Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge

The Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge is New Zealand's largest mass participation cycling event. [" [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10357253 Injuries dog Taupo cycle race] " - "The New Zealand Herald", Sunday 27 November 2005] First held in 1977, it circumnavigates Lake Taupo, a volcanic crater lake in the centre of the North Island. The ride starts and finishes in Taupo with one full circuit being approximately 160 km. Over 11,000 riders take part each year. [" [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10469123&pnum=0 All in the timing for radio tag team] " - "The New Zealand Herald", Thursday 11 October 2007]

Categories

The event aims to cater for all riders, from the elite racers to those just wishing to make it around. This is reflected in the range of finishing times - from 4 to 10 hours. Riders are asked to nominate finishing times and staggered starts are used to group riders by ability.

Subcategories of the event are: [" [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/7/story.cfm?c_id=7&objectid=10353751 Great lake bike ride] " - "The New Zealand Herald", Tuesday 08 November 2005]
* Avanti Classic: An official [http://www.bikenz.org.nz BikeNZ] sanctioned race, sponsored by Avanti Bikes. Participants set off before the rest of the riders, competing in a full-on race, with a current racing license required, and entry limited to 100 riders. Riders must have a previous best time in the main event of under 4:15 for men or 4:45 for women. In 2007 the Classic category was only open to men. [ [http://www.cyclechallenge.com/classic.asp Race information] (from the official event website)]

* Women's Hotdog: A women's only challenge introduced in 2007. This is a criterium style race which takes place on a 1.3 km circuit around Taupo's main centre. The duration is 30 minutes plus 3 laps.
* Solo: A one lap circuit of Lake Taupo for individual riders. Approximately 160 km.
* Tarmac Relay: For teams of two, three or four riders, where individuals ride 40 km sections of the 160 km main course.
* Dirt and Tarmac Relay: For teams of three, four or five riders including one mountain biker, who rides the first leg, that being a 24 km route of some of Taupo's MTB trails.
* Enduro: An option for individuals who ride multiple laps of the lake circuit (normally either two or three, with the three-lap option occasionally replaced by a four-lap 640 km option - this is certified as a qualifying brevet for Paris-Brest-Paris).
* Heart Riders: An option for children under 10, a 5 km distance into Taupo, organised by the Heart Children charity foundation.

References

External links

* [http://www.cyclechallenge.org.nz Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge] (official event website)