Tour Countdown: Cycling legends to bring knowledge to SBS Tour of Southland
“It’s cool because they have got so much [knowledge] to be passed on. They won’t even have to try to do it."
The 2023 SBS Bank Tour of Southland will start on October 29. In the lead-up to the event, The Tribune is running a series of Tour Countdown stories.
A couple of New Zealand cycling greats will make the trip to the 2023 SBS Tour of Southland to pass on their knowledge to the next generation of cyclists.
One of those legends is Hayden Roulston who won the Tour of Southland four times in the space of five years from 2006 to 2010.
He sits second for most Tour of Southland wins, behind Brian Fowler who has eight.
Roulston was also an established track rider which included claiming a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the 4000m individual pursuit.
The 42-year-old will return to the SBS Tour of Southland, which starts on October 29, and will manage the Oxford Edge team.
The Oxford Edge team will be made up of Richard Lawson, Guy Yarrell, Camden Fent, Arthur Meyer, Bailey O’Donnell, and Josh Rivet.
The other piece of New Zealand cycling royalty who will be in Southland, passing on his knowledge during the 2023 tour, is Julian Dean.
Dean competed in the Tour de France seven times from 2004 through to 2011. It was part of a decorated professional career that stretched from 1999 to 2013.
In his retirement as a cyclist, the 48-year-old has worked as a director and mentor.
At this year’s Tour of Southland he will manage the C Brown Builders - Olphert Contracting team.
The team will include Invercargill riders Thomas Kerr and Robert Huisman, alongside Zakk Patterson Sean Murphy, Max Campbell, and Leo-Paul Jamin.
Tour of Southland race director Glen Thomson was delighted the likes of Roulston and Dean would be around the tour this year.
“It’s cool because they have got so much [knowledge] to be passed on. They won’t even have to try to do it.
“Someone will ask a question and they’ll get an answer, that only a guy that’s done 20-grand tours can do.
“It’s a week out of their lives, they are taking holidays to do it. It’s great.”
The 2023 SBS Bank Tour of Southland will start on Sunday with the usual 4.2km team time trial around Queens Park in Invercargill.
That will be followed by stage one, a 42km street race around Queens Park.
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