2023 EVENTS

The 2023 Chain Reaction Challenge offers an unparalleled experience of New Zealand’s spectacular South Island. On Day 1 the peloton will ride the popular training loop for local Christchurch cyclists and enjoy harbour views along the ancient volcanic craters edge.  To start Day 2, the peloton begin with a loop around the north side of Christchurch before passing through the port town of Lyttleton. Nice flat country lanes will give the bunch a chance to move around and talk before a slight climb along the Rakaia River points us toward the mountain range, which includes the ski area of Mt Hutt.

Day 3 begins with the peloton climbing through Arthurs Pass the sharp mountain range providing plenty of opportunity to take in the scenery, some of which was used to film scenes from the Lord of the Rings movies. A breathtaking descent through a gorge gradually flattens out on the west side of the South Island, ending with an overnight stay in the seaside town of Greymouth.

Day 4 is a mixture of lush green farmland and rainforest with the towering mountain range on one side and the Tasman Sea on the other. Three short sharp peaks in a pocket of rainforest at the end of the day is worth saving the legs for.

An early morning roll out to the viewing area for the Fox Glacier behind the town that shares its name is a unique start to Day 5. Today’s scenery will feature wide rivers that appear through lush farmland between the ocean and the snow-capped mountains. The road will point the peloton towards the giant mountains, which will make some nervous, but the turn away will provide a gentle rolling day to Haast. 

Day 6 from Haast to Wanaka will be one of the best days you will have on a bike, anywhere in the world. The grand landscape of the mountains and the vast lakes surrounding presents a series of postcard moments. The scale is difficult to comprehend, and the road is in great condition, giving the peloton a breathtaking opportunity to take it all in.

The grind up the Cardrona Valley on Day 7, the final day, will test tired legs at the end of a long week. The view from the top over Queenstown is a fitting reward, as is the famous descent down the Crown Range, but wait there’s more. The final challenge of the week includes the climb up Coronet Peak before meeting friends and family who are invited to make the trip across the ditch to meet us on the finish line on the shore of Queenstown's Lake Wakatipu.