Reef’s riding high in the saddle

An Arrowtowner’s proved he’s not only the best under-19 road cyclist in New Zealand, but he’s now also shown up the Aussies.

In February, 17-year-old Reef Roberts, who boards at Timaru Boys’ High, won gold in the U19 men’s individual time trial at the NZ elite road cycling champs — conveniently held just outside Timaru — and also gold, by .01 of a second, in the U19 road race the following day.

Then, last month, in Brisbane, he beat both Aussies and Kiwis to claim the U19 Oceania time trial title, which he admits was "a bit of a surprise".

"I didn’t really know what to expect."

When not at school, Reef lives with his dad, Glenn, on the Crown Terrace and trains on local roads.

This year he also claimed silver in the national men’s U19 criterium champs, in January, and in March he won the Motatapu mountain bike race, from Wanaka to Arrowtown, for the second year in a row.

Glenn, who’s also won Motatapu and Queenstown’s Peak to Peak race, says he dragged Reef out on a mountain bike and a road bike when he was little.

"He’s determined and he’s got lots of discipline, he’s just out there in rain, hail or sun training."

Reef — who trains about 15 hours a week, either on his bike or in the gym — is coached by successful Christchurch-based coach Marc Prutton.

He’s been selected for a development team in Marseille, France — the U19 Academy Region Sud Powered by Giant — and heads over there in July for three months, where he’ll be racing every weekend.

Reef’s also hoping to make the NZ team for the world champs in Zurich, Switzerland, in late September — "that’s my goal".