RaboDirect Club Road Nationals – May 5th – 8th in Whanganui
Two riders from Whangarei’s Marsden Wheelers Cycling Club took part in the “RaboDiect Club Road Nationals” last week.
Auckland based Roger Grierson U23 and Pompallier School pupil Ben Johnstone U17.
Time trial – U23 40km - Roger Grierson – bronze medal in 58.42.54. This is a personal best for Roger in his first major competitive event in this discipline.
Time trial – U17 15km – Ben Johnstone – 4th in 21.36.23. Only 15 seconds behind bronze medal. Very strong performance for his first year in this class.
Road race – U17 66km – Ben Johnstone – 7th in bunch finish of 15 riders. Again excellent performance that shows there is lots of promise in this young rider.
Well done boys 
Below is Bens race peport
2011 National Road Race Champs
In the pouring rain 56 of New Zealand’s fastest under 17s riders lined up to race 66km, racing 3 laps of a 22km circuit. Right from the start attacks were flying of the front then joining back up to the strung out bunch. We came to the first climb I stayed in my big chain ring and powered up the climb leaving it to about 30 people now in the bunch now. The race stayed like this until the last lap when we were descending down a hill doing 78kph when about 5 people went straight to the ground with carbon screaming along the road, I had to slow down to avoid the pile of people and bikes and then had to catch back up get on the back of the commissars car and make it back to the bunch.
Then with about 5km to I went to attack when I got shoved into a drain I had to climb out and get back on the commissars car again. Once I was back I made my way to the front slowly for the sprint finish where I got cut off again had rolled over the line in 7th place lucky I was I bit happier with my result the day before getting 4th in the time trail.
Big Thanks to Paul and Tracey for all their support (and sending my forgotten wheels down)
About Ben Johnstone
Ben Johnstone is our latest and youngest "sponsored rider."
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