Across the Finish Line

New Zealand Cycling Races 1884 to 2026

This is a pre-order for the very limited edition paper book to be published on 3 Nov 2026. The print run will be 200 copies (or more if demand is higher). Each book will be individually signed and numbered.

Across the Finish Line is the most extensive list of New Zealand cycling race results, with every major race, every winner and significant records over the past 142 years. Amateur or professional, mountain bike, BMX, track or road – no stone is left unturned.

Over 15 years in the making, with the help of a team of New Zealand cycle historians, this compendium includes all the cycling greats; Sarah Ulmer, George Bennett, Ellesse Andrews and hundreds more. From early career wins on these shores to podiums on the world stage, all are scrupulously recorded by authors Jonathan Kennett and Ian Gray.

Who is our first major cycling record holder? Where was the first national mountain bike race held? How has cycling evolved since the first recorded race held in 1884?

Across the Finish Line has put this all to paper and is a valuable record of New Zealand’s cycling history.

Compiled by Jonathan Kennett and Ian Gray.

Earliest result: 1884 New Zealand 5-mile track, winner: F.A. Cutten
Latest result: 2026 Tour de France Femmes, G.C. 10th: Niamh Fisher-Black

$88.00

Available on back-order

Categories: ,

List of events included:

ROAD

Classics and Tours

  • Timaru to Christchurch – Professional
  • Timaru to Christchurch – Amateur
  • Christchurch to Timaru
  • Twizel to Timaru Cycle Classic
  • Waimate to Christchurch – Professional
  • Oamaru to Christchurch – Professional
  • Taranaki Round the Mountain Road Race – Professional
  • Taranaki Round the Mountain Road Race – Amateur
  • Palmerston North to Wellington – Amateur
  • Palmerston North to Wellington – Professional
  • Hamilton to Auckland Distance Race – Professional
  • Round the Gorges Classic – Amateur, then CNZ
  • The Whanganui John Bull Cup – Amateur, then CNZ
  • Christchurch to Akaroa and Le Race – Amateur
  • Le Race
  • New Zealand Grand Prix – Professional
  • North Island Tours – Amateur
  • Wiseman’s Tour
  • Dulux Six-Day Race
  • Dulux Seven-Day Race
  • Healing Cycle Classic
  • Raleigh Cycle Classic
  • Giant Cycle Classic
  • New Zealand Post Cycle Classic
  • Colonial Cycle Classic – CNZ
  • Tour of Southland – Amateur
  • Star Tour of Central Otago – Professional
  • Tour of Manawatu – Amateur
  • Taupō to Napier Classic – Amateur
  • Tour of Northland – Amateur
  • Lake Taupō Cyclethon / Cycle Challenge
  • Tour of Waikato – Amateur
  • Junior International Tour
  • New Zealand Cycle Classic – Amateur, CNZ
  • Bev May Women’s Tour
  • Rothmans Women’s Tour / Street Skills Women’s Cycle Classic – Amateur
  • Tineli Nelson Tour De Femme
  • Women’s Tour of New Zealand
  • Women’s World Cup Race
  • K2 Road Race

New Zealand Professional Road Race Championships

New Zealand Amateur Road Championships

  • Senior Men’s Road Race
  • Senior Women’s Road Race
  • National Hope Gibbons Shield Teams Time Trial – Amateur
  • Air New Zealand Cycling Grand Prix – Men’s Amateur

Cycling New Zealand Championships

  • Senior Men’s Road Race
  • Elite Men’s Road Championships
  • Men’s Individual Time Trial
  • Senior Women’s Road Championships
  • Elite Women’s Road Championships
  • Women’s Individual Time Trial

Road Endurance Records

  • Auckland to Wellington
  • Women’s Hamilton to Auckland
  • Across the North Island
  • Christchurch to Dunedin
  • Christchurch to Hokitika
  • Christchurch to Invercargill
  • Cape Reinga to Bluff via highways
  • Cape Reinga to Bluff via Tour Aotearoa route
  • The Great Nelson to Christchurch Road Race

TRACK

New Zealand Professional Track Championships

  • Quarter-mile
  • Half-mile
  • 1-mile
  • 2-mile
  • 3-mile
  • 5-mile
  • 10-mile
  • Team Pursuit 3 Miles/4,000 Metres
  • New Zealand Cup on Wheels

New Zealand Amateur Track Championships

  • National Hard Track Championships – Men’s
  • Half-mile
  • 1-mile
  • 3-mile
  • 1,000-metre Time Trial
  • 4,000-metre Individual Pursuit
  • 1,000-metre Sprint
  • 15,000-metre Scratch
  • 40- and 50-kilometre Points Race
  • 4,000-metre Team Pursuit
  • 1,000-metre Tandem Sprint
  • Women’s
  • Sprint
  • 3,000-metre Individual Pursuit
  • Open 20-kilometre Points Race

Cycling New Zealand National Track Championships

  • New Zealand Amateur Grass Track Championships
  • Pennington Cup
  • Laykold Cup Carnival
  • Laykold Cup Carnival and Poneke Plate
  • New Zealand Track Records
  • New Zealand Cyclist of the Year
  • Top Awards and Honours

BMX

  • BMX National Championships

Mountain Biking

  • Karapoti Classic
  • Mount Peel Mountain Bike Marathon
  • Rainbow Rage
  • Whaka 100
  • MTB Cross-country Championships, National Series
  • MTB Cross-country National Championships
  • MTB Downhill Championships, National Series
  • MTB Downhill National Championships
  • MTB Hill Climb National Championships
  • New Zealand Single Speed Championships

New Zealand National Cyclocross Championships

INTERNATIONAL

  • World Records
  • World Championships
  • Junior World Champions
  • Road World Cup
  • Mountain Bike World Cup
  • Olympic Games
  • Commonwealth Games

Europe

  • Tour de France
  • Tour Cycliste Feminin – Le Tour de France Femmes
  • Giro d’Italia
  • Giro d’Italia Donne
  • Vuelta a España – Tour of Spain
  • Vuelta a España Femenina
  • Clásica Féminas de Navarra
  • Tour de Suisse
  • Tour de Wallonie
  • Czech Cycling Tour
  • Wachovia Classic
  • Six Days of Fiorenzaola
  • Boucles de la Mayenne
  • Classica Corsica
  • Volta a Catalunya (Classic)
  • Gran Piemont (Italy)
  • Paris – Nice
  • Giro di Lombardia
  • Olympia’s Tour
  • Clasica de Almeria
  • Tour de Seux-Sevres
  • Sachsen Tour – Germany six-day tour
  • Ronde van North – Holland
  • Ronde van Limburg
  • Tour of Midden-Zeeland
  • Netherlands Professional Road Championships
  • Three-day Race at Alkmaar
  • Tour of Belgium
  • Amstel Gold Race, Netherlands, classic
  • Tour of Netherlands
  • Tour of Andalucia – Spain
  • Bordeaux-Paris – France, classic
  • Paris-Roubaix – France, classic
  • Cardiff Grand Prix
  • Preston Grand Prix
  • Tour of Ireland
  • Tour of Britain – The Milk Race
  • British Single Speed Championship

Australia

  • Warrnambool to Melbourne
  • Dunlop Grand Prix
  • Melbourne Centenary 1000
  • Austral Wheel Race
  • Australasian 1-Mile Track Championship
  • Australasian 5-Mile Track Championship
  • Intercolonial 5-Mile Championship (Sydney)
  • Grafton to Inverell Amateur Cycling Classic
  • Australian Professional Road Championship
  • Australian Amateur Road Championship
  • Goulburn to Sydney Road Race – Amateur
  • Tour of Tasmania
  • Launceston to Hobart
  • Melbourne to Bendigo Handicap Open (Amateur)
  • Tour of Gippsland (Professional)
  • VIC Health / Herald Sun Tour
  • Melbourne to Yarrawonga (Professional)
  • Raiffeisen Grand Prix
  • Down Under Classic

Asia and Pacific

  • Tour of New Caledonia (12 days)
  • Tour of Taiwan
  • Japan International Road Cycling Series
  • Tour of Hokkaido
  • Japan Cup (Classic)
  • Tour of Hainan
  • Trans-Himalaya Cycling Race

North America

  • NORBA National Championship Series (USA MTB)
  • Cross-country
  • Downhill
  • Tour of Somerville (New Jersey, USA)
  • Athens Twilight (USA)
  • First Union Classic (Trenton, New Jersey, USA)
  • USA Professional Criterium Championship
  • Tour of the Gila, New Mexico
  • Reading Classic
  • Philadelphia International Championship
  • American BMX Grand Nationals Final
  • Tour Divide
  • Tour of California
  • Guinness Book of Records – NZ cycling records

 

About the authors

Jonathan Kennett co-authored his first cycling guidebook in 1991 and has since become Aotearoa’s most prolific author of cycling books. Jonathan is an experienced competitor in mountain bike and road racing, with a few notable wins under his belt. His racing experience combined with his knowledge of the cycling industry makes him the ideal person to write this book. The most recent book he’s published, Survive Aotearoa (finalist in the New Zealand Book Awards), was published in 2025.

Ian Gray has dedicated over 50 years to cycling in the Manawatū as a coach, organiser and advocate and in 2026 he was inducted into Manawatu Legends of Sport by Sport Manawatu for his accomplishments. Ian has helped establish events and trained riders to win races and represent New Zealand. He has authored and coauthored several cycling books, including Round the Mountain and Wheels against the Wind published most recently.

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