STAGE FIVE – 2024 NZ Cycle Classic

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Hi i’m Tom McCallum an Elite Cyclist from New Zealand, I am currently riding for the Couplands Bakeries Elite Cycling Team.

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The 2024 M 10 mega masteron New Zealand cycle classic will once again see Riders from across the world Converge on wire raer for 5 days of international stage racing the 37th Edition has 15 teams which will compete on the roads around the winery District before racing the final stage in New Zealand’s Capital

Wellington since its Inception in 1988 the tour has seen several Champions successfully compete at the highest levels of the sport these have included the likes of Robbie mccuan Julian Dean rich Port George Bennett and Corbin strong at the end of the week who will add their name to the illustrious list

Of winners of New Zealand’s only UCI 2.2 sanctioned race five Riders made the most of the narrow fast roads around carteran yesterday opening a gap of up to 2 minutes on the pelaton early into the four laps of the Carrington circuit at one point Breakaway Rider Bailey O’Donnell from Oxford Edge was virtual

Leader on the road however his main objective for the stage was to secure Sprint points which he successfully did to taking both on offer before the flying pelaton brought back the break Halfway Around the final lap covering close to 49 km in the first hour of racing the pelaton continued to pour on

The pace as they headed into the final Corner unfortunately a crash in the final straight took away the chances of George Jackson however his teammate Aaron gate was able to time things to Perfection once again to take out the stage from odonnell and rashell Ridley’s Adam

Chapman right well here we are with one of the United States writers Gavin congratulations making it this far into the tour and of course a big stage here today in that Criterium yeah it’s been good uh Admirals was definitely an interesting day there bit one a big big

One to get up but uh Keen for today is obviously our bread and butter being from the states so I think we’re really excited for it yeah what sort of things do you expect you’ve been around the circuit a little bit and it’s quite blustery out there yeah it’s windy it’s

Technical there’s some some points where the road surface isn’t great so I think it’s just going to be about controlling the front being up there not wasting much energy in the Swarm and trying to be there at the end and is there a particular teammate we should keep a

Close eye on uh Tom’s been sprinting quite well Tom given um we normally race against each other in the states so pretty Keen to link up today and see what happens and of course it has been a big week big introduction to New Zealand racing how’s the experience been for the

Team yeah it’s been great I think we’ve all really enjoyed it it’s been beautiful roads nice Vibes in the pelaton just hanging out and getting some K in and then I guess uh not long after this you’ll be on to the track Yeah Tuesday I think is the plan drive

Back up to Cambridge tonight and then have a day off and then get to it well you enjoy today it’s been fantastic having you here on the tour yeah cheers thanks guys well Hayden Strong uh we made it to the final day and as per usual no doubt going to be fast and

Furious around lampon key uh yeah short and sweet uh last day I think the wind’s going to be a bit of a factor and it’s super technical course so it’s kind of get to your red line as quick as possible and see how long we can hold it

And of course we know the likes of the whiz wireless Sprint Ace is still up for gravs for a number of riders and there’s a few Sprints in there that could change things up a bit yeah um yeah definitely since people are racing um for those Sprints it’s going to stretch the field

Out and then we’re probably going to be looking for the counter attacks afterwards once people are already on the back foot um yeah I think with the wind today Tailwind on the the big long straight it could um definitely cater towards mve slipping up the road and

How’s the body feeling it’s been a big four days yeah I’ve uh been a bit uh battered and bruised a little bit but um yeah made it to the last day all the boys um are just still ready to get out there and uh race hard we’ve probably been a little uh bit

Cautious for the most of the tour just trying to play a cards in the right places um but today it’s just um yeah leave it all out there all the best thank you a 1.6 km circuit in the center of Wellington will see the Riders race over 1 hour plus three laps commonly

Known as the golden mile the smooth streets of the inner city circuit should see Fast and Furious racing occur as crowds get the chance to see International racing closeup and personal in around lampon key the Riders rolling out here and some very windy conditions in the neutral

Section one lap here at the center of Wellington New Zealand’s capital city and a fantastic crowd has gathered here today to witness what has been 5 days of fantastic racing here for these Riders from the 15 teams as they head through the Bell where we go we’re underway and

Racing here as the photographer trying to capture some great shots here as they have all week long here of the Riders whistling down through what they call the Golden Mile Lampton key here in the center of the city and it is the m q team the m q New Zealand project team

Who are putting a bit of pressure off the front we can see bridg lanane right up there towards the front of the race here as well as they get under away here for the 1 hour’s worth of racing and three laps to follow here and you would

Expect to see certain teams out the front likes of the bridg lane team who are trying to Vive for that team classification they come in here only 9 seconds a drift of trying to win that over the Southern Cross Racing Academy team so those two teams there are going

To be having a great battle course it’s based on the top three in the general classification speaking of which of course we have the various Sprints during the the stage here and each of those primes at 10 minutes at at 30 minutes and 45 offers not only points

But also three 2 and 1 second time bonuses so for gate he has to keep a close eye on some of these guys they get a little bit of a gap they pick up a few time bonuses along the way here they could move themselves up into contention

In the overall GC cuz remember he’s got a 24 second advantage over the second place getter as we line ourselves up up for the next well the first of I should say of the Sprints here for these Riders at the 10minute margin no doubt we’ll

See the guy in the green jersey he there he is as he goes on around here the Canter Rider riding for Oxford Edge Bailey as he now lines himself up he’s got the two leader but it looks of it in the yellow Jersey not far off the mark

But it is Ole Jones instead that will take out the first of the Sprints as I mentioned picking up time bonuses he’s a man who was sitting in fourth overall coming into the stage here and he’s picked up a 3 second bonus here could be starting to put himself onto the Paton

Onto the Paton onto the podium I should say as a potential top three here in the tour that’s what these guys were looking for they would have done all the discussions last night to make up a plan of attack here there is plenty of opportunities and we see there one of

The Copelands Riders going off towards the front and again m q who are very keen today to try and show their wees out in front of the tour here and of course they got James Kenny their team director it’s his birthday today so they’re trying to accelerate for him by

Getting a win here and it’s Craig Oliver who’s gone off the front the mountain biker he’s won numerous titles in the mountain biking this is only ever his second big tour after he did the SPs Bank tour South and back in November he’s hit off the front and is looking

Keen to try and make life challenging for the chasing peleton and no surprise again to see the national team then going on to the front there in the dark black colors with gate tucked in behind them here as they sweep around the top end of the circuit here headwind

Basically up the back straight Tailwind down the back straight and you can see the rider off the front Craig Oliver there he’s he’s fighting with the bike here and the crowds are getting in behind him as he makes his way down the Tailwind St here they’re getting up to

65 70k an hour but he’s been caught by at least one of the Riders it looked like again one of the Copeland’s Riders and who have we got here it looks like like Glenn Hayden the man from wongi a man is who’s not a bad sort of a runner

Either won the half marathon in wui recently he’s the fireman from there who has done exceptionally well in any of his tour racing a very good time TR and we’ve mentioned him early in the week get off the front with him and you know you got some serious contention to be

Able to take out some points along the road pick up a few dollars and potentially a stage very strong Rider and he’s now been joined by the St George Continental writer that is Tom 6 one of the Riders who yesterday was very prominent in the stage and it looked

Like gate himself was going off the front of we but there trying to shut that down because ston a very good Rider indeed very good Pursuit he’s part of the national teams Pursuit squads here and he’s going to head around down to the bottom end of the straight here

Looks like he’s disappeared now off by himself after being joined by Glenn and Co but now the main pet on will be trying to just keep him in check he’s got about an 8 to9 second Gap here early on into the the stage they got rid of

That first Sprint and often as you see the Counterattack that happens afterwards m q still in the mix there as they try and line themselves up for the second of the Sprints as we approach some 30 minutes into this 1 hour’s worth of racing and seon as you would expect

Looking pretty smooth out there in Pursuit mode but now the Sprint has coming to The Fray and it looked like the Sprint Ace himself there who got himself up for some extra points trying to extend it because there wasn’t much of a gap between him and gate coming

Into this the Sprint Ace was on 29 Points and gate at 25 but it looks like gate has decided he’s not too interested in the intermediate Sprints he’s trying to look after himself and set the team up for that final Sprint into the line there after 1 hour’s worth of racing in

Those three laps around the center of the town team bridg Lane once again the Australian based team Hitting off the front there and the greeny sort of colors making life difficult they’re trying to get rid of the likes of those Southern Cross sort of riders there and

Of course as we said pick up any little time bonuses along the way move the Riders up the GC and potentially challenge for that General classification team classification here in this year’s tour and the power now being poured on it’s Casi par coup on the front as we’ve seen all week long

They’ve already secured the K he’s hidden back in the pallets on there he’s just got a finished today’s stage and they’ll be very pleased with that particular result but they’re also now looking to try and secure fors a stage Victory nice tight corners for some of these Riders here as we see yet

Again M New Zealand cycle project they’re being very consistent off the front here as is the St George Team being in the mix there as well Oxford Edge and there we saw Curry at towards the front there for the man in yellow as he’s done all week long he’s done a

Power of work as is each and every one of their teammates unfortunately for today we can confirm George Jackson who would have been a serious favorite for this particular stage as a wellingtonian as part of that national squad after that heavy fall in the finishing straight yesterday unfortunately wasn’t

Going to mount the bike here today and he’s supporting his teammates from the sideline as we move to close to 45 minutes worth of racing they are into the whistle lap the Sprint lap for these riders for those time bonuses the three2 and the one and also of course the

Sprint points available with them as well and it looks like the Sprint Ace himself odonnell gets himself maximum points team bridgelane up there again securing a few points along the way as well Ole Jones has been hovering around towards the front as I said he’s trying

To get more time back to get up in the GC and potentially onto the podium here at the end of the day here in this 37th edition of this New Zealand cycle classic and again it looks like Copeland’s going off the front potentially Glenn Hayden having another

Crack off the front here the oldest man in the field and there but he is putting a lot of pressure onto these guys here and you can see as they have to slam on the brakes big difference in Criterion racing get a small group Get Away by

Yourself and it’s so much easier to contest those Corners you can get your line sorted out and come in nice and smoothly and more importantly exit out of there and accelerate at Great Speed without having to deal with other riders in and around you here but of course

He’s also got to face the head wind but at the moment he’s got 65k hour down the tail wind straight here into the Finish which is making things very exciting for the crowds that have gathered here in Wellington we’ve got people off the cruise ship here today and great to hear

A number of them from the United States they’re out here supporting the US team who are in the mix there but now we start to see the faces are really starting to show 5 days worth of racing as the peleton begins to Splinter all over the place meanwhile though the

National squad and more importantly The Man in the Yellow Jersey are keeping themselves firmly in the place towards the front of that race there and ensuring that no one is going to get themselves off the front surely we won’t see yet get another Victory from the national squad they’ve taken it out

Every single day so far a lot of teams of course 14 others as we mentioned the us there they are are wanting to take a stage Victory here today but it’s going to be tough going and and here we go with another couple trying to get

Themselves off the front and it is the man himself in yellow gate who jumped himself across there to the Ki Coupe parp Rider there to try and get a bit of a gap on the field and straight away you can see the efforts of gay and here the

St George Team the Americans are in the mix there as well team bridgelane that surge of effort all of a sudden opens up all sorts of gaps there as you see those trees blowing the wind is making life very challenging the surges and efforts that are going on as we move further and

Further into this 1 hour’s worth of racing is really starting to impact on a number of these Riders a few of them have been pulled off the course already they’ll be given the average time no doubt of each of the lapse here to determine where they’ll finish up but

For what is left of this peton here today there is a lot of hurt going on there a lot of them in the hurt box at this moment in time here as now the Kenan cycling team go towards the front they’re chasing down surely not again it

Is though on the coming into the final lap here it is the man once again from m q Craig Oliver who’s gone off the front surely today he must be a candidate for the most competitive of the day as Logan Curry brings them under the barrier the

Bell lap indicating as per usual one lap to go in cycling and gate has positioned himself towards the front he’s got a lot of his teammates and around him there Kean Watts up there potentially today are they setting him up for a double victory for it or will it be Logan Curry

As they head around the back straights in there and it’s one of the New Zealand guys who just gone off the front it’s bow so gatam leaving a bit of a gap for him there to make life a little bit more interesting as the riters have to chase

Onto it and they’ll start to to come into the picture here very shortly for us gate oh my goodness I can’t believe it yet again Aaron gate has done it an outstanding effort Tom ston right up there in the mix leading them down that finishing straight only missing out by

Inches into second place and then the Sprint a himself finishing into third with odonnell but Aaron gate adds yet another stage Victory and puts himself in the history books more importantly in his second ever win since 2009 his last victory only being the fourth man to ever win multiple tours in this New

Zealand cycle classic well folks we have had an outstanding 5 days worth of racing it has been pure dominance pure class by the New Zealand national team and Aron Gat has come out every day to race and show these guys how it’s done 15 teams five nations out standing

Wither across the wire raer and then to be here in the capital of New Zealand Wellington with thousands upon thousands of people lining the streets to support these Riders we hope you’ve enjoyed all the coverage that we’ve brought to you throughout the week and we look forward

To seeing you for the 2025 edition of the New Zealand cycle classic brought to you by mittin Mega masteron well she was pretty fast and furious out there Craig but you certainly made the race happen yeah certainly Fast and Furious and uh yeah I just want to try and make

Something of the race today and try and get something going and uh spend a bit of lonely time off the front there for three laps felt like 30 laps but uh yeah it was pretty tough in that wind and then had a little bit of a rest and

Tried another couple of digs and then gave it a bit of a fly with about two or three laps too but the legs were pretty Sprint and the boys were super strong chasing so yeah it was good effort and probably not a bad effort for the

Birthday boy in the team yeah got to put on a bit of a show for Kenny he does so much for New Zealand cycling the team so um yeah and to be here on your birthday just really shows that as well so um there’s lots of cyclist including Aaron

As well that I know has helped and um there be more that he helps in the future so that was really good and you and I spoke back at the South tour in November am I right in saying this is only your second ever tour it is my only

Second ever Tour on the road yeah and how was the experience over the week no it was good I’m learning more each time I I do a tour um this is my first UCI tour so um yeah lots of different Tactics come to play and it’s not Al

Always about who’s the strongest and you really need to put all your eggs in one basket and really back one guy and we’re backing Josh getting up Admirals and a little bit unlucky there the super headwind and he was super strong on the climb but just couldn’t do much but um

That’s the way it goes at sport so yeah and we too from here uh I’m staying up and doing gravel and TI which I’m really looking forward to that should be a little bit more up my alley so everything going well um on the road

Bike on a bit of gravel and then I do crit Nationals Road Nationals and then we just keep on tracking all the best for the season thanks very much well Aaron we’ve made it to the final stage and what a way to do it to come out in Victory with

That uh yeah it was pretty pretty hectic hectic day and I actually just wanted to try and get one of my teammates up for that final stage and um had Keon on my wheel coming through the last few corners and then he just yelled go from the bottom corner so I thought

That meant that he was there ready to to step off but it actually just feathered his brakes a bit to open up a bit of a gap and let me go so when I looked around and saw he wasn’t there I was like oh I better step on it because it’s

Not him it’s going to be coming around it’s be somebody else so managed to just uh just hold on behind with Tom Sion and Bailey chasing me down so uh yeah pretty pretty cool to take a fourth one and we know it’s called windy Wellington for a

Reason and today you experienced it the full force yeah it definitely was in h full force the wind uh gusting between the between the buildings here some pretty unpredictable gust too in some of the corners catching the the deep dish Carbon wheels it was yeah some some

Sketchy moments I think for everyone uh but yeah there was a few crashes hopefully everyone walks away okay and wasn’t too many uh expensive bikes broken but it was yeah um I think crowd got a crowd got a good show and it was great to have so many people come out

And watch it really the atmosphere really just made the racing all the all the more enjoyable and speaking of crowds there’s a bit of a crowd back over in Spain busy watching you as well new team yeah new team Burgos BH they’ve been following the following the racing

This week I think they’ve enjoyed the the live updates and um race reports and I think it’s uh good for for George and I to get the year off to a good start for them and um hopefully buy us the extra bit of leeway we’ll need to to r

On the track for the Olympics and of course uh you become a piece of History here today the only the fourth man to ever win this tour more than once yeah it’s a pretty pretty special um thing to have and um having won both this race

And the tour South twice now is uh is pretty cool to have that on my Palos and um yeah don’t know how many times I’ll get to come back now that I’m I’m now that I’m 33 but it’s nice to come back this year and uh put on a good show for

Everyone well congratulations to both you and the team for making an outstanding race this year thanks very Much