Otago's top female riders, Corrine Smit and Kat Jones, could be the dark horses at the New Zealand club road championships starting in Wanganui today.
They have shown excellent form in local road races, with Jones wearing the yellow jersey until the mountain climb on the Tour de Lakes last month.
Smit is concentrating on the senior road race while Jones will also add the time trial.
The return of masters rider Ross Gamble has been a feature of the Otago road season. He was a national class cyclist 40 years ago but the demands of business limited his chances in the sport.
He is now back on his bike and is keeping the younger riders honest in local road races. He is expected to be a medallist in the masters seven time trial and road race.
The younger Stu Crooks, in the masters one grade, demonstrated serious speed when winning three stages in the recent R and R Tour.
Denton Hayward and Lachie McGregor have both been improving on every outing, and could be outside chances in the junior sections.
Patrick Jones will be a podium prospect in the under-19 road race if it comes down to a bunch sprint. Jan Brosnahan, an experienced campaigner at national level, will be looking for more gold medals in the masters time trial.
The feature senior men's road race will include national track coach Dayle Cheatley (Wanganui), former double Olympian Chris Nicholson (Nelson) and professional cyclist Paul Odlin, a recent sprint jersey winner on the Tour of Korea.
Auckland's Mel Burke will defend her senior women's title, with strong challenges expected from New Zealand representative Toni Bradshaw (Auckland) and the consistent Karen Fulton (Nelson).
The under-19 age group doubles as a national selection trial, with the riders to watch being junior world championship representative Georgia Williams (North Harbour) and Southland's Sophie Williamson, who dominated the national championships earlier this year.
Commonwealth Games representative Gordon McCauley debuts in the masters ranks in the time trial and road race.
More than 540 riders from under 15 to over 70 will race the four-day competition.
NZ Club Champs
Otago team
Denton Hayward (U17 road race), Lachie McGregor (U15 time trial and road race), Patrick Jones (U19 time trial and road race), Corrine Smit (senior road race), Kat Jones (senior time trial and road race), Jan Brosnahan (masters time trial and road race), Reta Trottman (senior time trial and road race), Ross Gamble (masters time trial and road race), Stu Crooks (masters time trial and road race), Paula Anstey (masters time trial and road race), Paul Whitley (masters road race), Katri Laike (senior road race).
