01.10.12

PureBlack Racing finish 90+ racing days on the road with the Tour of Tasmania - PureBlack Racing prepares for final assault on Aussie soil

Monday 1st October: PureBlack Racing will start their final international tour of the season in Hobart tomorrow, when they line up for the first stage of the CAT Underground Mining Tour of Tasmania.

The completion of the international season will be the culmination of over 90 days on the road outside of New Zealand, with the team finishing off the calendar year racing in the local circuit.

The Tour of Tasmania features nine stages over six days, beginning with a 23.1km Team Time Trial in Hobart and finishing with a 51.6km waterfront kermesse in Devonport.

Director Sportif, John “Harry” Harris, says the Tour of Tasmania is a notoriously tough tour but he believes his team is ready for the challenge.

“It is recognised as a hard tour, there is a lot of climbing and it is not just a straight out criterium, these stages will be proper road races which are going to suit us more so then what we have been racing in Australia,” said Harry.

The five-man team racing in the Tour of Tasmania is:

Joshua Aldridge
Taylor Gunman
Dion Smith
Roman van Uden (Captain)
James “Jimmy” Williamson

Dion is returning to the PureBlack Racing team after breaking his collarbone during the first day of the Tour of Great South Coast in August and is in excellent form.

“Dion is coming off a third place win in the annual Taupo to Napier race, and second in the Wanganui Grand Prix, this is a young guy who is not worried about who he is racing and is just going out there to get the results,” said Harry.

Harry is excited about the team he is taking over to Tasmania: “I have the right boys who are ready to come into this tour, and they boys really want it,” Harry said, “It is good to have Roman leading again and both Jimmy and Taylor are really pumped to get racing again.”

After sitting out the Tour of Murray, Jimmy is showed his hunger last weekend winning Round Five of the Benchmark Homes Cycling Series in Timaru, with the team hoping there is more to come from the New Zealand Road Champion.

The CAT Underground Mining Tour of Tasmania features 52 sprint premes, 25 KOM premes and has a record field of 153 riders.

AVANTI RIDERS