Black Spoke favoured in classic
Aaron Gate winning stage one of the 2020 NZ Cycle Classic. PHOTO/DAVE LINTOTT
CYCLING
chris.cogdale@age.co.nz
Black Spoke Pro Cycling Academy are warm favourites to win the five-stage New Zealand Cycle Classic which started yesterday in Masterton.
Black Spoke, New Zealand’s only professional Union Cycliste Internationale team, took team honours in the 2020 tour, while 2019 champion Aaron Gate finished second in the general classification.
The team’s build-up to this year’s tour started with a two-week training camp in Wairarapa in October to familiarise themselves with the region’s roads.
While here Black Spoke also competed in a race of the Trust House North Island Team Series.
Dave Lintott
Black Spoke Pro Cycling Academy s Aaron Gate won the New Zealand Cycle Classic title in 2019 and is back for another title tilt in 2021.
Black Spoke Pro Cycling Academy are not shy about their ambitions when lining up to contest this week’s UCI 2.2 New Zealand Cycle Classic five-day stage race being held in Wairarapa and Wellington. “It would be great to take out the overall win and stage wins along the way,” team manager Scott Guyton said. “We have a well-rounded team with individuals that can do well over all the terrains Wairarapa has to offer. We also have the national criterium champion, Aaron Gate in the team, and we are looking forward to seeing him race in the national jersey in our capital city on the last stage.”
Tour of Southland winner Aaron Gate
Photo: James Jubb/Studio Jubb
A bronze medallist from the 2012 London Games, Gate is one of several members of the New Zealand track team for this year s Olympics taking part the Classic.
The 30-year-old, who rides for the Black Spoke team and won the Tour of Southland a couple of months ago, says balance is important for him to stay in top form. The road compliments the track cycling and visa-versa the track stuff makes me a faster road cyclist too so I enjoy doing both and this is a great race to do also.