There are 77 days until the Paris Olympics and one athlete’s final preparations have seen them take part in an event where Kiwis can get a taste of the upcoming games on home soil.
Cycling simulation “Tour de Fern” is touring the country, giving Kiwis the chance to ride through the streets of Paris, competing in a virtual 300m race along the Champs-Élysées.
Olympic cyclist Ellesse Andrews told Breakfast “training is really ramping up” for the games. “The days are just flying, feels like we’re just making the most of it. Every day counts, every little second counts.
“So yeah, we’re full gas, head down.”
Breakfast reporter Lucy Bendell took on the challenge, versing Andrews — a silver medallist in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games — live on air this morning.
Tour de Fern participants’ times appear on a nationwide leader board for all to see who gets the closest to the Olympic cyclists’ time of 22.3 seconds.
Alongside cheers from the presenters in the studio, Bendell’s early morning attempt shot her to top of the leader board — consisting of two people at the time — with a corrected time of 28 seconds.
The Tour de Fern will visit Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington, Hamilton, Christchurch and Invercargill from mid-May to late June for Kiwis hoping to claim the top spot on the leaderboard.
It gives Kiwis the opportunity to jump on the stationary bike and embrace some friendly competition with their peers or the Olympians.
Olympic cyclist Sam Dakin said it’s nice to build some excitement around the Olympics.
“It feels like yesterday we were in Tokyo [2020 Olympic Games] with kind of like no one there. The thought of Paris, and people being there, and getting the New Zealand public excited about the Olympics is very cool”.
Dakin said if he is selected for his second games it would be a “great day”.
“I think that will be an important step for people to get confirmed, and then we can get on with the final preparations.”
Andrews said if the naming goes well they will both be in New Zealand for the next couple of weeks and leave mid-July for a few weeks of preparation in Switzerland.
The New Zealand track cycling team for the Paris Olympics will be announced on May 22.
