Cycling: Gorter looks for three-peat win

Hamilton's Sheldon Gorter, will ride his cyclocross bike in his third Karioi Classic cycle race.

Hamilton's Sheldon Gorter is looking to win the King of the Mountain for the third time in as many races in the Karioi Classic in Raglan on July 29. The 22-year-old nurseryman, who has a background in cyclocross, road cycling, mountain biking and running, can't wait to get stuck into the hills on the West Coast on his cyclocross bike and attempt a three-peat at the popular local event.

What is it that makes the Karioi Classic in Raglan a special event?

How it starts and finishes in Raglan which is such an awesome West Coast town, the scenery is magic and all the people involved are so relaxed which makes it a good day.

What did it mean for you to successfully defend your King of the Mountain title in 2011?

I knocked four minutes off my time from the year before and rode solo for the whole race, which makes it special - and to be the only person to have won the race.

How has your training gone as you look to go three in a row?

I have been training for cyclocross national series, in which I have the Hamilton Fog City Cyclocross race the day before the Karioi Classic. This year I have decided to do the two-lap race around Karioi (which is the first year you can do it) and will be riding my cyclocross bike. It will be interesting to see where my fitness is at as I have not been doing many longer rides in training, but will just go as hard as I can and hurt.

What other events do you do?

I do most road cycling events in the North Island, and have also done the Tour of Southland the past four years, but this year I have started doing cyclocross which is a sport that comes from Belgium and is becoming very popular here. Now we have a national series for it. I do a few mountain bike races. Karioi is my favourite as my road cycling training suits the course.

What makes this event a challenge?

Around Karioi it's very up and down and you don't get much rest in it. Also the finish where you have to ride a few kilometres on the Raglan airfield is tough after slogging it out on the gravel roads then having to ride on grass - doing the two-lapper will be an even greater challenge.