Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge
The Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge is New Zealand's largest mass participation cycling event.[1] First held in 1977, it circumnavigates Lake Taupo, a volcanic crater lake in the centre of the North Island. The ride starts and finishes in Taupo with one full circuit being approximately 160 km. Over 11,000 riders take part each year.[2] It is the first event in Oceania to be included in the International Cycling Union's Golden Bike Series.
Categories
The event aims to cater for all riders, from the elite racers to those just wishing to make it around. This is reflected in the range of finishing times - from 4 to 10 hours. Riders are asked to nominate finishing times and staggered starts are used to group riders by ability.
Subcategories of the event are (2007 data):[3]
- Avanti Classic: An official BikeNZ sanctioned race, sponsored by Avanti Bikes. Participants set off before the rest of the riders, competing in a full-on race, with a current racing license required, and entry limited to 100 riders. Riders must have a previous best time in the main event of under 4:15 for men or 4:45 for women. In 2007 the Classic category was men only.[4]
- Women's Hotdog: A women's only challenge introduced in 2007. This is a criterium style race which takes place on a 1.3 km circuit around Taupo's main centre. The duration is 30 minutes plus 3 laps.
- Solo: A one lap circuit of Lake Taupo for individual riders. Approximately 160 km.
- Tarmac Relay: For teams of two, three or four riders, where individuals ride 40 km sections of the 160 km main course.
- Dirt and Tarmac Relay: For teams of three, four or five riders including one mountain biker, who rides the first leg, that being a 24 km route of some of Taupo's MTB trails.
- Enduro: An option for individuals who ride multiple laps of the lake circuit (normally either two or three, with the three-lap option occasionally replaced by a four-lap 640 km option - this is certified as a qualifying brevet for Paris–Brest–Paris).
- Heart Riders: An option for children under 10, a 5 km distance into Taupo, organised by the Heart Children charity foundation.
References
External links