TRANSPORT ENGINEERING - TALLEY’S (TET)

Michael Vink Ethan Batt Hamish Keast James Harvey James Krzanich (U23) Mike Phillips

Christchurch Blenheim Invercargill Cambridge Christchurch Christchurch

Two time tour champion champion Michael Vink returns with the Transport Engineering Southland – Talley’s team this year as he aims to take his third SBS Bank Tour of Southland win. He is a nine time national champion, riding his 12th SBS Bank Tour of Southland this year. He has also finished on the podium every year since 2016, never finishing outside the top 10 since riding his first tour at the tender age of 17 in 2009. Vink will have a strong supporting cast, starting with Ethan Batt, who will be returning for his sixth tour this year, after a full season in Europe, and having been a member of the yellow jersey winning team each of the last three years. Local lad Hamish Keast will be riding his fourth Tour of Southland, even though he is still in the U23 division. Riding for the St George Continental Cycling Team, he will be a very valuable supporting rider. James Harvey will be rolling out on his third tour, and also his third with the team. In his first outing he ended up wearing the yellow jersey on stage 1, and also helped Vink to the overall title, so he will be hoping to similar success this time around. James Krzanich is also on his third lap of Southland, and a couple of months spent racing in Belgium should mean that he is well prepared for the changeable Southland weather. Mike Phillips is a professional Ironman triathlete, but without international competition has decided to join former Christchurch Boys High School team mate Vink.