January 22, 2026 • 6 mins
Julian Ineson looks at the logistical challenges of moving the Tour of Southland cycle race to January, and what it has meant for the event overall.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
We're gone too. Welcome back. This is the muster on Hakanui.
Jillian Innoson is the voice of Cycling Southland as well
as a president of Cycling Southland for that matter as well,
and joins us this afternoon as we look at the
sixty ninth SPS Tour of south and the rescheduled version. Julian,
good afternoon, and.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Welcome good afternoon. Thanks very much for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Appreciate your time has been a hector quick for everybody
involved with the tour. Let's talk logistics. Help What was
it like logistically to move the tour from October to
the present?
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Yeah, it was a mammoth. Yeah. I think a lot
of people felt that it was just a matter of
finding a date, but we knew there was a lot
of other things that had to a line, and we
were very fortunate that they did traffic management, for example,
being available the accommodation at this time a year. That
includes not only in the Vicago but right up in
Tiano as well, into of course to the medical teams,
the volunteers, and then ultimately also the type of quality
(01:04):
of writers that would be available at this time of
the year. So they all had to be taken into account.
Unfortunately the stars aligned.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
So as far as the writers, who are who you
wanted to get to the event? Did you get everybody here?
Speaker 2 (01:15):
We started with sixteen teams back in November. We can
only continue to have sixteen teams all back on board.
Certainly a change around on some of the writers. We
lost some due to injury, sickness and other commitments, but
has certainly picked up another a group of new writers
that are of high quality. So it's been a great field.
And as an example, Josh Brennette, the two time defending champion,
(01:35):
couldn't have written it in November, had broken his arm.
Now he's back at action, he's in the Orange cheers.
He going to Bluff today.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
So what is it that makes a tour of Southland
so unique?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
I think there's a few things there. When you talk
to anyone that's either watched it or knows a little
bit about it or ridden it, they'd come up with
a key couple of key things. Bluff Hill would be
one of those things. The type of course and the
weather that goes with it, definitely south and hospitality and
that they know that the volunteers and they are very
passionate about it. The community is extremely passionate about it,
(02:07):
and there's not too many races in the world that
you can go to where you have the streets lined
with the school kids, with the public and the businesses
in behind. I mean, we've seen some awesome things happening
this week. One of the cameramen, for example, was camera
falling apart on him as he entered through into Winton.
Got off the motivating and thought what am I going
to do about this. Steve Geary Engineering there, who's been
a local sponsor for a number of years, jumped across,
(02:28):
grabbed it, took it into the engineering firm and fixed
it up and that and got them going once again.
So yeah, it's those sort of things that happened behind
the scenes that make a huge difference and just shows
you the passion and the commitment of the community to
make this thing happen.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
So the community aspects is one saying. Obviously the schools
aren't back into play at the moment, which has been
a shame. But I suppose for you guys as well, Julian,
word of mouth by these entrance from overseas is a
big thing.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Oh well, yeah, of course, you know you're looking at
an historic piece of racing. This has gone since nineteen
fifty six. It's australasianest running tour and we always had
writers in the past and we currently do have two
real tour writers and they are the ones who are
written at the top of the essue on there. They've
written in the vow so they've written in some of
the biggest races with those Tour de France writers who
(03:15):
are now at the end of their careers and they're
joining here in the tour and that so just shows
you the high regard that it is held in. But
you're right, a lot of rood amounts amongst the riders,
the TV coverage, the media coverage and so forth, red
gets out there. But it's well established and as they said,
they know it's well organized and they're well supported the
minute they get off the planes, get out of the
cars and arrive here and then for cargo.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Another thing as well as the course is they change yearly.
This year there's no gravel course through the Glenn Nule,
which some people are saying is a bit of a shame.
But I suppose feedback from the entrance as well comes
into the equation.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Yeah, there's a mixture of things there that we looked at.
So we've certainly mixed up the stages and particularly the
orders of the stages. And it's not an easy thing
just to switch a change around in a stage with
all the traffic management that's involved as well. And yet
there's definitely those all for gravel and those against it,
and that the weather conditions can make a difference to
whether it can be available too on the day if
(04:11):
it's raining overnight and so forth. But yesterday going over
the Josephil and dropping down the other side and then
now it's to Balfor and so forth, and now I
think certainly didn't deter from making a very good stage.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
From a Southern perspective. Josh Burnette defending champion. He's looking good.
Marshall Lurwood was the leader after the first stage. What
are you looking at for the for the conclusion of
the event from a Southern lens, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
I think certainly today it's going to see some significant
changes possibly made in the overall for the general classification.
Bluffhill offers a lot of opportunity and it just depends
on how the leagues of the riders are feeling, how
their teams are feeling as they enter into the base
of the hell Anders that there's a number of key
climbers in there. So Josh he's still got his work
cut out, but we know he's a very good time
(04:53):
trialist and that's going to be happening the next morning,
and I think that's a huge asset that he's got
on his side. But like I mean earlier Divert from
Australia who's leading in the under the over thirty five,
so there's also third overall at about thirty nine seconds.
This guy has climbed some of the biggest climbs in
the world as a real tour rider in the past,
so he's going to be watching for the likes of him.
We know he's a very good time trialist as well.
(05:15):
And from a Southern perspective, I mean it's a historic
this week. I mean I've been involved in this two
and hours coming up twenty five years and I've never
ever seen three Southlanders over the week. We're are the
Orange Jersey, so we've had to cause Tom Sexton early
in the week, Marshall Urwood and of course Josh, and
I think that's just an outstanding effort in the South
and all three of them. I wouldn't count out for
the stage victories in that as well. At this point
(05:36):
in science thicckarly coming into in Vicago, I can see
likes the Sexton and Irwood would love to be able
to take that one out.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Just finally, cycling is a sport in the South. It
looks to be in pretty good heart.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
He was Cycling South and extremely well established as one
of the oldest clubs in the country and where we've
got a glove of core volunteers that put a huge
amount of work and across the board, and of course
we host a lot of things New John's Thirsty of
Indoor Velodrome and we've got the New Zealand Track Nationals
not too far away in the first week of March
as well, so we kept extremely busy, that's for sure.
(06:08):
We get out into the schools and get into the
community there. We've got a great reputation and I'm very
respectful with the likes of a lot of our funders
such as the ilt Ilt Foundation, the Community Traffic etc.
And that get in right and behind us and ensure
that we can get out there and promote the sport.
Just get people on.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Two wheels Hey Julian, thanks very much for your time
in the mister, we know you've flat out and congratulations
once again to you and the committee on a fantastic
event and we look forward to seeing how it all
finished it up this weekend.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Thanks very much, much appreciated.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Julian Inoson. Here's the voice of cycling in south and
the ESPUs Bank Tourist Southland with the Bluff Hill Infamous
Bluff Hill Climb happening this afternoon. You're listening to the
Muster before we wrap up. Phil Duncan
We're gone too. Welcome back. This is the muster on Hakanui.
Jillian Innoson is the voice of Cycling Southland as well
as a president of Cycling Southland for that matter as well,
and joins us this afternoon as we look at the
sixty ninth SPS Tour of south and the rescheduled version. Julian,
good afternoon, and.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Welcome good afternoon. Thanks very much for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Appreciate your time has been a hector quick for everybody
involved with the tour. Let's talk logistics. Help What was
it like logistically to move the tour from October to
the present?
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Yeah, it was a mammoth. Yeah. I think a lot
of people felt that it was just a matter of
finding a date, but we knew there was a lot
of other things that had to a line, and we
were very fortunate that they did traffic management, for example,
being available the accommodation at this time a year. That
includes not only in the Vicago but right up in
Tiano as well, into of course to the medical teams,
the volunteers, and then ultimately also the type of quality
(01:04):
of writers that would be available at this time of
the year. So they all had to be taken into account.
Unfortunately the stars aligned.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
So as far as the writers, who are who you
wanted to get to the event? Did you get everybody here?
Speaker 2 (01:15):
We started with sixteen teams back in November. We can
only continue to have sixteen teams all back on board.
Certainly a change around on some of the writers. We
lost some due to injury, sickness and other commitments, but
has certainly picked up another a group of new writers
that are of high quality. So it's been a great field.
And as an example, Josh Brennette, the two time defending champion,
(01:35):
couldn't have written it in November, had broken his arm.
Now he's back at action, he's in the Orange cheers.
He going to Bluff today.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
So what is it that makes a tour of Southland
so unique?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
I think there's a few things there. When you talk
to anyone that's either watched it or knows a little
bit about it or ridden it, they'd come up with
a key couple of key things. Bluff Hill would be
one of those things. The type of course and the
weather that goes with it, definitely south and hospitality and
that they know that the volunteers and they are very
passionate about it. The community is extremely passionate about it,
(02:07):
and there's not too many races in the world that
you can go to where you have the streets lined
with the school kids, with the public and the businesses
in behind. I mean, we've seen some awesome things happening
this week. One of the cameramen, for example, was camera
falling apart on him as he entered through into Winton.
Got off the motivating and thought what am I going
to do about this. Steve Geary Engineering there, who's been
a local sponsor for a number of years, jumped across,
(02:28):
grabbed it, took it into the engineering firm and fixed
it up and that and got them going once again.
So yeah, it's those sort of things that happened behind
the scenes that make a huge difference and just shows
you the passion and the commitment of the community to
make this thing happen.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
So the community aspects is one saying. Obviously the schools
aren't back into play at the moment, which has been
a shame. But I suppose for you guys as well, Julian,
word of mouth by these entrance from overseas is a
big thing.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Oh well, yeah, of course, you know you're looking at
an historic piece of racing. This has gone since nineteen
fifty six. It's australasianest running tour and we always had
writers in the past and we currently do have two
real tour writers and they are the ones who are
written at the top of the essue on there. They've
written in the vow so they've written in some of
the biggest races with those Tour de France writers who
(03:15):
are now at the end of their careers and they're
joining here in the tour and that so just shows
you the high regard that it is held in. But
you're right, a lot of rood amounts amongst the riders,
the TV coverage, the media coverage and so forth, red
gets out there. But it's well established and as they said,
they know it's well organized and they're well supported the
minute they get off the planes, get out of the
cars and arrive here and then for cargo.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Another thing as well as the course is they change yearly.
This year there's no gravel course through the Glenn Nule,
which some people are saying is a bit of a shame.
But I suppose feedback from the entrance as well comes
into the equation.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Yeah, there's a mixture of things there that we looked at.
So we've certainly mixed up the stages and particularly the
orders of the stages. And it's not an easy thing
just to switch a change around in a stage with
all the traffic management that's involved as well. And yet
there's definitely those all for gravel and those against it,
and that the weather conditions can make a difference to
whether it can be available too on the day if
(04:11):
it's raining overnight and so forth. But yesterday going over
the Josephil and dropping down the other side and then
now it's to Balfor and so forth, and now I
think certainly didn't deter from making a very good stage.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
From a Southern perspective. Josh Burnette defending champion. He's looking good.
Marshall Lurwood was the leader after the first stage. What
are you looking at for the for the conclusion of
the event from a Southern lens, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
I think certainly today it's going to see some significant
changes possibly made in the overall for the general classification.
Bluffhill offers a lot of opportunity and it just depends
on how the leagues of the riders are feeling, how
their teams are feeling as they enter into the base
of the hell Anders that there's a number of key
climbers in there. So Josh he's still got his work
cut out, but we know he's a very good time
(04:53):
trialist and that's going to be happening the next morning,
and I think that's a huge asset that he's got
on his side. But like I mean earlier Divert from
Australia who's leading in the under the over thirty five,
so there's also third overall at about thirty nine seconds.
This guy has climbed some of the biggest climbs in
the world as a real tour rider in the past,
so he's going to be watching for the likes of him.
We know he's a very good time trialist as well.
(05:15):
And from a Southern perspective, I mean it's a historic
this week. I mean I've been involved in this two
and hours coming up twenty five years and I've never
ever seen three Southlanders over the week. We're are the
Orange Jersey, so we've had to cause Tom Sexton early
in the week, Marshall Urwood and of course Josh, and
I think that's just an outstanding effort in the South
and all three of them. I wouldn't count out for
the stage victories in that as well. At this point
(05:36):
in science thicckarly coming into in Vicago, I can see
likes the Sexton and Irwood would love to be able
to take that one out.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Just finally, cycling is a sport in the South. It
looks to be in pretty good heart.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
He was Cycling South and extremely well established as one
of the oldest clubs in the country and where we've
got a glove of core volunteers that put a huge
amount of work and across the board, and of course
we host a lot of things New John's Thirsty of
Indoor Velodrome and we've got the New Zealand Track Nationals
not too far away in the first week of March
as well, so we kept extremely busy, that's for sure.
(06:08):
We get out into the schools and get into the
community there. We've got a great reputation and I'm very
respectful with the likes of a lot of our funders
such as the ilt Ilt Foundation, the Community Traffic etc.
And that get in right and behind us and ensure
that we can get out there and promote the sport.
Just get people on.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Two wheels Hey Julian, thanks very much for your time
in the mister, we know you've flat out and congratulations
once again to you and the committee on a fantastic
event and we look forward to seeing how it all
finished it up this weekend.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Thanks very much, much appreciated.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Julian Inoson. Here's the voice of cycling in south and
the ESPUs Bank Tourist Southland with the Bluff Hill Infamous
Bluff Hill Climb happening this afternoon. You're listening to the
Muster before we wrap up. Phil Duncan
Popular Podcasts
Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb
Joy is essential. And it's also elusive. You can't order it, borrow it, or simply hope it into life. But now, there's a new and exciting way to start your journey toward a more joyful existence: The Joy 101 Podcast with Hoda! Best known for her Emmy-winning work and co-anchoring Today, Hoda Kotb infuses her authenticity, curiosity, and warmth into conversations with the world’s most fascinating people. Entertainment legends, sport icons, wellness experts, and everyday folks will share how they find, allow, and experience joy. Hoda will offer her own tips and takes on seeking a more balanced, harmonious life. If you're craving inspiration, support, and useful tools to maximize your joy, tune in to these candid, uplifting, and moving on-air chats. Joy after a breakup, joy as an empty-nester, joy after loss, joy as a caretaker — Hoda's new podcast will speak to you. Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb, an iHeartPodcast.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com