CYCLING - On yer bike message from Bob and Bruce

A pair of sprightly Whangarei septuagenarians is urging other "oldies" to get on their bikes and stay fit as they set off on a 360km, four-day tour of Northland.
Bob Eastwood, "75 and five months", and Bruce Grant, "nearly 73", were among 480 cyclists who set off from the Blue Goose at Whangarei yesterday morning on the ninth annual Twin Coast Cycle Challenge.
Sport Northland active living manager Anna Markwick said the event this year had attracted cyclists from throughout New Zealand and one from Canada.
Yesterday, the cyclists, who left in four different bunches, headed south on State Highway 1 to Oakleigh and across to Dargaville, via Paparoa and Ruawai.
Today, they will head through the Waipoua Forest to Opononi. Tomorrow, they head through Kaikohe to Paihia before taking the ferry to Russell on Sunday, and taking the back route down the east coast to Whangarei.
Markwick said the event attracted some serious cyclists who would make sure there was plenty of stiff competition, but a big part of the challenge was the less serious participants.
"We've got some really serious cyclists taking part who will be aiming to win, but the more social ones will be having a great time, stopping along the way for a coffee and to take in some of the wonderful sights like [giant kauri tree] Tane Mahuta," she said.
Speaking to Bob and Bruce just minutes before they set off, it was obvious they were out for a bit of fun but intend to finish the course - after all they have been training together several nights a week.
They also hope to inspire other "oldies" to get on their bikes and take up the challenge or other physical activity.
Bob is doing the event for the sixth time and even artificial knees, fitted in 2006 and 2007, won't prevent him trying to better his best time of 15 hours 30 minutes for the 360km.
He joked that all he needed now was a bionic arm and eye and he could be the $6 million man, then he would really worry some of the race favourites.
Bob said the pair would stick together during the race so that if one fell off the other could help him up.
"We're just hoping to finish really but we hope to inspire other over 70s to get involved in something like this," he said.
Bruce said the biggest thing was to keep people active and to show "that even at our age you can still do this type of thing. The more people get involved in this the more people will be fit and healthy."
A minor accident in the third bunch of riders to leave yesterday morning held the final bunch up for about 30 minutes.
A man and woman taking part in the race collided and came off their bikes just a few kilometres after the start.
The man was taken to hospital by ambulance with suspected knee and hip injuries while the female suffered minor injuries.
Sport Northland's Colleen Atchison says the youngest competitor in this year's ride is 15 and the oldest is 75.
Three tandem bicycles have also been entered.