Adventure beckons for cyclists

BEN CURRAN/Marlborough Express

ON A MISSION: Mondo Kopua, left, and Willi Borst are loaded up to tackle the 1100km Kiwi Brevet cycle challenge.

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Ride over 1000 kilometres of South Island roads with just a bike and whatever you can pack on it.

That's the challenge facing Marlborough's Mondo Kopua and Willi Borst, who, along with up to 70 other cycling enthusiasts, will set out on the inaugural Kiwi Brevet tomorrow.

A brevet, or randonnee, is an organised long-distance bicycle ride following a designated but unmarked route that passes through checkpoint controls and must be completed within a specified time limit.

Riders must complete the event without a support crew but are able to buy food along the way and accommodation, though most will decide to camp out.

The 1100km Kiwi Brevet – a New Zealand first, organised by mountainbiking enthusiast Simon Kennett – will start and finish in Seymour Square, with an eight-day maximum time limit.

From Blenheim, riders head to Picton via the Port Underwood Rd then through Queen Charlotte Dr to Havelock, on to Pelorus and over the Mangatapu Track to Nelson.

A stint down the West Coast is followed by a push through Arthurs Pass to Canterbury.

The route turns north to Hanmer Springs before winding through the Molesworth and back to Blenheim.

Riders will tackle a range of terrain from sealed roads to single-track bush paths.

The route includes 12,900 metres of climbing, with most of the hilly sections occurring in the initial 300km.

The ride is not strictly a race, though the fastest competitors are expected to finish in four or five days.

The event has attracted cycling junkies from all over New Zealand as well as a contingent from Australia, and each has their own motivation for entering.

"It's unsupported and you're off on your own. I just like that concept, everyone needs to step out of their comfortable life at some stage," Kopua said.

Borst said she was drawn to the event by her love of cycle touring and saw it as a good way to look at interesting parts of the country.

She planned to use most of the eight days allowed to complete the journey while Kopua planned on being back by next Saturday at the latest as he needed to work at the Marlborough Wine Festival.

They agreed part of the fun of the event would be the different bike setups, equipment and tactics each rider chose to use.

Both Kopua and Borst have chosen a minimalist approach to equipment selection with spare clothing, emergency food, a first-aid kit, repair kit and camping equipment making up most of their load. Each agreed cream to combat chafing would be a key piece of equipment.

Borst also nominated her cooker and billy – to brew much needed cups of tea – and Kopua his cycle shorts as other important pieces of gear.

While each had similar gear choices, their bikes differ. Borst will ride a traditional mountainbike while Kopua will tackle the course on his cyclo-cross bike.

Kopua's bike will offer more speed on the roads but he expected to get off and push going up the steeper sections of rough track, and was bringing running sandals along.

Both had a few apprehensions heading in to the race, including logging trucks on the Port Underwood Rd, saddle sores and mechanical breakdowns – especially for Borst, who admits she is only a novice cycle mechanic.

Borst also had one other pressing concern.

"Some people will look to stay in hotels or motels. I might do that but I've got my sleeping bag, bivvy bag and a mosquito net. Hopefully that will keep the bugs out and the rats too; they're what I'm really worried about."

Kennett said he was pleased to have the event running after having competed in similar rides in the United States. He said the turnout of riders was especially pleasing.

"The long-distance rides like this in the States tend to get about 30 riders. New Zealand is obviously a lot smaller, but we have a community who are pretty enthusiastic about these sort of adventure sports."

- The Marlborough Express