Cycling in his wife's honour

Patricia Fraser was killed in Manawatu while training for the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge. Photo / Supplied

Widower Joe Fraser's love for his wife and God kept him going during an emotional ride around Lake Taupo yesterday.

Fraser completed the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge in memory of his wife, Patricia, 34, who was killed near Sanson, in Manawatu, on November 13 while training for the event.

"The tears just started to fall and, as fatigue set in, emotion started to get away on me," he said last night.

"She was right there by my side. Her love and the faith that we both had helped me get around."

The father of four from Longburn was greeted by a friends and family wearing T-shirts with his wife's photo when he crossed the finish line after six hours.

Fraser wore his wife's bib number during the ride.

He said it was "some little way that I thought I could honour her memory".

"She was so special and she could have been anything she put her mind to."

Competitor Wayne Aberhart also paid tribute to three cyclists who were killed in a smash on November 14.

The Morrinsville senior constable was one of a group of cyclists who wore T-shirts with the faces of Wilhelm Muller, 71, Mark Ferguson, 46, and Kay Wolfe, 45.

The trio were killed when a car crossed the centre line crashed into a group 12km south of Morrinsville.

The T-shirts were "extra motivation" and a reminder that people needed to take more care when using the road, said Aberhart.

Five cyclists died in just five days as a result of crashes on New Zealand roads.

Kay Wolfe's husband, Roger Kay, said the accident that killed his wife was "a waste of three people's lives".

He said that while cyclists were safer in organised events there was always a risk of danger when they took to the roads.

"If we're on the road and it's not an organised event, we're at risk aren't we?

If we go out on a Sunday ride we feel safe and we're not."

Fraser went on to say the driving culture needed to change in order to save the lives of cyclists.

"It's about education," Fraser said.

"People seem to be in so much of a rush. Ten seconds and my wife would still be here."

Event spokeswoman Clare Ponton said yesterday's event - which saw just under 10,000 riders complete the 160km - went smoothly.

Auckland rider Kate Chilcott took out the women's race from former Olympic rower Sonia Waddell.

The men's event was won by Auckland's Roman Van Uden in a new lap record of three hours 42 mins and 21 seconds.

More than 50 road marshals patrolled the course, roads were closed and start times staggered to avoid large bunches.

Motorists were warned to expect thousands of cyclists on the roads.

This year, for the first time, drivers were also stopped at two points and reminded that there would be large numbers of cyclists on the road.

"It's all about road users being aware," said Ponton.

abby.gillies@hos.co.nz