About Me

My photo
Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
I am a professional cyclist for Drapac Pro Cycling. An Australian registered Pro Continental team. My hometown is Dunedin in New Zealand. I also study business and event management. Racing my bike around the globe aiming to get to the highest level in the sport.

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

USA First 3 Weeks including first wins

To start I had a very busy June moving houses, studying for exams, training and then the big trip to the USA.

Exams

I received some great exam results with confirmation that I have passed my last University papers and now have enough points to graduate in December. This is a pretty big part of my last 3 years and is great to finish.

Cycling in the USA

I am currently living in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, USA its about 2 hours west of New York.
Here there is a world class track league at the Valley Preferred Cycling Centre in Trexlertown (15km away) with racing every Tuesday (Pro-Am) and Friday (Professionals).

First Win- UCI Scratch race Festival of Speed

So far I have been doing very well. I won my first race on the track and it was a major one. It was a UCI Scratch race during the first weekend I was here. It was the main endurance event of the Festival of Speed and has international ranking points attached to it. I won with an attack 7 laps to go. The previous night we had a 80 lap points race and 100 lap madison. It was hitting the ground running with hard and fast races and I suffered in the heat a bit.

Then on Tuesday night 1st July I won the Omnium overall that night.

Racing took a break for 4th of July Independence Day celebrations so I took the oppourtunity to go to New York and see my girlfirend Holly currently at Camp America there. NYC was awesome did some of the usual sights including Central Park.
Bear Creek Mountain Resort

Wall Street



Last week Tuesday track racing was rained off. On the Friday I placed second overall that night to fellow kiwi sprinter Jeremy Presbury. Much of the racing was quite short which didn't suit me but is great speed training all round.


















 

1st Road Criterium Win (video link below)

 
Photo: Grayson Napier takes 3rd in The Mayors Cup in Marietta, excellent riding from all the lads with Scotty again spending a bit of time off the front.  Good to see the race was won by another kiwi fast man Brad Evans. Off to Connecticut tomorrow to race the New Britain GP!
Photo from L&M Racing
 
 
 
 
 























Historic Marietta Criterium Pro Finish YouTube Video

On Saturday I took the opportunity to travel to a race 65miles away called the Historic Marietta Criterium with a couple guys from Kutztown. It was 35miles, quite long in the heat, however I felt strong and came away with the win and a few primes too. Another Kiwi Grayson finished well in third. The race was sponsored by a few craft breweries so we came away with a few beers too.

Tonight I have another weekly track night followed by Keystone Cup this Friday and maybe some Crits on the weekend if I can get to them.

Thanks for reading.
Brad

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

NZ Season wrap up

So far this season has been my most successful to date.
This is a pretty massive post but hopefully sums everything up well.

Here is a selection of races I have taken part in.

I started with the Tour of Southland in November with the Powernet team.
They were fantastic sponsors, looking after everything for the week.
My best result was 2nd after an all day break on stage 3.

 Breakaway time, Just before I went off the front for the last 20km.






I then went to China for a couple of tours there.
Tour of Fozhou UCI 2.2
Tour of Poyang Lake

I had a great time over in China with a great group of guys from Norway on the Unaas People 4 You team.
I could write a few blogs on the crazy time over there. 

Thanks to Emil Unaas for inviting me over for Poyang.
Also thanks to Daniel Curruthers for inviting me for the first tour.

In between times I hung out in Hong Kong which is a pretty chaotic city. Loved it though.

Best result 3rd on Mountain Stage in Tour of Poyang lake

 

Not really sure how I got up on a mountain stage but what ever. Sprinters can climb!

L-R Me, Olav, Jonas, Herman, Sander, Turmold


 
 On the front with the boys, drink time before the climb.


After I came back I got pretty sick for a week, due to pollution and lots of traveling.

 Then it was onto Elite Road National Champs. The last couple of weeks trained through some pretty bad weather but made it through.

On the day it was a tough race. I got dropped with cramp on the second last time up the climb then got pulled out whilst actually 5th under 23. Go figure.

I then refocused on the track to make a push for Track nationals.

On the way there I won the 84th Gore to Invercargill race
 


Over the next 6 weeks I did some hard yards in training. Not many long rides but still good for 2nd in the first Benchmark Homes race that I won the year before. Sprint finish again this year.





The week later at the new Avantidrome in Cambridge I managed to come out with my first national senior title in the scratch race.



 
In the Madison with Jase Allen


I then had a big base building 2 weeks for the upcoming domestic races.

Results were as follows.

1st Place R&R Sport Tour

 

3rd place Benchmark 2 Hokitika


 After Hoki with Alex team mate that won and the Colombia Strava sensation Carlos

Tour de Lakes 2nd place on GC by 1 sec to Alex McGregor.

I rode a very good tour as evidenced by the stage placings below. I rode one of the best races I have ever ridden in the last stage shutting down everyone from breaking away only to just miss the win after Alex put in a better climb to the finish. Another ride I was very pleased about was the Time Trial where I won by 3seconds from Alex. I put more emphasis on this in training and it was nice to get a result.

1st Sprint Ace, 1st Prologue, 2nd Stage 1, 1st Stage 3 Time Trial, 3rd Stage 4, 1st Stage 5, 3rd Stage 6

 



Bit stuffed on the final climb.

Club National Championships, 1st Under 23 Road Race, 2nd U23 Time Trial
I had a pretty bad time trial. Never really felt good.
More than made up for it with Gold in the road race. I went out front in the break making everyone work behind then recovered and made a few moves once caught. I then won with a pretty good sprint. Was second overall in the race to my team mate Alex up the road taking the elite men title ( I was under 23).



Benchark Round 3 Hanmer Springs to Kaikoura. 4th Place
After this round I am now in the series lead.




Big thanks to everyone that has helped me have this awesome season. Firstly Holly for putting up with me training and racing all the time. To Dad at Spincity Cycles for all the work on my bikes he does and advice that I sometimes follow... Also to all my extended family and friends for their support.
Big thanks my team Calder Stewart and Bruce for organising everything in the Benchmark series.
Also thanks to training partner and team mate Carlos for all his help in training and racing.


Now its time for a break before I am heading over to the USA for some racing.
In other news I will also finish my commerce degree at Otago University after this semester, finally!

Thanks for reading.
Brad