. I kept riding futilely but was caught within a hundred metres of the next climb which was the actual finish and had an almighty fight to keep from getting time gapped. I finished 10th and Tristan was just two places behind.
This brought us to sunny Pahia in the Bay of Islands and we had a great afternoon relaxing and visiting the Treaty of Waitangi grounds.
I was convinced day 4 was going to be my day; I was feeling great and the profile offered plenty of climbs. I was expecting Subway to put the heat on James again after they closed the gap to just 5sec yesterday. However they choose to sit back instead and it was Brad Carter who took the initiative and rode off solo on along the numerous short steep climbs along the stunning Tutakaka coast.
At the 50km mark we hit the major climb of the day Herne Bay Hill. At 4kms it was long and steep enough to whittle the field down to 7 pretty quickly. I gave it a dig with 1km to go and got a good gap but with no one willing to come with me it was a waste of energy. Over the other side and Subway still wasn’t making an effort to attack James. My hope was that I could join one of the Subway riders and make up enough time to move into the top 3 or take the stage win. With 12km to go we were about to enter the final climbs when the dreaded soft feeling came from my rear tyre and I had to stop for a wheel change. Unfortunately by the time the wheel van came the entire race had passed me by and I was left to ride a lonely and bitter road to the finish where I’d dropped to twelfth.
Tristan had a great day, out sprinting the field for 4th on the stage and moving up to 5th overall to make it a very successful tour for him. Ross held onto his 8th place in the senior men’s grade and fellow Wellingtonian Oliver Ferry took 2nd in the men’s Vet 2 grade.
So that was it, there was nothing left but to pack the Falcoon and make the long drive back to wintery Wellington and the office. It was a great week at the Tour of Northland, great roads, stunning scenary, good racing and the best company. Now Southland……….
