Time overseas an invaluable bonus for Miller
Promising Southland cyclist Samuel Miller is hoping that the experience of racing overseas will help him heading into a bumper season.
The 18-year-old was part of the well performed Cycling New Zealand team at the Tour de l’Abitibi under-19 event in Canada in July.
According to Miller, it was a great experience to be involved in a race featuring so many other high calibre riders.
‘‘Our team got second overseas, which we were pretty stoked about out of all the other countries that were there and we also had three guys in the top-18 so we were all working together for that,’’ he said. ‘‘I think the racing over there was way more aggressive and huge fields, we had 160 people starting in our race and over here you don’t get that and having everyone that’s at your high level, it is just awesome racing.’’
Riding long distances as part of large pelotons is something Miller hopes will help him when he tackles the Yunca Junior Tour of Southland and his first senior Tour of Southland in October.
He will be looking to take out the Junior Tour in his final eligible season, while he has joined up with the Placemakers team for the Tour of Southland.
‘‘When we were in Canada we were doing 100 to 120km each day for six days straight, so I am kind of used to it now, I have been getting out with a few of the boys from down in Southland here and doing longer rides because some of them are doing the Tour as well,’’ he said.
Miller’s Placemakers teammate Luke MacPherson, along with Southland’s Hamish Beadle will also be using the Southland road championships this weekend to prepare for the gruelling Tour of Southland.
There is a 25km individual time trial today starting at McQuarrie Street in Invercargill, followed by graded road races tomorrow, with the 106km A grade feature race starting at the Mataura Island Hall tomorrow at 1.30pm with 2.5 laps of the Gorge Road circuit.