Australian cyclist Phil Anderson, the first non-European rider to claim the prestigious yellow jersey on the Tour de France, has signed on as patron and guest speaker at the inaugural Veteran's Cycle Tour of New Zealand being held in Masterton next week. Anderson, a former world number one with 90 professionalvictories to his name, has not been in New Zealand since he won the Dulux Tour in 1977 as a 19-year-old amateur. A year later he won gold in the road race at the Commonwealth Games in Canada before turning professional in 1980. Event organiser Jorge Sandoval said having a sportsman of Anderson's calibre in the region, let alone the country, was a "rare treat". "He's a very interesting guy and he's had an amazing career so it will be well worth making the effort to see him," he said. "He was really huge in the sports world in his day. The Tour de France is a big deal in Europe and when he became the first English-speaking rider to win the yellow jersey it was a big occasion." Sandoval said Anderson would speak next Saturday evening at Copthorne Hotel Solway Park and expected there would be a few tales told about his career and the Tour de France. "He's a really friendly guy and he's always happy to answer any questions people want to answer. "His career has been amazing and he will have some great stories on offer I'm sure." The evening begins at 8.30pm and tickets can be purchased at the door for $20.
