Cycling: Out-of-towner wins Cycle Classic

Paul Duynhoven

Photo by: Mike Posnot

Out of town riders stole the show at the 2024 Round the Mountain Cycle Classic handicap race held on Sunday the 7th of April.

In a course record time of 3h 3 minutes 25 seconds Glenn Haden (pictured front) from Whanganui took first from clubmate Finnegan Murphy. Blair Christian from Bike Manawatu was third. First Taranaki finisher was David Goodall from Cycling New Plymouth in fourth.

In perfect near perfect weather conditions of the 113th year of the race with blue skies overhead the riders set off in five bunches from Spotswood College. By Midhurst the E and D grades had come together and further down the road the C, B and A grades had also joined up and were chasing hard.

The decisive break came at the Tariki underpass where a group of three riders Haden, Murphy and Christian broke away. They managed to ride across to the D & E grade group and rode through them heading up Dudley Road near Inglewood. This group stayed together all the way to this finish. In a tight sprint Glenn Haden a renown time-trialler and Tour of Southland stage winner had too much power for up and coming Finnegan Murphy of Whanganui. Both men were from A grade off the scratch mark . Blair Christian followed them in to take third place and first in B Grade. Finnegan is heading to France later this year to further his cycling career.

Cycling New Plymouth won the Club Challenge Trophy for the most entrants and a number of local riders had top races with Barry Marnoch winning D grade and Rob Gedye winning E grade.

Major Results and place getters.

1st Glenn Haden - A grade winner, 2nd Finnegan Murphy, 3rd Blair Christian – B grade winner, 4th David Goodall, 5th Logan Mulcahy - C grade winner, 6th - Tim Spicer, 7th Barry Marnoch - D grade winner, 8th - Craig Forsyth, 9th - Kelvin Eden, 10th - Patrick Johnstone.

E Grade winner - Rob Gedye.

Fastest veteran - Glenn Kirk.

Oldest Taranaki Finisher - Peter Schrafft.

Fastest Junior - Robert McGuigan.