New Zealand cyclists Luke Mugway and Olivia Podmore were the only riders to pick up major victories before rain ended the 69th River City Wheel Race for the second time in two days on Sunday.
New Zealand cyclists Luke Mugway and Olivia Podmore were the only riders to pick up major victories before rain ended the 69th River City Wheel Race for the second time in two days on Sunday.
The postponement of the 69th River City Wheel Race despite two attempts at restarts between the cloud bursts on the weekend highlights the need more than ever for the velodrome to get its roof, Ron Cheatley says.
Cheatley was left very frustrated as overnight Saturday rain and then light drizzlethat morning forced their hand to postpone the 20-discipline event by midday.
"We had to make a decision because of people travelling from Cambridge and Wellington," Cheatley.
"[Then] between 4pm and 7pm, it was perfect up there. You wouldn't believe it."
The event was then rescheduled to start at 2pm on Sunday, eventually getting underway 30 minutes late while the wooden track was checked and the storm clouds regathered.
They were only able to get 45 minutes into the roughly three hour schedule before the rain set in permanently around 3.40pm, leaving a lot of glum cyclists to pack up the cars and head home.
Of the few support races that were completed before the feature events, the most noteworthy was Luke Mudgway winning the men's points race.
The 20-year-old from Cambridge competed for New Zealand at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships last year before narrowly missing selection for the Rio Olympics, but he rebounded with his first professional win in China for the-then Avanti IsoWhey Sports' team in September.
The other noteworthy result was Cantabrian Olivia Podmore, the 19-year-old Olympian and Junior World's silver medallist, winning the women's sprints.
Cheatley said the Wheel Race will now be held on Saturday, March 4, starting at 4pm. While Sunday's results will stand, they will do the same full 20-discipline card.
"We'll start all over again, start the programme from scratch.
"If it gets rained out this time, that will be it. It's frustrating, especially for the people that have to travel."
Looking for a silver lining, Cheatley was hopeful some of the stronger national riders who had to miss the weekend will now be able to attend, such as two time Wheel Race winner and New Zealand team member Jordan Castle.
Palmerston North rider and previous Wheel Race entrant James Cuff keeping his bike under tent cover at the Wanganui Velodrome.
The Regional Velodrome Roofing Team has been working for years for the velodrome to finally get a roof installed in a project estimated to cost around $5.8 to $6 million.
Cheatley said BikeNZ had long since earmarked Wanganui to be one of its 6-8 training hubs, which is supported by Cycling Manawatu and Massey to allow top riders to either stay or move here permanently.
It remained a fear that a place like Napier, where the council is currently considering building a $15m velodrome, could take that prospect away.
"[BikeNZ] won't give us that tick until such time as we're covered," said Cheatley.
"We wouldn't be running just 2-3 programmes a year, we'd be running them all the time."
MP Chester Borrows had brought the likes of former Prime Minister John Key and current Sport & Recreation Minister Jonathan Coleman to visit the velodrome in recent times, with Coleman acknowledging a roof is needed but stopping short of opening the cheque book.
Cheatley said getting that government commitment would allow the team to go out and secure other money to match it.
"But no-one's going to move an inch until we get that support from Wellington."
