New Zealand / Regional

Cycle race endorsed despite tanker incident

11:42 am on 3 November 2008

Bike NZ says a road race in which a competitor collided with a milk tanker is a well-organised event that it continues to endorse.

Brett Burton, 43, is in a stable condition in Auckland hospital following the incident in the K2 cycle race on the Coromandel Peninsula on Saturday.

The one-day event covers almost 200km.

Bike NZ executive chairman Arthur Klap says the growth of recreational cycling has made the K2 a very popular event, attracting novices and professionals.

He says what is needed is for motorists to be better educated about cycle safety.

Witnesses say Burton sustained head and spinal injuries when a ute overtook a group of cyclists, causing a pile-up which pushed him into a milk tanker coming from the opposite direction.

Auckland Hospital says he has been transferred to a general ward and is in a stable condition.