Promising Northland riders show form

Northland's budding cyclists have come to the fore again, with Marsden Wheeler riders producing top results at national events around the country.

Whangarei's Alice Riddell, competing in the under-17 girls' division in front of national selectors, placed ninth on general classification at the Invercargill-based Yunca Junior Tour.

Yunca is a junior-only event and this year's event featured 180 boys and girls, including a 40-strong Australian contingent. Riddell, 7, was 39 seconds down on the winner, after five hours 20 minutes over three days of racing, and her best stage placing during the weekend's tour was fourth equal in the 2.6km prologue time trial.

Former Marsden Wheeler cyclist Mathew Zenovich, who lives in Southland but is still coached by Marsden junior coach Ruth Jarman, won the green points jersey after some hard breakaway efforts in several stages during the under-19 men's tour. Zenovich also was 12th on GC after 7 hrs 25 mins of racing.

Meanwhile, Ben Johnstone was also in action at the weekend, racing in Le Race 100km One Day Classic, starting in Christchurch and ending in Akaroa.

Johnstone was third in the male 15-16 category, 12 minutes down on the age-group winner. He came home 42nd overall, with a time of 2:58:01, beating his father Lee Johnstone by eight minutes.

Lee Johnstone had been the dominant male rider in the club over the last few years has just moved from Whangarei to Christchurch.

Coach Jarman said it was an awesome effort overall by the riders, who had put in the winter training to be competitive.