Tour Aotearoa is an annual cycle tour event and cycling route in New Zealand. The route travels from

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. Tour Aotearoa's debut event in 2016 included about 250 riders. The event was organised by Jonathan Kennett, a manager of the New Zealand Cycle Trail project. Kennett said that as the Cycle Trail project manager, he was often asked what was the best route from Cape Reinga to Bluff, which was part of the inspiration for the event. Kennett described the route in 2016 as a "mix of off-road trails, back-country roads, a few bits of highway, and even

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", and that more sections would move off-road every month as more cycle trails were built. The event is a

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, meaning that it is not a race and cyclists ride at their own pace, though participants are expected to complete the challenge in under 30 days and reach 30 photo checkpoints, as well as carry all their own gear. The event was biannual, held in 2016, 2018, and 2020, then moved to yearly with an event in 2021. ''

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'' reported that Jackson Kelly was believed to be the youngest person to complete the event, at age 16. Kelly and his father entered the event in 2021 and completed the route over 28 days.

Route

Writer Graeme Simpson said in 2018 that although the route was only a few years old, "it's already one of New Zealand's great cycling adventures and is recognised as one of the best in the world, too." The route is a mix of sealed roads, gravel roads, 4WD tracks, cycle trails and mountain bike tracks. The route segments are selected to include as many Great Rides as possible and avoid high traffic main roads. Route segments are updated as new trail is created. All cycling on the route is free and open to the public all year round, however the route does require four or five commercial boat rides: Hokianga Harbour, Kaipara Harbour (optional), Wanganui River, Cook Strait, and Lake Wakatipu.

Main route segments

;North Island * Far North Cycleway Ninety Mile Beach * Kauri Coast Cycleway * Kaipara Missing Link *

Hauraki Rail Trail The Hauraki Rail Trail is one of the Great Rides of the New Zealand Cycle Trail system, using parts of the abandoned ECMT and Thames Branch railways in the Hauraki Gulf plains and the Coromandel Peninsula. The trail officially starts from Ka ...

* Waikato River Trail *

Timber Trail The Timber Trail, originally known as the Central North Island Rail Trail or Pureora Timber Trail, in the North Island of New Zealand is an cycleway (also used by walkers and hunters) in Pureora Forest Park, fully opened in 2013, with 35 bridges ...

* Kaiwhakauka Track * Bridge to Nowhere Mountain Biking Trail * Mountains to Sea * The Three Rivers * Manawatu Cycleway * Remutaka Cycle Trail ;South Island * Queen Charlotte Drive * Maungatapu Track * Great Taste Trail * Pioneer Heritage Trail * Big River and Waiuta Track *

West Coast Wilderness Trail The West Coast Wilderness Trail has been funded as one of the projects of the New Zealand Cycle Trail. Once complete, the track will connect Greymouth in the north with Ross in the south. History The overall New Zealand Cycle Trail project is a ...

* Haast Pass * Crown Range *

Queenstown Trail The Queenstown Trail is a cycle and walking trail funded as one of the projects of the New Zealand Cycle Trail (NZCT) system in Otago, New Zealand. It links the towns of Queenstown, Arrowtown, the suburb of Jack's Point and the area of Gibbston. ...

Around the Mountains Cycle Trail The Around the Mountains Cycle Trail is a cycle trail set in the remote wilderness of southern New Zealand. 186 km in length, it can be ridden in either direction, starting at Kingston or Walter Peak and taking three to five days at a rela ...

* Southland Traverse

References

External links

* * * {{cite web , url= https://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/77093239/3000km-cycle-tour-sends-riders-from-cape-reinga-to-bluff , title = 3000km cycle tour sends riders from Cape Reinga to Bluff Cycling events Cycling in New Zealand Ultra-distance cycling

Route

Main route segments

See also

References

External links