Hurray, the off season is over!
And my first race of the year is the New Zealand road championships, meaning that Jack Bauer is racing!
The atmosphere at the sign in was relaxed and casual. As is so often the case with cycling races, I had great access to the riders and many of the big names rode right in front of me, but I decided not to try for autographs this time.
Hayden Roulston, the defending champion, gave an interview.
The peloton actually included 2 races today: the Under 23 national championship and the Elite men's national championship.
The final countdown!
The biggest names in both the U23 and Elite fields were called to the front to start the race. Below: James Oram (U23) and George Bennett (Elite).
The course traveled through Christchurch's suburbs and locals made themselves comfortable as they cheered on the cyclists.
I was excited to learn that there would be regular race updates throughout the day. The course was a dozen laps, totaling around 180 kilometers, with a climb on all but the first and final laps.
I was pumped to see so much support for Jack Bauer! (I had a sign myself of course!)
Once the race started, I bolted for the course's only significant climb. I arrived just in time to see the peloton climbing the hill for the first time.
Jack Bauer left, George Bennett in green behind.
Left: James Oram.
Far right: Jack Bauer.
This guy wasn't part of the peloton but he also got a lot of cheers.
Hayden Roulston was beginning to make a move on the fourth lap.
Left: George Bennett.
It was really nice to see the Queen of England had traveled all the way to New Zealand to show her support to the Commonwealth.
Tom Davison, Hayden Roulston, and Jack Bauer were leading by the fifth lap.
I like to think Jack was smiling as I cheered for him, but it's also possible he was grimacing (due to the climb, obviously).
For reasons I didn't understand, the guy in the fringed camouflage kept trying to hand a $20 to the riders.
George Bennett.
The trio was still looking strong on the sixth climb.
Lap 7!
They had comfortably established a three man breakaway by the eighth lap.
Jesse Sergent, left, rode the first few laps in support of his Trek teammate Hayden Roulston but suffered a puncture and took it easy from then on. Here he was having a relaxed conversation, knowing he was too far behind to help Roulston.
No change in the leaders on lap 9.
The tenth lap was the penultimate climb and the fans and photographers were out in force.
Hayden McCormick leading the U23 race.
I missed most of the eleventh lap in order to secure a spot on the finish line, but nothing had changed by the start of the twelfth and final lap.
George Bennett was doing his best to catch the chase group ahead but he was just too far behind.
A cluster of U23s came barreling down the course.
Listening to the commentary during the last lap was excruciating. Roulston and Bauer were neck and neck coming in to the final stretch! But, alas, despite my cheering and Jack's legs, Roulston won by maybe half a bike length.
A gutted Jack Bauer.
There were smiles all around on the U23 podium. Hayden McCormick took victory, with Dion Smith and James Oram in second and third respectively.
The mood on the Elite podium was equally festive.
Final result: 1st Hayden Roulston, 2nd Jack Bauer, 3rd Tom Davison.
The first of many interviews for Roulston.
Once a race is done, the podium is cleared, and everyone has packed up, I start to look for wifi so I can email Hermano and tell him about the day. I made my way to the nearest building but there wasn't any wifi. Instead I found 2 men in Garmin shirts who had been Jack's support for the day. I approached them and asked them to tell Jack hello and congratulations from the Canadian. We got to talking and it turned out the 2 men were Jack's father and a family friend. They were delighted to hear I'm such a fan of Garmin, New Zealand, and of course Jack Bauer and they insisted I stay and wait for Jack and say hello in person. In the end, I was disappointed for Jack to be so close to winning a national title, but I had no complaints about chatting with him and his family.