Torckler to lead tour debut
They’ve been making their mark on the Dynamo teams series in recent years and now the Blindz Direct cycling team will tackle to Tour of Southland for the first time.
Led by veteran rider Michael Torckler, the team will head into the tour, which starts on Sunday, with high ambitions.
‘‘That’s really cool. It’s a big effort to get the team there,’’ Torckler said. ‘‘It makes a big difference having guys around you you’re able to communicate well with.’’
Joining Torckler in the black and yellow kits is fellow Taranaki rider Jason Thomason, Joshua Kuysten, of Tokoroa, Auckland duo Louis Crosby and Joshua Aldridge, and Rylan Dowdell from Australia.
Most of the riders have competed together in the past, which Torckler said would be a huge benefit going into the event. While he was unfamiliar with Dowdell, he said anyone who can compete in Australia will be up for the challenge.
‘‘He must be a decent rider to be
competing in Australia. Over there you’re exposed to a higher level of racing.’’
While the Blindz Direct cycling team is making its first appearance in the event, Torckler is familiar with what to expect having competed in it eight times, most recently in 2016.
In last year’s tour, riding as part of the Vantage Windows and Doors team, Torckler won the 138km third-stage from Mossburn to Coronet Peak and finished the tour in the top 10. He said this time around he’d be looking to kick on from where he left off last year.
‘‘It’ll be really nice to try get a win up the Coronet Peak again. The tour is pretty unpredictable, but I’m going in with pretty high ambitions.’’
While it’s likely the team will ride for Torckler in the early going, he said with such a strong group there’s the chance that one of the other riders makes a run at a podium finish which gives the team a nice edge.
‘‘We’ve got some good confidence heading in and with where the form’s at, so hopefully we’ll get the results.
‘‘There’s a couple of guys in the team who are definitely capable of pulling out a result here, so it’s nice to not have to throw all the eggs in one basket. We’ll see how the first few stages go and push on from there.’’
Jason Thomason is one of those in the team who could make a charge in the event, having spent the past couple of years competing in Australia.
Thomason was granted a release from his team to return to New Zealand for the tour, and Torckler said he was coming over in good shape.
‘‘We have the same coach and, from what I’ve heard, Jason’s been hitting some really good power numbers and has been riding very well recently.’’
The approximately 900km tour gets underway on Sunday and concludes next Saturday.