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Share the Road Welcome to the site of the Share the Road campaign which runs in Southland as part of the Powernet Tour of Southland. Latest News 2011 TeamThe Share the Road team to race in the Tour of Southland 2011 will be:
New School Competitions for 2011
Sport Southland together with Road Safety Southland would like to offer your School the opportunity to win prizes to the value of $3000 while incorporating Road Safety messages into the classroom. Competitions this year include:
Share the Road 2010 Share the Road strengthens ranks for Southland
Jul 6th, 10. They finished second in the PowerNet Tour of Southland last year, this year Share The Road have strengthened their ranks with the goal to go one better come November. Joining last year’s runner-up, national Road Champion Jack Bauer, and his 2009 teammate Karl Murray, are Gordon McCauley, himself a 5xNZ Road Champion, Olympian and 2009 stage winner Jeremy Yates, Justin Kerr and Commonwealth Games medalist Jason Allen. Seventeen time Tour of Southland rider, and two time title winner, Gordon McCauley rates his 2010 Share the Road team as the strongest he’s ever been involved with. McCauley claimed the overall tour title in 1997 and again in 2005. He's also been in several winning teams – a feat he wants to repeat with Share the Road this year. “My days of racing for GC in the tour are over, but I would like to use my experience to ensure Share the Road come away with the win. And I’d like a stage win myself,” he said. “I get the opportunity to race on the same team as some of my mates who I rarely get the chance to race with - fantastic," said McCauley who will be coming off top form after October's Commonwealth Games. Share the Road boasts a formidable line-up of international riders but their tour success isn't just about being at the top of the podium. Share the Road message For the 8th year, Share the Road will use the PowerNet Tour of Southland to take their message to the public. The main aim is to promote the Share the Road messages of road safety while getting more people active through safe cycling. The team will again be visiting schools in the lead up to the tour and encouraging children to get out and watch the action.
"Share the Road" is a campaign funded by Road Safety Southland and delivered by Sport Southland. The importance of the team’s safety message proved a major drawcard and struck an emotional chord with this year's riders. “Having lost a couple of good mates over the years, it’s a subject that’s quite close to home for me personally so any exposure we can get out there the better,” said Allen, who is racing in the US this season. “The team is amazingly strong and I can’t wait to race with all the guys down there – it will be a lot of fun and if you can couple that with sharing a very important message, it just makes it even more worthwhile.” McCauley agreed. “Having been knocked off my bike by cars twice, I believe it is the most important message we can be spreading to both cyclists and motorists alike.” For Murray, a former green jersey winner, respect for road rules was the key. “Sharing the road is something we all need to learn otherwise more people will get hurt or die,” he said. A powerful hill climb rider, Yates, 28, applauded the initiative of Road Safety Southland to use the tour as a platform to spread the Share the Road message. “As regular road users, cyclists are faced by its hazards constantly – a clear public message can benefit us all,” he said.
“For our hit team to win yellow, King of the Mountain and sprint jerseys, to win stages, lantern rouge, Wally of the Week and anything else that’s going,” Yates enthused. Kerr, who made his Tour of Southland debut with Share the Road in 2003, deemed the 2010 contingent, “Super strong with obvious potential to win the tour.” “It’s a team that is promoting cycling to kids as well as safe cycling for all age groups – it’s nice to be part of a team with an alternative focus off the bike as well as performing on it,” he said. Second to Heath Blackgrove last year, UK-based Bauer was eager to see one of the Share the Road riders “win the bugger” this time around. “This is a team with great support and staff, as well as a great message to represent. We get to have a real input into the local community and the kids,” said Bauer who will enter the tour stronger and wiser after his season learning about team based racing with UK squad Endura Racing. “Awareness of cycling and cycling safety is always going to be needed. The way Share the Road gets into the schools and to the children is a great hands-on method.” Team managers are excited about the tour
Sport Southland general manager Brendon McDermott was understandably excited about the potential of the Share the Road team. “We have tried to pull together a really strong team in 2010 to be extremely competitive at the front end of the peloton and Karl has done a fantastic job in co-ordinating a talented bunch of riders,” he said. “Last year we came close to pulling off what would have been a major upset – this year we hope to go one better.” Sport Southland, which manages the team, was proud to support the Share the Road concept. “Getting kids into organised sport and being active is high on our agenda. We want to encourage more people to bike or walk as an option to commuting and enjoy the benefits of a healthy lifestyle,” McDermott said. Jane Ballantyne, of Road Safety Southland, said she applauded the enthusiasm of Sport Southland in facilitating the team. “It ensures the Share the Road message is carried out creatively with a greater awareness of road safety for all road users,” she said. The 2010 PowerNet Tour of Southland will be staged from November 1-6 and features six rider teams for the first time – a decision prompted by the trend towards larger teams at other international events.
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