Young Wheelers on a roll

MARION VAN DIJK/Nelson Mail

MOVING FORWARD: The four junior cyclists on the New Zealand development squad going to Canberra, from left, Kristoff Ford, Thomas Ashley, Tom Nicholson and Tom Hodgson.

Four young Nelson cyclists will be looking to match impressive local efforts with success on the international stage when they join a squad of New Zealand's best up-and-coming riders.

At the end of the month, Tom Hodgson, 17, Thomas Ashley, 18, Tom Nicholson, 15, and Kristoff Ford, 16, will be heading to Australia as part of the 32-strong New Zealand development squad, to contest the 2010 Junior and Women's Canberra Tour.

The four are members of the Tasman Wheelers club, and are some of the best riders in a burgeoning young cycling scene in the region.

All have have tasted success on the road in recent years at both age grade and senior levels.

The squad's manager, David Osten, has said the selections were not completely based on performances, but took into consideration potential development as well.

Hodgson and Ashley will compete in the three-day tour with the under-19 squad, while Nicholson and Ford will race for two days with the under-17s. The tour is a combination of road races, time trials and criteriums.

All four riders have been preparing with a mixture of training and racing, with Ford and Ashley taking part in the Taranaki Tour at Queen's Birthday weekend with their respective squads.

Ford, who attends Waimea College, impressed in achieving three top five stage finishes, and said he was keen to take that form across the Tasman.

"I'm hoping to win the sprint ace title."

He is also aiming to make the Oceania Championships towards the end of the year, and build towards the Junior World Championships in 2012 and the 2016 Olympic Games.

"It's going to be awesome. I'll be the right age for 2012 and the perfect age again for 2016 as well."

Ashley, who attends Garin College, didn't fare so well in Taranaki due to mechanical problems, but said he was feeling refreshed after a bit of a break.

He expected he would be asked to take on the role of a "workhorse" for the team, helping other riders do well in their classification.

Ashley said it was an honour to represent New Zealand. "I'm pretty stoked to make the team.

"Ever since I started to take it competitively, I wanted to represent New Zealand before I finished college."

Ashley won the first race of the Wheelers' Forsyth Barr winter series on Saturday, before placing second in the solo category at the Nelson Mountainbike Club's six-hour breakout event.

Nicholson, who also attends Garin and placed second on Saturday, said it was exciting to ride for his country.

"I'll get more experience racing, and it's just a chance to get out of the country and race."

Like the others, he said he was eyeing a stage win and hoping to do well in the general classification on a course he thought would suit him, despite his likely role as a support rider.

Hodgson, formerly of Nayland College, was unsure what role he would be asked to fill, but said he was confident of doing well, as he was "on form".

"I've been feeling really good in training and knocking out the Barnicoat (Range) in good time."

He admitted being surprised to make the team, but thought it was his ability to attach himself to winning breaks that had caught the selectors' eyes.

The tour begins on July 2.

- © Fairfax NZ News