Cyclist wins big contract

When cyclist Wade Mangham turned on his computer the other day, he didn't expect to come across such a shocking email.
It wasn't a cheap forward filled with tired jokes or a piece of spam from a Russian bride asking for his hand in marriage.
Instead, the email changed the course of his sporting career - French cycling club VCC Morteaux Mont Beniox had offered him a six-month contract to race as part of its under-23 racing team.
The invitation is seen as a big step towards sewing up a place in the New Zealand under-23 road team and potentially signing with a professional contract. "It's always a bit of a surprise when you get an email like that," Mangham, from Rotorua, said. "They just asked me if I wanted to join the team, so I'm heading over to France next year."
Mangham's invitation is the latest in a string of high-profile successes for Cycling Rotorua club riders - Julian Dean, Clinton Avery, Sam Bewley, Ryan Wills and Logan Hutchings have all committed themselves to international teams in Europe or the US.
Scouts for the club have been keeping tabs on Mangham since he finished 60th at the Junior World Road Cycling championships in South Africa earlier this year. Better still, they gave him the chance to bring a mate along. Mangham chose Aucklander Brad Aldrich - the pair have ridden together at national under-17 level, with Mangham saying his mate would be a good fit for the team.
"I know him really well," Mangham said. "I haven't raced with him lately, but I went overseas with him and we've just kept in touch since."
The duo will be the only New Zealanders in a team of eight Frenchmen, four Swiss and an Englishman. The club is based in Eastern France, on the border between France and Switzerland, so Mangham is expecting to be a more than proficient hill-climber after his six-month stint.
"It's really mountainous, so I am going to get good at climbing. The biggest climb we have in New Zealand is 3km and over there, it's like 50km," Mangham said.
The 18-year-old said the team will be competing in about 70 races a year, mainly in Eastern, Northern and Southern France.
The teenager has also realised it's a pretty handy way of having an OE, having never been to Europe. "It's a good way of getting to see the world."
Until he makes the long journey to France in late March or early April, Mangham will be saving hard for the airfare working over the summer break.
"Once I get over there, I am getting looked after pretty well, so I just have to get over there. One of the team sponsors owns a hotel, so we will be staying there," he said.