Stage 4, Masterton - Pahiatua - Masterton, 158km

Perfect conditions for bike racing today, still, overcast and around 20 degrees. As the flag dropped on the way out of town, it became obvious who'd had too much sugar on the weetbix at breakfast, with an ultra-rapid start as groups tried to escape the peleton.

As it turned out this didn't take long, and we hit the rolling and windy Wangaehu Valley with a group of about ten just off the front and the rest of the group in single file. Despite repeated attemps by yellow jersey Gordon McCauley to get across, it was another five riders bridging the gap and McCauley stuck back in the bunch, with teammate Hayden Roulston up the road. We had Paul up there, so happy days ... and that as it turns out was pretty much the bike race.

With the stronger teams happy with the group up front, the time gap ballooned out to around ten minutes at the 100km mark. At this point Roulston made his move that resulted in a solo win, and Paul unfortunately dropped his chain and managed to end up in the second part of what was left of the break.

The rest of us had a steady day in the bunch, myself and Ross being close witness to a spectacular crash on a mid-stage descent. I passed the time by interviewing a few people for the blog, Aaron Strong told me that Gordy was throwing a dummy and the Roly was Zookeepers man for the GC, and Richard Speer was reflecting on bike racing being a trade-off between extreme boredom (ie rolling along in the group), or extreme pain (the break). Good call I said. My other observation is that the mullet is well and truely back, it's not just me, there are a lot of flowing locks in the Wellington peloton!!

So that's about that for today. Now it's time to put the feet up, eat, get the legs rubbed, eat, and probably a bit of a nap too I'd imagine. Speaking of legs rubbed, if you were wondering about the apples comment, well you'll just have to talk to Chris Jenner.

Until tomorrow, Don

Stage 3 - Masterton Criterium (1 hour plus 3 laps - 45.2kph average)

After down time, coffee and red-bull at Solway, we rode off as a team to the criterium. This would have to be the easiest criterium this tour has presented in the four years I've done it - over half the field finished! Not one team dominated although Zookeepers tended to have someone up the road constantly.

The big news is that Joshua rolled through the finish line for 3rd! A brief interview:

Odlin: so how good do you feel?
Josh: I'm happy to have made a podium. Still looking for a win somewhere, happy to have a good start to the tour.
Odlin: so where are you going to go looking?
Josh: there's a lot of options. You never know what's going to happen in a long stage... today, tomorrow, what's happening on the last day? A damn hard crit - you never know...
Odlin: who do you think is going to win the tour?
Josh: Rolly (Hayden Roulston - Zookeepers). Especially if he drives a break-away today.
Odlin: how do you see yourself doing on G.C.?
Josh: I'm sitting 10th (U23). So top 5 U23.
Odlin: finally do you believe in a diet of apples only during rest days is necessary?
Josh: No. 2-minute noodles.

Stage 2, Featherston - Masterton, 120km

Don here, just a brief update between stages, we're all a bit knackered ... as you can see!! In fact, I think I'm the only bike rider awake at the moment.

Featherston was at it's gale-force best when we arrived this morning, and many a concerned expression could be seen. Personal memories of racing down Lake Road many years ago resurfaced, struggling to stay between the hedges and with my helmet being blown around the side of my head ... fortunately it wasn't really too bad during the very exposed opening 10km, and once past the foot of the lake a southerly change lead to a pretty straightfoward race.

Coming into Martinborough after about 50km a break of eight or so riders headed up the road, with Gordon McCauley emerging victorious in Masterton. Paul should probably take the prize for most agressive, attacking at least five times in the opening 30mins but rewarded with only sore legs ... this time. The largely unintact bunch including all of Team Petone Water rolled in around 90 seconds later ... that time gap is provisional of course ... thus the stage winner takes the yellow jersey and not much has changed.

Time for the evening criterium now, which I suspect will hurt a lot more. But first, time for some of the awesome coffee we recieved in our race packs. I'm not sure where it comes from but when I find out, I'll be sure to mention it ... once I've secured myself a good supply of course!!

Zookeepers Team Bus, just like the ProTour

Day 1 - 7km Team Time Trial (TTT), Avalon TV Studios, Lower Hutt, Wellington

Kiaora. A great way to start this tour is with a TTT. It's a far more relaxed (or let's say less nervous) way to kick off the hurt-fest - if you stuff up (invariably you never stuff up but just don't do as well as planned) it can always be put down to a collective stuff-up. Anyway, for me, lining up with 3 hill-climbers for team mates bodes well for this big (time-trial-race-of-preference) boy.

With a little discussion and not quite enough warm-up we were off the mark. Josh started us well with a controlled first effort. I rolled around for the second turn to wind things up. I made the mistake of winding up a bit too much, but there after we maintained a tight pack of five hunting down the finish line.

We finished in the top half of the field (well 9th of 18 teams)! Not bad considering no practice run and not a lot of shared riding between us, and only one and half sets of aero bars, one aero helmet and one disc wheel.

Time now for team meeting and maybe a rub-down. Enjoy today's entry, we'll have far less literary energy to share tomorrow.

Odlin

Ready to rock

Mr Odlin turned up looking pretty motivated for the teams time trial ...

Stay tuned for updates

Tour starts on Wednesday!!

Paul Odlin putting the boot in at the 2007 Tour de Vineyards