Can Yates make it five wins in a row?

Yates battling the Coromandel hills ©sportzhub.com

Oct 28th, 11. Tomorrow marks the 10th anniversary of Coromandel's K2 road race which for the last five years has been won by Jeremy Yates.

The tough 200km race with 2300m of vertical climbing over 40km of hills is hardly a traditional warmup for the also tough Tour of Southland, yet it is a formula Yates knows well.

He is one of the favourites for both events.

Before he lines up at the week long PowerNet Tour of Southland for team Share the Road on Sunday, Yates is looking for another K2 win.

If he wins tomorrow it will be for a record fifth time in a row!

Every year this unique event starts from a different Coromandel town and does one full 200km lap of the peninsula. This year racing gets underway in Thames, which puts riders straight into K2's signature hill climb, the 14km long, 425m high Kopu-Hikuai Hill.

The reward is stunning views and 40km of mostly downhill to Tairua, before a tough 90km over the short but steep climbs of Pumpkin Hill Kuaotunu and Whangapoua to Coromandel. Then it's a final 53km, opening up with tough climbs over Manaia Hill and Kereta Hill to the Pohutukawa Coastline for 40km of fast riding to the finish line back in Thames.

Yates, who set the course record of 5h02m34s in 2008, is expected to split the race open the tough middle section between Whitianga and Coromandel. But will need to be on top of his game to hold off chase bunches on the 40km of flat coastal riding to the finish. 

Men's elite race

This year there are 15 riders in the elite mens' field. Riders expected to challenge the defending champion include Ryan Wills, Andy Hagan, Stu Houltham and Silas Cullen. Houltham, in particular, could be a factor due to the former national mountain bike champion's prowess on the uphills, say the race organisers.

Also racing are two young riders with considerable international experience. Auckland's 24 year old Michael Torckler, from Pure Black Racing, will be looking for a good result following a 10 month rehab from knee surgery last summer and 22 year old Slovenian national rep Andi Bajc is taking in K2 on a New Zealand visit, and will be looking to impress. Bajc is also racing Southland.

Organisers are expecting around 2000 riders for the annual event. As well as the feature 200km, options include the Orca K1 held over 100km, the 50km Nicholas Browne Quarter K, and a team relay around the full 200km.

Women's elite race

The Orca K1 also doubles as the Elite Women's race, which promises to be a wide open affair. Favourites include national reps Emma Crum (Akld), Jeannie Kuhajek (Nels) and Rachel Doody (Akld) who finished 4th, 5th and 10th last year. Multisporters Melanie Burke (Akld) and Teresa Adam (Akld) will provide dark horse appeal, with Burke fresh from her world duathlon title in Switzerland and Adam a former national champion triathlete.

These established stars, however, will all be watching teenage riders Ashleigh Neave (Nap) and Georgia Williams (Akld). Neave was a former top 20 place getter at the 2010 world junior time trial championship, but Williamson is fresh off an outstanding season where she placed 6th in the world junior time trial and second in the world junior individual pursuit on the track.

Thames is going off

RoadCycling.co.nz's Ben Christian is in Thames to race the non-elite event and reports the town is buzzing. The pubs are full of young bands and the restaurants have ordered in more pasta.

The weather today was a mixture of blue skies and cloud, with tomorrow's forecast looking similar - but perhaps a shower or two thrown in too.

All the best everyone!