Cycling: Thieves can't steal medal glory on road

Whangarei's Kim Reyburn turned it on at the National Road Cycling Championships to win a gold and a silver less than a week after her myBike shop on Reyburn St was broken into.Photo/Michael Cunningham

Determination can work wonders, something Whangarei's Kim Reyburn can attest to.

The myBike Whangarei owner bounced back from a setback before the National Road Cycling Championships to winning a gold and silver medal in her age category.

Less than a week out from the Cambridge competition Reyburn was alerted by a security company to an alarm activation at her store in Reyburn St.

When she arrived at the store just after 1am, she found shattered glass strewn across the floor and valuable bikes stolen.

However, on day one of the competition last Thursday Reyburn sent a message to her competitors - winning silver with ease in the M1 women's time trial.

The usually chipper cyclist admits to still feeling pretty average during the time trial but vowed to give it her all in her main event - the road race - where she blew away her competitors to win gold.

"It's pretty hard to put that into words," she described of the feeling after winning. "We'd dropped off the other girls but when you come in and cross the line it's an amazing feeling and you're still in disbelief.

"But when it does [sink in] it's a feeling that no one can take away from you and makes that year's training worthwhile.

"Standing on the podium after the time trial knowing there was a lot more you could give I thought 'na I don't want silver again', [but] it was the perfect warm-up for the road race."

Reyburn had considered withdrawing before the event, but was glad she had stuck it out.

"I'm absolutely stoked ... the guys I ride with have been into the store and they feel the glory is just as much theirs, which is cool.

"It has been so cool to see their faces beaming."

Reyburn felt a public thanks was necessary for her family and friends who had stood by her for the last 12 months.

Next on the radar for Reyburn is the World Masters Games in 2017, with the Tour of Northland and other national events along the way.

The investigation into the store robbery is continuing.