Yates faces strongest field in his defence of Le Race

Mar 26, 09. Former world junior champion Jeremy Yates will have a tough job defending his Le Race title this weekend.  He faces national champions, national points series leaders, Tour of Southland winners and former Olympians and Commonwealth games representatives and medallists.

This incredible lineup ensures this year's Le Race is the strongest in the events 11 year history.

Yates won the gruelling 100 kilometre Christchurch to Akaroa event in a record two hours and 39 minutes last year but will have to hold off national road cycling champion and Commonwealth Games medallist Gordon McCauley and his Subway - Avanti Cycling team mates Sam Horgan, Patrick and James Williamson, Eric Drower and Joe Cooper to win two years in a row.  James Williamson is the current New Zealand under 23 champion and Cooper won the same title last year.

2008's runner up Stephen Elden, who has also raced for New Zealand, is also back hoping to place one better.

Le Race Route - click for larger image

A late entry from former professional rider Scott Guyton from Takapuna, a double Olympian and Commonwealth Games Representative and two time Tour of Southland winner, adds further depth to the strong field.

Yates is well suited to the tough hill climbing event, he won the King of the Mountain title in last years Tour of Southland and raced in Asia last month for the Malaysian continental team LeTua at the Le Tour de Langkawi in his first step of a campaign to break back into the international cycling scene this year.

Other entries of note include New Zealand Under 17 road and time trail champion and youth Olympics representative Josh Atkins and New Zealand representative at last year's Sun Tour in Australia and three times National Points race champion Anthony Chapman.

Lion Foundation National Points Series leader Serena Sheridan won the event last year and after the withdrawal of Australian elite road race Champion, 2007 Le Race winner and European based professional Carla Ryan due to injuries sustained in a crash while training in Australia, is the favourite in the female field.

Three time winner Jo Buick retired from professional racing in 2006, and only has the ‘occasional' event under her belt in recent times but should still feature in the woman's field. It is nine years since she raced in the event, stayed overnight to get married in Akaroa and then rode home.

Former Commonwealth Games representative and professional rider Vanessa Guyton who has made the trip south with her husband Scott will also make her presence felt.

New Zealand duathlon champion Victoria Beck and Sara McDonald from Dunedin are both well performed road cyclists that should also feature.

Other entries of note include;

- Coast to Coast legend Steve Gurney, doing the event dressed as a frog on a tandem with Steve Moffatt.

- Commonwealth Games medallist and former Olympian 59 year old Blair Stockwell now living in Brisbane, has entered and bought a large group across for the event from Australia.

- Christchurch hand cyclist Rob Martin has entered Le Race for the eighth time.  Martin was second in the hand-cycling category of the famed New York Marathon last year and has hand-cycled across the Southern Alps, around Lake Taupo and paddled the Cook Strait.

- Christchurch City Councillor Sue Wells has entered Le Race with the world record holder for skipping a marathon, her partner Englishman Harry Escott.

- Rob Penny - Canterbury Air NZ Cup rugby coach has entered.

- It is almost a year cyclist since 24 year old Jonathon Gee suffered serious injuries, was on life support and spent six weeks in a coma but he is back on the bike and ready to tackle the event - a real signal he is back from his life threatening injuries. 

- Three time winner Jo Buick is riding to celebrate nine years of marriage. She retired from professional riding in 2006. It was nine years ago she and husband Paul rode in the race, stayed in Akaroa and got married on the Sunday, then rode home the following day.

- In the true traditions of the Tour de France, cyclists will find extra motivation as they head up the first climb in Saturdays Le Race in the form of a French superhero who vows no cyclist will pass without receiving his special blend of motivation.  The superheros true identity remains a well kept secret as race day nears, but he says to "expect the unexpected," and has been working on his outfit for some time.  

"If you want to race it, Le Race can be the hardest race you'll ever do. But if you want to just finish and enjoy it, the scenery makes for a fantastic day out."  Brian Fowler, New Zealand Cycling Champion - Olympian and Commonwealth Games medallist & Le Race Patron.

Other Le Race Articles A councillor and skip champion join Le Race Le Race's 2008 winners back for more Top cyclist adds spice to Le Race

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