Whanganui Chronicle
  • Whanganui Chronicle home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Taranaki
  • National Park
  • Whakapapa
  • Ohakune
  • Raetihi
  • Taihape
  • Marton
  • Feilding
  • Palmerston North

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • New Plymouth
  • Whanganui
  • Palmertson North
  • Levin

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Whanganui Chronicle

NZMG: Wellington's Steve Bale dominates cycling in Whanganui

By Jared Smith
Sports Editor·Whanganui Chronicle·
3 Feb, 2019 06:35 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Steve Bale on his way to winning the Cycling Road Race

Steve Bale on his way to winning the Cycling Road Race

Karori cyclist Steve Bale was able to make it back-to-back Whanganui line honours in the Road Race of the Downer New Zealand Masters Games, out on the traditional Brunswick Rd course this morning.

Unlike 2017, when the Wellingtonian stayed in the lead group and made repeated attacks to push the pace and eventually move away from the field, this time Bale went at it like a bullet from a gun and could not be headed.

He completed the 66km race in under 90 minutes, having put down consistent 17-19 minute times across the six laps, to finish over two minutes clear of his nearest competition.

"I left them the first half of the first lap," Bale said.

"Spent 60km on my own, it's lonely. I was in time trial mode.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Carbon copy of last time. I love this course."

The chasing lead group got left behind by the winner.
The chasing lead group got left behind by the winner.

Bale said he was always surprised that for a country road, the Brunswick course is quite smooth.

The cycling coach was pleased to see that his Fitlab team mate Lee Campbell ultimately worked clear to finish second overall.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

It was Bale's third straight NZMG Road Race title after also winning Dunedin 2018.

Heading straight back home afterwards, Bale will now continue his preparations for the upcoming series of Wellington and North Island races.

The Road Race closed a hectic four days for the cycling component of the NZMG with the time trials preceding the opening ceremony on Friday, while the Okoia hill climb and track racing in the Velodrome were on Saturday.

Around 155 riders entered some or all of the events.

Discover more

NZMG: Kevin Nicholson wins triathlon event in Whanganui

02 Feb 02:00 AM

Whanganui's bold move really started something

02 Feb 05:33 AM

Petanque pistes busy under blazing Whanganui sun

03 Feb 04:00 PM

Many watch dance sport in Whanganui War Memorial Centre

03 Feb 06:00 PM

"We're pretty pleased with the cycling numbers," said spokesman Ron Cheatley.

"The track [events] went off pretty good, although there were a couple of crashes."

Competing at the velodrome was Peter Quax, who set the fastest 500m time trial time of 40.2s out all divisions.

Quax is the brother of the late Olympic silver medallist and former world record holder Dick Quax, while being a competitive national championship-level athlete himself.

Preparing for the upcoming National Age Group championships, Quax reflected on how the NZMG has changed from its roots after 30 years, having himself entered back in the late 1990's.

"Athletics and cycling were so competitive, it was just like running an extra [New Zealand] champs.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"You had to be on bloody good form and prepare for it.

"To me [now], it's not a hit out, not a race. [But] it doesn't always work like that, as my wife only won her age group.

"But for me, it's about coming down here and doing performances."

Action from Sunday.
Action from Sunday.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui Chronicle

Seabed mining project sparks alarm over impact on South Taranaki fisheries

07 Jul 03:57 AM
Whanganui Chronicle

Multiple purchase offers for pilot academy

07 Jul 03:39 AM
Whanganui Chronicle

Police seek sightings of car linked to missing person

06 Jul 11:50 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Seabed mining project sparks alarm over impact on South Taranaki fisheries

Seabed mining project sparks alarm over impact on South Taranaki fisheries

07 Jul 03:57 AM

Jamie Newell fears silt pollution will damage precious reef ecosystems.

Multiple purchase offers for pilot academy

Multiple purchase offers for pilot academy

07 Jul 03:39 AM
Police seek sightings of car linked to missing person

Police seek sightings of car linked to missing person

06 Jul 11:50 PM
How a spray painter is mastering conflict resolution with NZ Army

How a spray painter is mastering conflict resolution with NZ Army

06 Jul 05:00 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Whanganui Chronicle e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Whanganui Chronicle
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP