Auckland rider James Fouche says his burgeoning Bolton Equities Black Spoke cycling team has plenty of incentive to succeed at the Cycling New Zealand National Road Cycling Championships in Tokoroa at the weekend.
With the all-kiwi team set for an historic season as a UCI Pro Team – one step below WorldTour status - the reigning national road race champion believes wearing the national jersey can open the door for starts in iconic European races.
Black Spoke, the first New Zealand team to achieve UCI Pro status, enjoyed an encouraging start in their first WorldTour experience at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Race near Melbourne.
“All of us are super excited and ready to step up to the next level,” said Fouche. “I think we rode pretty well and we are excited for the next few races and hopefully we get a few more WorldTour races.
“To do the biggest races on earth and to have the New Zealand jersey represented is pretty cool. We got some awesome races starts with it last year – it could help get a few more races starts, and a bit of extra exposure. It is pretty vital for the team to try to keep. “
Fouche is excited to head to Europe with mates he has ridden with and against for many years.
“It’s really exciting. I’ve known all the guys since I was Under-13s or under-15 level, so to go through it with them is pretty fun,” said the 24-year-old. “I’ve been with them the last two years living over in Belgium. We all get along really well. We all help each other. We know our strengths and weaknesses and I think that’s what will take our team forward in the future.”
Fouche won the under-23 national title in 2018 and 2019, when he claimed overall honours as well after a breakaway in Napier, He also won the elite title last year, and experienced the attention that wearing the national jersey can bring.
His squad is strong including Sportsman of the Year finalist Aaron Gate, recent national criterium champion Luke Mudgway, Commonwealth Games track medallists Tom Sexton and George Jackson and the super-experienced James Oram among others.
There are a number of Continental teams wanting to spoil the party including MitoQ-NZ Cycling Project, led by Commonwealth Games mountain bike medallist Ben Oliver, who won the recent UCI Gravel & Tar race in Manawatu.
But most eyes will be on the sprinkling of kiwi UCI WorldTour stars on show, led by 2021 champion George Bennett (UAE Team Emirates), 2020 winner Shane Archbold (Bora Hansgrohe), track and road talent, Campbell Stewart (Jayco-Ulula), along with the exciting return of Under-23 riders Laurence Pithie and Reuben Thompson, who both step up to WorldTour status this year with Groupama-FDJ.
The road race comprises a 24km loop with each lap including Mossop Rd Hill east of the town, with the elite men completing seven laps with the out-and-return link for a total of 178km including 2.3km of climbing.
“The course is not a hilly race and not a flat race,” said Fouche. “It will be a race of attrition. I’ve heard there was a recent race there over four laps and they were ripped to shreds. We do seven laps so it will be even more filthy. There’s not going to be any hiding in this race.”
The same loop will be used for the time trial, to offer an all-round examination over a shorter-than-usual timed test of 33.5km.
The time trial is on Friday from 11am with under-19 riders, both male and female, racing over 22.9km and all under-23 and elite riders riding a 33.5km lap.
The Under-19 males lead-off the road racing on Saturday over 106km from 8.30am with the Under-23 and Elite females at 1pm followed by the Under-19 females at 1.10pm
Sunday’s action focusses on the under-23 and Elite males racing over 178kms from 10am.
The event is supported by Aon and the South Waikato District Council.