The stage is set for the gruelling 160km Gravel and Tar cycle race to be declared a true classic.
On January 23, 2021, riders will start this tough race in Feilding's town square.
Riders will make their way towards the Pohangina Valley where riders will be faced with three gruelling loops that set to give riders a tougher course than ever before.
Each loop will pass through Pohangina village and then make the ascent up Finnis Rd climb three times.
This is set to test the legs and stretch the will of riders.
The finish at Memorial Park in Palmerston North will see only the strongest finish.
Race director Steve Stannard said The Gravel and Tar Classic is the toughest, longest and hardest, and set to be New Zealand's monument to bicycle racing.
The entire Gravel and Tar race is spectator-friendly with fan zones located at the intersection of Spur and Watershed Rds, and at Pohangina Village.
The Gravel and Tar Classic forms part of a wider weekend of cycling; the Manawatū Cycling Spree will include the Gravel and Tar Classic, Gravel and Tar La Femme, and the Slicks and Stones races.
For the first time, 2021 Slicks and Stones will offer an e-bike category and a Lite category.
Greasy Chain Trust board member Mike Buckendahl commented he'd heard that e-bike sales are expected to outdo new car sales within three year.
"If that's so, the trust thought we'd better get our act together and provide opportunities for e-bikers."
And to encourage sporting cyclists who may be daunted by riding the 100km of the Slicks and Stones, there will now be the shorter Slicks and Stones Lite over 46km.
For the younger sporting enthusiasts, there'll be a Criterium Series on Friday evening, January 22, featuring junior cyclists from many of the schools in the Manawatū.
This will circle the Railway Reserve in the city.
Off-road cyclists have been thought of too.
The Manawatū Mountain Bike Club will be holding their annual Arapuke Challenge during the Cycling Spree weekend.
For the wider Manawatū community, there'll be events such as the Family Fun Ride along the Manawatū River pathways, a Retro Bike Ride featuring vintage bikes (and perhaps vintage cyclists), and the launch of a new book on the history of cycling in the region by local cycling historian, Ian Gray.
Palmerston North City Council, a supporter of the event since its inception, is providing a free family event Over the Line at the conclusion of the Gravel and Tar races.
The event will include food trucks, live music, bouncy castles, face painting and more at the recently refurbished Memorial Park.
In addition to all the opportunities for spectators to be part of these events, there's also an exciting new venue opening in the Manawatū during the Cycling Spree that will be worth a visit.
It's called Greens Estate and is for Extreme Mountain Bikers.
Greens Estate director, Brad Nieuwkoop said this is probably an event to experience as a spectator only.
"Some might say these riders are mad.
"If you've ever seen TV footage of people doing crazy things on bikes, then expect to see similar action live at the Manawatū's newest cycling venue.
"We're bringing together a number of New Zealand's top extreme mountain bikers for the day, so I reckon it's a must see."
The trust media spokesperson Lou Briggs said with the ongoing success of the Gravel and Tar events, the trust felt there was an opportunity to bring the community along for the ride.
"We couldn't do this without the support of the many local community groups who have partnered with us to make this an exciting weekend for the region."
The trust confirmed they are monitoring the Covid-19 situation and have contingency plans in place to mitigate the risk.