I hear Blowhards is a big climb ... do I need special gearing on my bike?
If you have standard chain rings you will probably want a cluster that goes down to 28T sprocket on the back. If you have compact gearing you should be able to manage with a 25T.
What weather can I expect?
We reckon we have picked the best time of year for this event but the course does climb to nearly 1000m. So it could be hot, sunny and nice, or cold, raining and windy ...
Click here for the up to date forecast.
Can I ride my E Bike?
Yes! If you can organise your battery power there is a catagory for you.
Where is registration?
Roosters Brew House, 1470 Omahu Road, Hastings
When is registration?
Registration will be from 4.00-6.00pm on Friday 20 March 2020 at Roosters Brew House, 1470 Omahu Road, Hastings.
If you are unable to come to registration at that time, please contact us
What time is the race briefing?
All Riders MUST attend our race safety briefing at 1.00pm at Kuripapango.
What time does the ride start?
1.15pm approximately ... depending on the arrival of the leading Gentle Annie riders.
Where is the start?
Kuripapango Bridge, Napier-Taihape Road. Assembly in the rest area on the right before the bridge. Non-flushing toilet provided.
How do I get to the start line?
We are providing a van to Kuripapango from Roosters Brew House on the morning of the ride. You can book and pay for this when you enter.
If you are organising your own transport, it takes approximately 1 hour to drive to Kuripapango.
I've booked the transport option to get to the start line, when does the van leave?
Assemble at Roosters Brew House 11.00am. The van will depart 11.30am.
Bikes need to be dropped off at registration at Roosters Brew House from 4.00-6.00pm Friday 20 March 2020, and will be available for collection when the van arrives at Kuripapango.
Where is the finish?
Outside at Roosters Brew House, 1470 Omahu Road, Hastings
Where should I stay?
For those staying in the sunny Hawke's Bay, we recommend staying at our event partner, the Ballina Motel in Taradale. http://www.ballinamotel.co.nz
Tim is an enthusiastic cyclist and has been a Team manager in some of the top road races in New Zealand. He and his staff are very bike friendly, even providing cleaning facilities for your trusty stead.
For Taihape accomodation go to http://www.taihape.co.nz or http://www.rangitikei.co
Are supporters vehicles allowed on the course?
No. The course is closed to supporter traffic to help ensure a safer ride for riders. If you have somebody that is dropping you off at Kuripapango and then travelling back to Hastings, they will need to leave before the ride starts and drive directly through to the finish ahead of the ride.
What support is provided?
In addition to a Lead Vehicle and Tail-End-Charlie there will be several support vehicles.
The course is over a remote area with no cell phone coverage for the first 30km so we will have additional vehicles with trained nurses and access to satellite phones spread over the route.
An ambulance will be in attendance and will follow the ride from Taihape through to the finish.
All support vehicles will carry first aid kits and spare water bottles.
Water will be provided to fill your own bottles at the start.
Please note that for safety reasons we are actively discouraging private support vehicles on the course. We strongly encourage all riders leaving from Hawke's Bay to use our transport option ... it's the easiest and cheapest way to get to the start line.
Any vehicles that plan to travel from Kuripapango to Roosters Brew House, on the day of the ride, must leave before the ride starts at approximately 1.00pm.
What happens if i need to withdraw from starting the event?
If you need to withdraw you may transfer your entry to another person, or to next year's event. All requests MUST be received before 15 March 2020 and will be charged a $20 transfer fee. After this time no refunds or transfers are able to be processed. If you need to withdraw contact us
How long has the event been going for?
The Little Annie Bike Ride was launched in 2019.
How to I stay up to date with information about the Little Annie Bike Ride?
Where possible, all information will be on our website www.gentleannieride.co.nz We recommend that you also Like our facebook page as updates will be posted there www.facebook.com/gentleannieride
Who is the event organiser?
Event Director: Steve Nicholls on behalf of the Ramblers Cycling Club
Race Day Director: SuperVision Sports
Any further questions?
Please contact us if you have any questions.