Australian rider Peter McDonald from Sydney has been confirmed as the rider to replace Chris Jenner in the Trust House team for next week's Trust House Cycle Classic in New Zealand. McDonald won the prestigious Grafton to Inverell and the Tour of Bright in 2004, and is one of the up and coming road cyclists in Australia.
"Peter is a climber who is in form right now, finishing 12th in last Saturday's Australian Road Championships behind Tour de France riders like McEwen, White, O'Grady and Allan Davis," said Race Director Jorge Sandoval. "He can climb, time trial and is a hard worker. He is really keen to do well here, and will arrive six days before the event and base himself in Masterton to train and ride the hills that will feature in the tour next week."
Two more teams
Two more strong teams where also announced today, The Cervelo Team lead by three-time New Zealand road champion Gordon McCauley. Of interest in the Cervelo team is World Kayaking Champion and Olympian silver medallist Ben Fuhoy, who is making his first appearance in an international cycle tour. Other riders in the Cervelo Team are 2003 tour winner Matthew Yates, Paul Sumich and Richard Spears.
The Geniusbikes.com/Castelli team announced the return of 1994 and 1996 tour winner Ric Reid. Reid hopes his legs are as willing as his mind when he makes his comeback to international cycling in the 18th Trust House Cycle Classic next week. Ric Reid won the Tour of Malaysia, Tour of Taiwan and has his best year in 1996 when he won the Tour of Wellington, the national road race and was the first amateur and only Kiwi to finish at the Olympic Games road race in Atlanta.
Reid has put together a very useful Auckland-based team that will keep all the other favourites honest in New Zealand's premier road-race. Other members of the team are former national champion Richard Bowker, winner of the 2004 sprints competition, Justin Kerr, Andrew Small and Nick Hotchin, all well-seasoned riders who have participated in overseas tours for the last two years.
More information: www.cycletournz.com
