Last year’s Cambridge Cycling Festival has a hit with Cambridge’s youngest riders.

Cyclists are gearing up for a highlight of the Cambridge cycling calendar – the 2019 Grassroots Trust Cambridge Cycling Festival.

From three-year-olds on training wheels to elite world champions, cyclists of every age and ability can take part in the family-friendly annual event.

This year will be the fifth time the Cambridge Cycling Festival takes place, running along the main street of Cambridge throughout the afternoon on Anzac Day, April 25.

Event organiser and ambassador Sarah Ulmer said she loved all aspects of the event, particularly the fact that it brings the community together.

“Seeing hundreds of kids whipping around the streets again, just loving riding their bikes,” she said, “and linking elite cyclists with kids and the wider community.”

The event aims to offer something for everyone, running road race events for every age group followed by an elites race at the end featuring Olympics medallists and world champions.

A kids’ bike skills course will be set up at Victoria Square by Cambridge resident and freestyle BMXer Paul Langlands, who will put on his own aerial display, along with bouncy castles and food trucks at the square.

A new event this year will be the Soap Box Derby, organised by the Waikato Vintage Car Club, which will see 40 homemade soap box karts race their way down the main street.

“The whole idea of the Cycling Festival is to bring together elite cyclists and the community and to help encourage and inspire as many people as possible to get excited about riding their bikes.”

Battle of the Businesses

The GW Scott & Associates Battle of the Businesses was such a hit at last year’s Cambridge Cycling Festival that organisers are bringing it back again.

The four-person cycle relay does not need posh bikes or Lycra-laden riders, but it does need a little creativity.

Trophies up for grabs this year are for “First team across the line”, and “Most feverish team” – awarded to the most enthusiastic team. This could include team costumes, cheer squads – whatever stands out and gets people going.

Anyone can enter each business team, as long as the captain of the team works for the business.

Winners will receive one of two business lunches at Alpino worth $200 each.

Entry is $50 per four-person team, at www.cambridgecyclingfestival.co.nz.

Podium Lodge’s business team at the 2018 Cambridge Cycling Festival. Pictured is, from left, top row: Kirsten Moore, Jackson Bovill, Marlene Julian, Anne Edgecombe and Jack Harvey. Bottom row: Amanda Till, Georgia Cunningham, Amanda Rawlinson.

Café Crawl

Aiming to get people out on their bikes in the lead up to the Cambridge Cycling Festival, the Cambridge Café Crawl is all about “Ride, eat, drink, repeat” – prompting people to ride their bikes to as many participating cafes as possible. The more cafes or bars you ride to, the more entries you have to win one of two bikes from EVO Cycles – including a $3,300 e-bike.

Just make sure you register online before you pedal at www.cambridgecyclingfestival.co.nz.

The winner will be drawn at the Cambridge Cycling Festival on April 25. Winners must be present on the day.

Cafes include: The Coffee Club, St Kilda Café & Bistro, The Bikery Café, Red Cherry, Alpha St Kitchen, Café 9, Robert Harris, Good Union, Paddock, Crave, Homebrew Coffee, Alpino, Volare, Five Stags, A-diction Espresso Bar, The Deli on the Corner, Panache French Bakery, Onyx, Podium Cafe,  Suburban Kitchen, Fran’s Café and Instone Café.