Subaru NSWIS ready for Tour de Tweed

The Subaru NSWIS Road Team will be lining up this week for the Tour de Tweed, the third instalment of the Men’s Subaru National Road Series (NRS), held in conjunction with the Battle on the Border Cycling Festival.

The race, starting on Thursday, is a five stage tour taking in 370km over the four days and will kick off with the NRS Classic, a tough  point to point Road Race from Pt Danger to Mt Warning.

Having never raced the border event, Subaru NSWIS Directeur Sportif Ben Kersten said it would be a learning experience for both him and the riders.

“We’ve studied the course and the profile, and it is challenging but we should be to achieve some good results. The first stages are very hilly so that doesn’t suit our riders so much, but then there are some shorter punchier stages with the criterium and the time trial,” Kersten said. “Coming off what we have been doing the shorter sharper events will be something we are aiming for.”

This will be the first time this season Subaru NSWIS have raced with a full complement of riders, and with the addition of guest sprinter Chris Bryan, Kersten is keen to see the team mix it with the bigger teams.

“We have all the guys plus Chris so we have got opportunities across the board;  sprint, overall, time trial, and with a full team we will have a lot of support which will make a difference,” Kersten said.

“Avanti are calling a lot of the shots in the NRS currently, deservedly, and then Budget and Drapac will make up the main three teams, but for us it’s about having a target and working to execute our plan and not worry about these big teams. Being new, no-one really knows us so we can use it as an advantage.”

Kersten feels the team is coming into some good form.

“This is the time of the season where everything is starting to come together. The first race was back in Bathurst and the guys weren’t at their peak, they were doing lots of training but no racing. Now they are getting into racing and starting to record some personal bests and good data, so in every race we are looking for a better result.”

The Tour de Tweed takes place from 15-18 May 2014.