End of a Tour era for Subway

End of a Tour era for Subway

This year’s PowerNet Tour of Southland signals the end of an era for Subway Pro Cycling, but the team’s manager is optimistic that it won’t be the last the Tour has seen of his riders just yet.

Subway will end its sponsorship of New Zealand’s first professional cycling team in December. Since its inception eight years ago, Subway has entered a team in the PowerNet Tour of Southland almost every year. Despite it presenting the one title that has eluded it, Subway team manager Hayden Godfrey says it is a tour the team rates as one of the best.

“Depending on who you talk to, it’s the biggest tour in New Zealand,” he says.

“It’s a little bit unique in the way that it’s run and with the weather always having a pretty big effect, but it’s one that everyone is always really motivated to do and it has been one of our main goals each year.”

The hunt for a new sponsor is ongoing and Godfrey is aware that time is running out. He is, though, optimistic that a sponsor will come on board.

“We have got a good programme and it stacks up return on investment for the money going into it. The team’s sponsors gain extensive brand and media exposure competing in events across every region of New Zealand. It is definitely a difficult environment, it’s not a small sponsorship, but we have to run into the right people with similar goals for their brand and that fits in with the sport.” he says.

“Originally we started the team with the goal of getting team-based racing going in New Zealand and I think because of Subway a few other teams have tried to emulate what we have been doing.

“For the riders, we are still trying hard to find a new sponsor. We’ve got our fingers crossed and we are still talking to a few groups, there are bits and pieces happening and we’re hoping something pans out.”

Subway lost a key rider in Sam Horgan to injury just two weeks before this year’s PowerNet Tour of Southland, but has still presented a strong team this week, with Christchurch’s Paul Odlin leading the way and young talent Dylan Kennett impressing in his first Tour. Odlin had a challenging first two days, with a double puncture during Stage One and another puncture during Stage Two, but recovered well to be 3minutes 40 seconds of the Tour leader, Mike Northey. Godfrey is confident the rest of the week’s racing will see some solid racing from the Subway team.

“The guys are looking to be quite aggressive over the next few days,” he says.

“We have a bit of work to do, we have lost a bit of time but I think you’ll see the whole team getting on attack and looking for stage opportunities.”

For now it is onwards and upwards for Subway Pro Cycling with the team looking to signal the end of its era, and is involvement with the PowerNet Tour of Southland, with a positive few days on the road.

ENDS

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