Marshall Erwood ready to take on Southland's 'special race'
“It’s very exciting. Last year I was sitting in the van, going; ‘I wish I was out there'."
Like many promising Southland cyclists Marshall Erwood has gone through that period of dreaming about one day riding the SBS Bank Tour of Southland.
“I’ve been tied up with the Tour of Southland for at least three years now from watching in a car to watching from in a van.
“I’ve watched [the race] from when I started cycling,” Erwood told The Tribune.
This year is finally the year that the 18-year-old Erwood gets to step out of the van and into the peloton.
The James Hargest College pupil is lining up in his debut Tour of Southland which began around Queens Park in Invercargill on Sunday.
“It’s very exciting. Last year I was sitting in the van, going; ‘I wish I was out there’,” Erwood said.
“Just being a Southlander… I’ve asked a lot of the older Southlanders if they have got any advice for me. It is a pretty special race.”
Erwood has joined the Central Benchmakers - Willbike team alongside Joseph Cooper (Wellington), Elliot Robertson (Wellington), Sam Jenner (Australia), James Gardner (Dunedin), and James Wilson (Timaru).
He does have a bit of a connection with some of the riders.
“James Gardner sent me a photo of us two, and Elliot, on a podium together from two years ago. It’s now pretty special to be able to line up in a big tour with them,” Erwood said.
It’s been a big year for the Academy Southland athlete, which was headlined by a trip to the World Junior Track Cycling Championships in Colombia.
That track focus has meant his preparation for an event such as the Tour of Southland hasn’t probably been the same as it otherwise would have been.
“It has not been what I want, but if I had not gone to Junior Worlds, I probably would have done training a bit differently.
“I’ve still trained hard and I’m ready to race but I’m probably not going to be able to win the tour like Josh Burnett.”
So, how’s the talented teenager feeling about taking on New Zealand’s premier road cycling race.
“I’m a little bit nervous considering this is the longest race I’ve done, and also the tour with the biggest amount of riders.
“I’ve never rode in a bunch bigger than 70, to be riding in a bunch of 110 it’s going to be quite the experience.”
“I don’t have any real targets. I want to gain some experience and I want to do something I’ve never done before. I’m in a good team so they will want me to do some roles.
“I’m here to learn, to game some experience and follow the team’s instruction. Just gain some knowledge I can use for next year.”
Erwood isn’t averse to riding in some nasty weather conditions, although admits he would mind seeing the big blue with little wind in Southland next week, rather dark clouds and strong winds.
“For the first Tour of Southland I’d like the weather to be nice, then for the next one it can do whatever it likes.
“I wouldn’t mind some nice weather coming in next week.”
The 2023 SBS Bank Tour of Southland started with a 4.2km Prologue around Queens Park on Sunday.
That was followed by Stage 1, a 42km ride around Queens Park starting at 3pm.
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