Following on from the announcement yesterday that RIDE New Zealand's Cycling Festival will be the new host of the Vantage Elite & U23 Road National Championships, Cycling New Zealand is pleased to confirm the remainder of the calendar.
The Vantage Elite & U23 Road National Championships will be part of the RIDE Festival which will run from 13-16 February. The exact dates for the time trial and mens and womens road races will be confirmed in the coming months, alongside other community events such as a Gran Fondo also included in the full festival programme.
The Vantage Elite & U19 Track National Championships will now take place on 23-26 January. This event will continue to be hosted on a two year rotation between Invercargill and Cambridge, with Cambridge hosting the 2020 event.
Invercargill will host the Vantage Age Group Track National Championships on 5-8 March (also on annual rotation with Cambridge), and the Vantage Age Group Road National Championships are scheduled for the provisional dates of 24-26 April, with a venue to be selected once expressions of interest close on May 30. The date will then be confirmed in consultation with the host club and Cycling New Zealand Road and Track Council.
Takapuna, the longstanding home of the Vantage Criterium National Championships, is undertaking significant urban re-development works in the second half of 2019 and as such is unfortunately unable host the event in 2019. Cycling New Zealand is in discussion with an alternative host, and hopes to be able to announce an exciting new partnership in the near future, with an event date to be confirmed at the same time.
The 2019/2020 season calendar has been developed in conjunction with, and is fully supported by, the Cycling New Zealand Road and Track Council. President Mike Sim acknowledges the collaboration and support from clubs, centres and other event promoters across the country to set a national championship calendar that minimises scheduling clashes and generates best possible outcomes for the sport.
“Annual event scheduling is certainly getting more challenging with the growth in number of cycling events across the country – a challenge for us, but overall it’s a great thing for the sport.
We rely on the support of our cycling clubs, local councils, sponsors, in particular our naming sponsor Vantage Windows and Doors, and other funding partners and facilities to enable our national elite and age group events to be run successfully. We are hugely grateful for the ongoing support and collaboration shown to our sport from these stakeholders and to our members who are continuing to support the national events,” said Sim.
Cycling New Zealand CEO, Jacques Landry is looking forward to the year ahead with some new venues selected to host top tier national events.
“We’re particularly excited to be working with a new event partner to deliver the Vantage Elite & U23 Road National Championships and to have the opportunity to look further afield for a new host for the Vantage Criterium National Championships. It’s a great opportunity to give new communities across the country the chance to see and be inspired by top level cycling in their backyard.
We are also looking forward to strengthening our relationship with clubs through the new partnership model for the Vantage Age Group Road National Championships following the last two years successful events in Carterton and Timaru,” he said.
CAPTION: The 2019 time trial national champions from L to R Jenna Merrick (U23), Georgia Williams, Patrick Bevin and James Fouche (U23). (Photo credit: John Cowpland/AlphaPix).
The 2020 Cycling New Zealand Road and Track National Calendar is:
23-26 January - Vantage Elite & U19 Track National Championships, Cambridge
14-16 February - Vantage Elite & U23 Road National Championships, Cambridge
5-8 March - Vantage Age Group Track National Championships, Invercargill
24-26 April (TBC) - Vantage Age Group Road National Championships, TBC
TBC - Vantage Criterium National Championships, TBC