Festival fever starts to build as cycle event takes top bill

Recreational cyclists Dave and Linda Hanley from Wellington enjoy the sunshine yesterday. Photo / Duncan Brown

People are gearing up for the start of the Summer Cycling Carnival, the event which has been "bubbling away" for the past year and is now only days away.

With the start of the Summer Cycling Carnival only days away, organisers are confident cyclists and spectators will be pleased with the event.

Race director Ivan Alpin said at this stage they were just trying to put the final bits together those "last minute things you have to do".

"We're really pleased with the positive feedback that's been coming through.

"What we've tried to do is something a bit different and I think we're really pleased with it, and that riders should go away happy."

Napier City Council event manager Kevin Murphy said he was also ticking off a list of the last few things to get done.

"It's often a bit crazy and being the first time there are often things that come up, but everything's going pretty well, I'm quite happy with it."

Mr Murphy said: "I'm really excited, and it's exciting we're holding it for the first time in Napier."

The carnival's first events will begin on Friday.

Although the day is expected to bring a high of 23 degrees, Mr Murphy said this will "just make it a harder ride" for cyclists.

Starting at 9am, the Traffic Design Group Flying Lap is a 23km time trial for keen cyclists looking to test themselves, or a comfortable ride for the recreational cyclist.

At 10am the Elite Cycling Nationals time trials for elite women will get underway, followed by the time trials for under 23 men, and then elite men.

Although Metservice had predicted rain for Saturday, Mr Murphy said: "It's not going to be the end of the world, cyclists will just need to be a bit more careful.

"Unless we have extreme, storm type weather we don't expect it to affect the carnival," he said.

He said spectators should also keep an eye on the weather, and gear up for the varying weather conditions over the weekend.

Metservice meteorologist Lisa Murray said aside from a few isolated showers, and northerlies developing, the week was looking fine overall.

"People should get outside and enjoy the nice weather - unless they're back at work already."

The temperature will start to pick up on Thursday reaching a high of 25, despite some high cloud and northerlies winds developing.

Friday will be fine apart some showers about the western ranges, with northerlies becoming strong in exposed places.

The end of the week will bring the weeks high of 28, which will become a balmy 17 degrees overnight.

Saturday was predicted to be the wettest day of the week, with showers spreading as northwest winds turn southwest later on in the day.

By Sunday the rain is expected to clear with some westerlies appearing.

-For more information, visit the website: summercyclingcarnival.co.nz