The first week of October is indeed an exciting week for cycling. No October in Otago does not herald the begining of a beer festival, actually quite the opposite with all the unruly students finally retreating to various libraries in an attempt to cram a years work in several weeks. However I digress. This week will host several exciting events.
On Wednesday the highly anticipated return of the Sams ride will determine who has managed to maintain some form over the cold winter months. It is thought the inauggral 25km hammer session will determine who's egos have been writing checks there bodies cannot afford. Several riders worth looking out for are Shane "Kauri Legs" Melrose and Alex "Napolean Dynamite" Magreggor who will be out to prove themselves after signing with two prestiguos southland teams. Also watch out for Johnathon "Hurricane" Stockwell who is rumoured to have the best form of his life after a secret training camp in New Caledonia. In the final few kilometres riders like Joel Davies, Paul Goff and Ashley Whitehead (who has recently discovered his sprinting legs) are expected to become prominent.
On Saturday Otago will crown several new individual time trial club champions. The individual time trial is said to be the race of truth were the bluffers are revealed and the hard men (and women) shine. The time trials will be held over the tough 20km outram course with races varying from 20 -40 km. Alex Magreggor is expected to shine in this event while others including Barret Wilson, Jeff Notman, Gary Alpress and Kathryn Jones are all expected to put in solid appearances. However it is rumoured several riders will miss this event with the intention of saving themselves for a tough race on sunday -or maybe they are just afraid of being unmasked as the bluffers they are.
The real test will be on Sunday where riders will face the gruelling Goodwood Circuit. The Goodwood Circuit will once again be the battleground for all those wishing to be named as Otagos 2008 club road champions. Last years pacuors were so tough that of the 10 who started the mens road race, only 3 finished. Johnathon Stockwell hopes that his traditional approach to training will enable him to defend his u23 and overall title successfully. Runner up Tony Hogg was unavailble to comment but is rumoured to have quit road racing and have put his bike on trademe after being passed in the last lap of the '07 edition by Stockwell. The course is thought to favour a power sprinter but often it simply becomes a race of attrition. In the womens race the usual suspects Caroline, Sara Macdonald and Kathryn Jones to tear each other to shreds.
This is Paul Sherwin bringing you the lastet in otago cycling. Goodnight and stay classy Otago
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