Cycling: Le Tour a step closer for NZ team

Mark Langlands of Pure Black Racing is cheered on during the New Zealand Road Cycling Championships. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand's Pure Black cycling racing team are a step closer to their dream of one day racing in the Tour de France after their application for Continental racing team status was approved by the International Cycling Union (UCI).

Pure Black's first international appearance will be a professional criterium in Singapore on March 5.

The Singapore event is one of the first night cycling races in the Asia Pacific to be fully lit for television.

Tim Gudsell, the current national criterium champion, Mike Northey, Roman Van Uden and Shem Rodger will represent Pure Black at the event.

Gudsell, Northey Glen Chadwick, Scott Lyttle and James Williamson will race in the five-day Wellington Cycle Classic beginning on Wednesday.

Van Uden and Rodger will prepare at a training camp at Lake Karapiro.

"Everyone on the team will complete an extensive programme at Karapiro, before we launch Pure Black Racing onto the international circuit," team leader Carl Williams said.

"While we realise that Pure Black Racing has a lot to learn, we are committed to being competitive, as a team, in our first year in the UCI Continental competition."

Pure Black's current roster include Daniel Barry, Glen Chadwick, Timothy Gudsell, Taylor Gunman, Marc Langlands, Scott Lyttle, James McCoy, Michael Northey, Shem Rodger, Michael Torckler, Roman Van Uden and James Williamson.

- NZPA