Goulburn Workers Junior Two Day Tour

Cycling NSW Junior Development Officer Tom Dawson who attended the two days of racing between Gunning and Breadalbane said that the injection of what amounted to the New Zealand National Road Racing team into the competition lifted the standard of the racing and was a wake-up call to some of our more experienced junior riders. Their six male and six female riders competed in the under 17 A division. 

“The Kiwi riders showed the NSW cyclists where they need to be in terms of representative preparedness, Dawson said. “They rode very strongly and as a team. Some of the younger riders were so impressed by the visitors they even came up to them seeking autographs.

“The Goulburn event is a particularly well organised contest and it is a credit to the Goulburn Cycle Club that the Cycling New Zealand selected the Goulburn Tour as the event they wanted to attend.

 “NSW has several other events over the next few weeks that they could have sent the squad to, but they chose Goulburn because of the terrain over which the racing is conducted and the possibility of adverse weather, to further test their riders. 

“One NSW male rider stood out against the New Zealand team. It was Kurt Eather from the Dubbo Cycle Club. His individual hard work, against Team New Zealand  riding was rewarded.”

The six New Zealand boys took it in turns to attack in pairs, while their teammates controlled the pack. Eather placed second to New Zealand’s Joshua Ketch in the overall standings for the weekend. On Saturday the New Zealand women dominated with two of their riders making a breakaway, while the others controlled the pack.

 Goulburn Cycle Club president Adam Lambert said they had received a lot of positive feedback on the weekend. “We had about 30 local people involved in various jobs from front and rear support vehicle drivers, which were coordinated by Chris Berry, to the marshals and myself as starter who coordinated the handlers,” Lambert said. “We also had about a dozen other people from other clubs who helped out too.

 “There were eight Cycling NSW Commissaires  and  the three state selectors, Graeme Northey, Tom Dawson and Mick Marshall keeping an eye on the racing too.

 “I would like to thank everyone who participated and helped out including the guys from Canberra who looked after the electronic race finish recording.  Also our sponsor, particularly the Workers Club.”