Jimmy’s a rider to watch in cycle race
An aptly named former New Zealand champion could be the rider to catch in today’s Twizel to Timaru Cycling Classic.
Timaru’s Jimmy Ryder, who freely admits to having been ‘‘around the block’’ more than a few times since taking up the sport 55 years ago as a 14-year-old, would be a popular winner of the 150-kilometre handicap race.
‘‘Cycling has always been a passion,’’ the soon-to-be 70-year-old says.
‘‘I’ve been going ever since I got the bug.’’
Ryder’s resolve has taken him to the top of the sport in NZ, winning the senior open road race title in 1974 in Palmerston North.
He has ridden for New Zealand several times in places such as Australia, New Caledonia and Europe, competed in the Tour of Southland and Dulux classic between Auckland and Wellington.
‘‘If you are ambitious it is what you do.
‘‘They were all a long time ago though,’’ he reminds.
Ryder, who is the oldest entrant in today’s race, rides 10 hours every week and said he hasn’t done any special training for the race he thinks will take around four-anda-half hours.
‘‘It’s a very hard course, the Twizel to Tekapo bit is a hard slog.
‘‘I feel okay so will line up and see what happens on the day.’’
Ryder thinks he’s ‘‘overdue to place’’.
‘‘It would be nice to place as I’ve not had much luck in this.’’
Ryder won’t be alone when the ‘‘go’’ bunch start at 9.30am, having Dave Gorrie, David Turner, Jay Rae, Peter Kisi and Simon Faulkner for company.
Ryder, Gorrie and Kisi are all in grades for riders above 60 years and they contrast sharply with the tail end of the field where a six-strong scratch pack has three under-19 riders – Conor Shearing (Southland), Jack Drage (Christchurch) and Sam Ritchie (Cycling South Canterbury) along with an under-22 entrant Hamish Keast (Southland).
The young heads of scratch, however, have Timaru veteran Reon Park to guide them over the course. Park, who now concentrates on Ironman triathlons, has yet to win the race, but has posted fastest times in 2009 3:57.43 and 2013 3:13.04 which is the race record.
Scratch will start 71 minutes behind ‘‘go’’ and last year’s winner, Glenn Gould, is in the break bunch on 62min.